Cover letter
Explains why VA sends the questionnaire, the 60-day response window, what VA does after it gets the answer, and how to reach VA by phone, internet or letter.
21P-0537
Marital Status Questionnaire
- Agency
- VA
- Revision
- December 2025
- Fillable fields
- 37
- Pages
- 3
- Official source
- VA form page
- Checked
- October 20, 2026
VA Form 21P-0537: Marital Status Questionnaire
VA Form 21P-0537 is the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Marital Status Questionnaire. VA's form page says to use it if you're receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (D.I.C.) as the surviving spouse of a Veteran who died in service or from a service-connected disability and you have a change in your marital status.
The PDF has two parts: a cover letter VA sends to surviving spouses who receive DIC, and the one-page questionnaire. The letter says VA sends it periodically to verify current marital status as the basis to continue the benefit, and that the surviving spouse is also responsible for reporting updates to marital status at the time the change occurs.
VA's page says the form can also be filled out online. You can fill out the PDF free in your browser on this page and download the result without an account.
What's on VA Form 21P-0537
Items 1A to 1G: remarriage
Whether you have remarried since the death of the Veteran, the date of marriage, the spouse's name and date of birth, whether the spouse is a Veteran and, if so, a VA file number or Social Security number, and your age at the time of marriage.
Items 2A to 2C: end of remarriage
Whether the remarriage has been terminated, the date of termination and the reason for termination.
Items 3 to 5: contact and signature
Daytime and evening telephone numbers with area code, an email address, a signature in ink and the date signed.
Notices
Privacy Act information, the respondent burden of 5 minutes and a note that a marriage certified for VA benefits is one recognized by the place of residence, citing 38 U.S.C. § 103(c).
How to complete VA Form 21P-0537
- 1
Read the cover letter
It explains that the questionnaire verifies your marital status for DIC entitlement and gives the response window.
- 2
Answer Item 1A
Check Yes or No for whether you have remarried since the death of the Veteran. The form says a No answer skips to questions 3 to 5.
- 3
Fill in the remarriage details
With a Yes answer, complete Items 1B to 1G, then Items 2A to 2C about whether the remarriage has been terminated.
- 4
Add contact details and sign
Enter your phone numbers and email address, sign Item 5A in ink and enter the date in Item 5B.
- 5
Send your response
The letter says to place both the letter and the questionnaire in the enclosed envelope with the Regional Office return address showing through the window, or to report by telephone. VA's page also offers an online version.
Why fill Form 21P-0537 on indox
You get the real form, filled in a browser tab, with nothing standing between you and the finished PDF.
- Fill the form right in your browser, no software to install
- Free to fill and free to download, with no account
- The official blank straight from the VA, not a copy someone retyped
- Works on a phone, tablet or computer
Where to send it and getting help
Response window
The letter says: "We must receive your written or verbal response within 60 days of the date provided on this letter." It adds that without a response within 60 days, VA may propose to stop DIC payments until the verification is received.
By mail
The letter says to use the enclosed envelope. The address printed at the top of the letter is PO BOX 5365, JANESVILLE WI 53547-5365. When writing, the letter says to put your full name and VA file number on the letter.
By phone
The letter says marital status can also be reported verbally by telephone at 1-800-827-1000. For a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD), the number is 711.
Online
VA's form page says you can fill out this form online instead of filling out and sending the paper form.
Questions
The letter points to Ask VA at http://ask.va.gov/.
Edition
The DEC 2025 edition carries OMB Approved No. 2900-0495, which expires 12/31/2028.
Related forms
21P-534EZ
Application for D.I.C., Survivors Pension, and/or Accrued Benefits
626 fields, 20 pages
21P-534a
Application for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation by a Surviving Spouse or Child—In-Service Death Only
64 fields, 2 pages
21P-4171
Supporting Statement Regarding Marriage
108 fields, 2 pages
21-4170
Statement of Marital Relationship
171 fields, 5 pages
21-0538
Mandatory Verification of Dependents
117 fields, 2 pages
Who uses VA Form 21P-0537?
VA's form page and the cover letter in the PDF describe who completes the questionnaire.
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Questions about Form 21P-0537
What is VA Form 21P-0537 used for?
VA's form page says to use it if you're receiving DIC as the surviving spouse of a Veteran who died in service or from a service-connected disability and you have a change in your marital status.
Why did VA send me this questionnaire?
The cover letter says VA is required by law to send it periodically to verify your current marital status as the basis to continue your DIC benefit.
How long do I have to respond?
The letter says VA needs your written or verbal response within 60 days of the date provided on the letter, and may propose to stop DIC payments until the verification is received if it gets no response in that time.
Can I respond without mailing the form?
Yes. The letter says you may report your marital status verbally by calling 1-800-827-1000 (TDD 711), and VA's form page says the form can be filled out online.
What if I have not remarried?
The form says that if the answer to Item 1A is No, skip to questions 3 to 5 only: phone numbers, email address, signature and date.
What does the letter say about remarriage?
The letter says entitlement can continue after remarriage only if you remarried on or after January 1, 2004, and were age 57 or older at the time of marriage, or remarried on or after January 5, 2021, and were age 55 or older. VA reviews the response and sends a letter if a change affects DIC entitlement.