The data record on VA survivor benefits.
VA publishes almost no statistics about survivor claims, so the Desk built the record itself: FOIA obtained denial data, a live claims tracker, and the released government documents, alongside the guides and tools families actually use.
The key numbers
These figures exist publicly only because of the records request behind them. The full analysis, caveats, and dataset are in the report below.
The research and the records
Original statistics, the raw dataset, and the government documents they came from.
Original FOIA study: VA denied 23,212 DIC survivor claims in FY 2025, more than double FY 2023. Full methodology, dataset, and validation notes.
The report's full data series, downloadable for verification and reuse.
Request 26-23676-F and every other records request in the public log, with VA's released documents.
Live tracking
What is happening to survivor claims right now, updated as VA's weekly workload data lands.
For families
The practical side: what survivors can claim and what the benefit pays.
Citing this data: use the suggested citation on the report page, which carries the dataset version and permanent URL. Journalists and researchers can reach the desk through Research and Partnerships.