---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 5313"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "5313"
heading: "Limitation on payment of compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation to persons incarcerated for conviction of a felony"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/5313"
units:
  - "Part IV — General Administrative Provisions"
  - "Chapter 53 — Special Provisions Relating to Benefits"
---

# §5313. Limitation on payment of compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation to persons incarcerated for conviction of a felony

- (a)
  - (1) To the extent provided in [subsection (d)](#d) of this section, any person who is entitled to [compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13) or to [dependency and indemnity compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=14) and who is incarcerated in a Federal, [State](/usc/38/101.md?p=20), local, or other penal institution or correctional facility for a period in excess of sixty days for conviction of a felony shall not be paid such [compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13) or [dependency and indemnity compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=14), for the period beginning on the sixty-first day of such incarceration and ending on the day such incarceration ends, in an amount that exceeds—
    - (A) in the case of a [veteran](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) with a [service-connected](/usc/38/101.md?p=16) disability rated at 20 percent or more, the rate of [compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13) payable under [section 1114(a) of this title](/usc/38/1114.md?p=a); or
    - (B) in the case of a [veteran](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) with a [service-connected](/usc/38/101.md?p=16) disability not rated at 20 percent or more or in the case of a [surviving spouse](/usc/38/101.md?p=3), [parent](/usc/38/101.md?p=5), or [child](/usc/38/101.md?p=4-A), one-half of the rate of [compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13) payable under [section 1114(a) of this title](/usc/38/1114.md?p=a).
  - (2) The provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not apply with respect to any period during which a person is participating in a work-release program or is residing in a halfway house.
- (b)
  - (1) All or any part of the [compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13) not paid to a [veteran](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) by reason of [subsection (a)](#a) of this section may, as appropriate in an individual case, be apportioned under the same terms and conditions as are provided under [section 5307 of this title](/usc/38/5307.md).
  - (2) All or any part of the [dependency and indemnity compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=14) not paid to a [surviving spouse](/usc/38/101.md?p=3) or [child](/usc/38/101.md?p=4-A) by reason of [subsection (a)](#a) of this section may, as appropriate in an individual case, be apportioned as follows:
    - (A) In the case of [dependency and indemnity compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=14) not paid to a [surviving spouse](/usc/38/101.md?p=3), any apportionment shall be to the surviving [child](/usc/38/101.md?p=4-A) or children.
    - (B) In the case of [dependency and indemnity compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=14) not paid to a surviving [child](/usc/38/101.md?p=4-A), any apportionment shall be to the [surviving spouse](/usc/38/101.md?p=3) or other surviving children, as applicable.
  - (3) No apportionment may be made under this subsection to or on behalf of any person who is incarcerated in a Federal, [State](/usc/38/101.md?p=20), local, or other penal institution or correctional facility for conviction of a felony.
- (c) The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall not assign to any [veteran](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) a rating of total disability based on the individual unemployability of the [veteran](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) resulting from a [service-connected](/usc/38/101.md?p=16) disability during any period during which the [veteran](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) is incarcerated in a Federal, [State](/usc/38/101.md?p=20), local, or other penal institution or correctional facility for conviction of a felony.
- (d) The provisions of [subsection (a)](#a) of this section shall apply (1) with respect to any period of incarceration of a person for conviction of a felony committed after October 7, 1980, and (2) with respect to any period of incarceration on or after October 1, 1980, for conviction of a felony of a person who on October 1, 1980, is incarcerated for conviction of such felony and with respect to whom the action granting an award of [compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13) or [dependency and indemnity compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=14) is taken on or after such date.
- (e) For purposes of this section—
  - (1) The term “[compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13)” includes disability [compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13) payable under [section 1151 of this title](/usc/38/1151.md).
  - (2) The term “[dependency and indemnity compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=14)” means death [compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13) payable under section [1121](/usc/38/1121.md) or [1141](/usc/38/1141.md) of this title, death [compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13) and [dependency and indemnity compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=14) payable under [section 1151 of this title](/usc/38/1151.md), and any benefit payable under [chapter 13](/usc/38/chptII/ch13.md) of this title.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 96–385, title V, § 504(a), Oct. 7, 1980, 94 Stat. 1534, § 3113; amended Pub. L. 98–160, title VII, § 702(17), Nov. 21, 1983, 97 Stat. 1010; renumbered § 5313 and amended Pub. L. 102–40, title IV, § 402(b)(1), (d)(1), May 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 238, 239; Pub. L. 102–83, §§ 4(b)(1), (2)(E), 5(c)(1), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 404–406; Pub. L. 105–368, title X, § 1005(b)(16), Nov. 11, 1998, 112 Stat. 3365; Pub. L. 109–461, title X, § 1002(f), Dec. 22, 2006, 120 Stat. 3465.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2006—Subsecs. (a)(1), (b)(3), (c). Pub. L. 109–461 substituted “local, or other penal institution or correctional facility” for “or local penal institution”.

1998—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 105–368 substituted “October 7, 1980,” for “the date of the enactment of this section,”.

1991—Pub. L. 102–40, § 402(b)(1), renumbered section 3113 of this title as this section.

Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(1), substituted “1114(a)” for “314(a)” in subpars. (A) and (B).

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 102–40, § 402(d)(1), substituted “5307” for “3107”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(1), substituted “1151” for “351” in par. (1) and “1121”, “1141”, and “1151” for “321”, “341”, and “351”, respectively, in par. (2).

1983—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 98–160 substituted “paragraph (1) of this subsection” for “paragraph (1) of this section”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 7, 1980, see section 601(d) of Pub. L. 96–385, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 1114 of this title.

### Limitation on Payment of Compensation for Veterans Remaining Incarcerated Since October 7, 1980

Pub. L. 107–103, title V, § 506, Dec. 27, 2001, 115 Stat. 996, provided that: Limitation.—Section 5313 of title 38, United States Code, other than subsection (d) of that section, shall apply with respect to the payment of compensation to or with respect to any veteran described in subsection (b). Covered Veterans.—A veteran described in this subsection is a veteran who is entitled to compensation and who— on October 7, 1980, was incarcerated in a Federal, State, or local penal institution for a felony committed before that date; and remains so incarcerated for conviction of that felony as of the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 27, 2001]. Effective Date.—This section shall apply with respect to the payment of compensation for months beginning on or after the end of the 90-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 27, 2001]. Compensation Defined.—For purposes of this section, the term ‘compensation’ has the meaning given that term in section 5313 of title 38, United States Code.”