(a) Conditions under which apportionment may be made. The surviving spouse's award of dependency and indemnity compensation will be apportioned where there is a child or children under 18 years of age and not in the custody of the surviving spouse. The surviving spouse's award of dependency and indemnity compensation will not be apportioned under this condition for a child over the age of 18 years.

(b) Rates payable. (1) The share for each of the chidren under 18 years of age, including those in the surviving spouse's custody as well as those who are not in such custody, will be at rates approved by the Under Secretary for Benefits except when the facts and circumstances in a case warrant special apportionment under § 3.451. The share for the surviving spouse will be the difference between the children's share and the total amount payable. In the application of this rule, however, the surviving spouse's share will not be reduced to an amount less than 50 percent of that to which the surviving spouse would otherwise be entitled.

(2) The additional amount of aid and attendance, where applicable, will be added to the surviving spouse's share and not otherwise included in the computation.

(3) Where the surviving spouse has elected to receive dependency and indemnity compensation instead of death compensation, the share of dependency and indemnity compensation for a child or children under 18 years of age will be whichever is the greater:

(i) The apportioned share computed under paragraph (b)(1) of this section; or

(ii) The share which would have been payable as death compensation but not in excess of the total dependency and indemnity compensation.

[43 FR 14018, Apr. 4, 1978, as amended at 61 FR 20727, May 8, 1996]