The Survivors' Pension and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) are benefits for families of deceased veterans, each with its requirements. The Survivors' Pension helps families of wartime veterans based on financial needs, not needing the veteran's death to be related to their service.
A VA Survivors Pension offers monthly payments to qualified surviving spouses and unmarried dependent children of wartime Veterans who meet certain income and net worth limits set by Congress. Find out if you qualify and how to apply.
www.va.gov
On the other hand, DIC helps families of veterans who passed away from conditions connected to their service, without any income limits.
If you’re the surviving spouse, child, or parent of a service member who died in the line of duty, or the survivor of a Veteran who died from a service-related injury or illness, you may be able to get a tax-free monetary benefit called VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (VA DIC). Find out...
www.va.gov
Essentially, the Survivors' Pension is all about wartime service and financial need, while DIC is about service-related deaths, no matter the family's income.
There is also a T&P component to DIC as well.