---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 1522"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "1522"
heading: "Net worth limitation"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/1522"
units:
  - "Part II — General Benefits"
  - "Chapter 15 — Pension for Non-Service-Connected Disability or Death or for Service"
  - "Subchapter II — Veterans’ Pensions"
---

# §1522. Net worth limitation

- (a) The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall deny or discontinue the payment of [pension](/usc/38/101.md?p=15) to a [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) under section [1513](/usc/38/1513.md) or [1521](/usc/38/1521.md) of this title when the corpus of the estate of the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) or, if the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) has a [spouse](/usc/38/101.md?p=31), the corpus of the estates of the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) and of the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1)’s [spouse](/usc/38/101.md?p=31) is such that under all the circumstances, including consideration of the annual income of the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1), the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1)’s [spouse](/usc/38/101.md?p=31), and the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1)’s children, it is reasonable that some part of the corpus of such estates be consumed for the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1)’s maintenance.
- (b) The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall deny or discontinue the payment of increased [pension](/usc/38/101.md?p=15) under subsection (c), (d), (e), or (f) of [section 1521 of this title](/usc/38/1521.md) on account of a [child](/usc/38/1831.md?p=1) when the corpus of such [child](/usc/38/1831.md?p=1)’s estate is such that under all the circumstances, including consideration of the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1)’s and [spouse](/usc/38/101.md?p=31)’s income, and the income of the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1)’s children, it is reasonable that some part of the corpus of such [child](/usc/38/1831.md?p=1)’s estate be consumed for the [child](/usc/38/1831.md?p=1)’s maintenance. During the period such denial or discontinuance remains in effect, such [child](/usc/38/1831.md?p=1) shall not be considered as the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1)’s [child](/usc/38/1831.md?p=1) for purposes of this chapter.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1136, § 522; Pub. L. 86–211, § 3(b), Aug. 29, 1959, 73 Stat. 434; Pub. L. 95–588, title I, § 107, Nov. 4, 1978, 92 Stat. 2502; renumbered § 1522 and amended Pub. L. 102–83, §§ 4(b)(1), (2)(E), 5(a), (c)(1), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 404–406; Pub. L. 107–103, title II, § 207(b)(2), Dec. 27, 2001, 115 Stat. 991.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2001—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–103 inserted “1513 or” before “1521 of this title”.

1991—Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), renumbered section 522 of this title as this section.

Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(1), substituted “1521” for “521” in subsecs. (a) and (b).

Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” in subsecs. (a) and (b).

1978—Pub. L. 95–588 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted provisions relating to consideration of the income and estates of the spouse and children of an eligible veteran, and added subsec. (b).

1959—Pub. L. 86–211 substituted provisions requiring the denial or discontinuance of payment of pension when the corpus of the veteran’s estate is such that under all the circumstances, including consideration of the veteran’s income, it is reasonable that some part of the corpus be consumed for the veteran’s maintenance for provisions which prohibited the payment of a pension to any unmarried veteran whose annual income exceeds $1,400 or to any married veteran or any veteran with children whose annual income exceeds $2,700.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2001 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 107–103 effective Sept. 17, 2001, see section 207(c) of Pub. L. 107–103, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1513 of this title.

### Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 95–588 effective Jan. 1, 1979, see section 401 of Pub. L. 95–588, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

### Effective Date of 1959 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 86–211 effective July 1, 1960, see section 10 of Pub. L. 86–211, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1521 of this title.