VA Form 21-686c
Application Request to Add and/or Remove Dependents
Adds a spouse, children, or dependent parents to your award, or removes them when life changes.
Opens the official VA.gov page, always the authority on the current version and instructions.
Veterans rated 30% or higher receive additional monthly compensation for dependents. This form is how the VA learns about a marriage, a birth, a divorce, or a child aging out.
Keeping dependents current matters in both directions: unclaimed dependents are unclaimed money, and unreported removals become debts the VA later collects.
Worth knowing
- Dependent additions start at a combined rating of 30%; the amounts are on the published pay tables.
- Dependents can carry their own effective dates, which affects back pay.
Keep your copy where you can find it
Every form you send becomes part of your story. MusterVault keeps your completed copies, decision letters, and records organized and encrypted on your own computer, so the next deadline finds you ready. No cloud, no account.
Informational only: what this form is and where it lives, not advice about whether or when to file it. A free accredited VSO can advise on your situation. MusterVault organizes records, never gives claims advice, and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.