Chapter 35 Dependency & Education Benefit

VA Chapter 35 — Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) — provides education benefits to spouses, surviving spouses, and children of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to service-connected conditions or who died in service.

Chapter 35 provides up to 45 months of education benefits. Spouses have up to 10 years from the veteran's P&T determination (or 20 years if the veteran died in service) to use their benefits. Children must use benefits between ages 18–26. Compare DEA with the transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill — transferred GI Bill is usually more valuable if available.