The effective date of discontinuance of pension, compensation, or dependency and indemnity compensation to or for a surviving spouse will be the earliest of the dates stated in this section. Where an award is reduced, the reduced rate will be payable the day following the date of discontinuance of the greater benefit.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501)

1. (a) Additional allowance of dependency and indemnity compensation for children (38 U.S.C. 5112(b) § 3.5(e)(3).

   1. (1) If marriage occurred prior to October 1, 1982, the day preceding child's 18th birthday or last day of calendar year in which child's marriage occurred (see § 3.500(n) (2) and (3)), whichever is earlier.
   2. (2) If marriage occurred on or after October 1, 1982, the day preceding child's 18th birthday or last day of the month in which marriage occurred (see § 3.500(n) (2) and (3)) whichever is earlier.
2. (b) Pay grade; dependency and indemnity compensation (38 U.S.C. 1311(a), 5112(b)(10); Pub. L. 91-96, 83 Stat. 144). Date of last payment when rate is reduced because of new certification of pay grade.

3. (c) Legal surviving spouse entitled. Date of last payment on award to another person as surviving spouse. See § 3.657.

   (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501)

4. (d) Marriage. See § 3.500(n).

5. (e) Aid and attendance (§ 3.351(a)).

   1. (1) Date of last payment, if need for aid and attendance has ceased.
   2. (2) If hospitalized at Department of Veterans Affairs expense as a veteran, the date specified in § 3.552(b) (1) or (3).

6. (f) Medicaid-covered nursing home care.

   1. (1) Last day of the calendar month in which Medicaid payments begin, last day of the month following 60 days after issuance of a prereduction notice required under § 3.103(b)(2), or the earliest date on which payment may be reduced without creating an overpayment, whichever date is later; or

   2. (2) If the surviving spouse willfully conceals information necessary to make the reduction, the last day of the month in which that willful concealment occurred.

      (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 5503)

[26 FR 1596, Feb. 24, 1961, as amended at 27 FR 11890, Dec. 1, 1962; 33 FR 2995, Feb. 15, 1968; 35 FR 2828, Feb. 11, 1970; 37 FR 6679, Apr. 1, 1972; 41 FR 55874, Dec. 23, 1976; 48 FR 34473, July 29, 1983; 53 FR 23237, June 21, 1988; 58 FR 32445, June 10, 1993; 91 FR 2713, Jan. 22, 2026]