21P-601
Application for Accrued Amounts Due a Deceased Beneficiary
VA Form 21P-601 is the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Application for Accrued Amounts Due a Deceased Beneficiary. VA's page says to use it, in some cases, to apply for unpaid benefits that VA owed to a VA beneficiary when they died. The instructions define accrued benefits as benefits that were due the beneficiary at the time of death but not paid prior to death.
The instructions say each person claiming a share completes a separate VA Form 21P-601, and not to complete it if you have applied for survivor benefits with VA Form 21P-534EZ or 21P-535. The PDF has five pages: two pages of instructions, then the application in Sections I to VI, covering the claimant and the deceased beneficiary, surviving relatives, last illness and burial expenses, a waiver signed by unpaid creditors, the signature and remarks.
VA's page says you can apply online instead of filling out and sending the paper form. You can fill out the PDF free in your browser on this page and download the result without an account.
The Veteran's name, Social Security number and file number, the deceased beneficiary's name if other than the Veteran, the date of death, and your name, Social Security number, birth date, address, phone, email and relationship.
Whether the beneficiary left a spouse, children or parents, each relative's name, relationship, birth date and mailing address, and Item 14E, whether you would like to waive substitution.
Expenses of last sickness and burial with the person or firm, nature, amount and whether paid, any reimbursement, other debts the beneficiary left, and whether the estate will be legally administered.
Space for up to three unpaid creditors or firms to give their name and address, sign in ink, and add a title and date.
Your signature and today's date in Items 23A and 23B, two witness blocks for a claimant who signs with an X, and Item 26 for remarks.
Paragraph C explains accrued benefits and substitution, which lets an eligible person submit evidence for a claim or appeal pending at the time of death.
Print all answers clearly. The instructions say to write "none" or "0" where that is the answer, and "unknown" if you do not know.
The form says to complete Section III only if you are claiming reimbursement of last illness or burial expenses, and otherwise to skip to Section V.
The instructions list a copy of the death certificate unless the beneficiary died in a VA medical facility, certified letters of administration or letters testamentary if an executor is assigned, and itemized bills for expenses claimed.
Sign Item 23A in ink and date Item 23B. Write the veteran's name and VA file number on all attachments.
Mail it to the Pension Intake Center, take it to the nearest VA regional office, or apply online. The instructions say to make a photocopy of everything you submit.
You get the real form, filled in a browser tab, with nothing standing between you and the finished PDF.
Department of Veterans Affairs, Pension Intake Center, P.O. Box 5365, Janesville, WI 53547-5365.
The instructions say you can take it to the nearest VA regional office, found at https://www.benefits.va.gov/benefits/offices.asp. VA's page says you can apply online instead of sending the paper form.
The instructions say a claim for accrued benefits must be filed within one year from the date of death of the deceased beneficiary, and a claim for lump sum accrued benefits within five years from the veteran's date of death, with an exception for incompetency.
The instructions list your nearest VA regional office, 1-800-827-1000 (Hearing Impaired TDD line 711) and https://www.va.gov/contact-us.
The SEP 2025 edition supersedes VA Form 21P-601, AUG 2022, which will not be used. It carries OMB Control No. 2900-0216, which expires 09/30/2028.
21P-534EZ
626 fields, 20 pages
21P-535
222 fields, 10 pages
21P-8049
154 fields, 4 pages
21P-530EZ
93 fields, 8 pages
The instructions describe who may claim and who signs which part.
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The instructions define them as benefits that were due the beneficiary at the time of death but not paid prior to death. Entitlement follows the line of succession established by law.
The instructions say not to complete VA Form 21P-601 if you have applied for survivor benefits using VA Form 21P-534EZ or 21P-535. The instructions say both can be used to apply for accrued benefits.
Substitution lets an eligible person submit evidence in a claim or appeal pending at the death. The instructions say that if it is waived in Item 14E, VA may still consider the accrued claim, based only on the evidence in the claims folder at the time of death.
The instructions say within one year from the date of death of the deceased beneficiary. A claim for lump sum accrued benefits has five years from the veteran's date of death, with an exception tied to a finding of incompetency.
Yes. The instructions say each person claiming a share of accrued benefits completes a separate VA Form 21P-601.
Yes. VA's page says you can apply online instead of filling out and sending the paper form.
