Effective February 9, 2026, VA will stop making need-based apportionments for compensation, pension, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) awards. Until now, and in limited situations, VA was able to pay a portion of a VA beneficiary’s monetary benefits directly to the beneficiary’s dependent, referred to as an apportionment. To qualify, the dependent could not reside with the beneficiary, had to demonstrate financial need, and the apportionment could not cause financial hardship to the beneficiary.

The most recent audio episode of Visions of BVA has been live and accessible since January 1 on all major platforms, most notably the Association’s YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Featured this month is the audio version of the Autumn 2025 BVA Bulletin, the most recent issue of the quarterly publication produced by and for blind and low vision veterans and their families. Host and producer Steve Baskis has converted a written script of

The upcoming weekend includes a Monday federal holiday that honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Baptist minister and major leader of the Civil Rights Movement. The holiday recognizes both him and his date of birth, January 15, 1929.   Known in large part for his nonviolent resistance to racial inequality and segregation, Dr. King spearheaded major events like the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington (where he gave his “I Have a Dream”