How Do I Apply For Va Disability Benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs recommends eligible Veterans apply for disability compensation benefits through the VA’s eBenefits online portal. However, Veterans may also apply by mail with VA Form 21-526EZ, in person at your regional benefits office, or with help from a trained professional.
In any case, you will need access to your DD214 , the medical evidence of the disability, and dependency records .
If you have yet to separate from service, you may still apply using the Benefits Delivery at Discharge program. To be eligible for the BDD, you must:
- Be on full-time active duty , and
- Have a known separation date, and
- Your separation date is in the next 90 to 180 days
If you have less than 90 days until separation, you may still file a fully developed or standard claim.
Ssi/ssdi And Va Disability Benefits
Veterans may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance , in conjunction with, or as an alternative to VA disability payments. They may also use the Medicaid and Medicare health benefits that come with SSI/SSDI to supplement VA health services.
The definition of disability and application process is different for SSA and VA disability benefits, and Veterans may begin receiving SSA benefits while they are waiting on a VA benefit decision.
About The Va Disability Rating System
Veterans with a disability that developed or worsened while serving in the military or due to military service may be eligible for Service-Connected disability pay.
Conditions covered by these benefits typically include:
- Physical disabilities including hearing loss, chronic back pain, asthma and cancers caused by contact with toxic chemicals.
- Mental disabilities including anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder , depression and traumatic brain injury .
Find a complete list of covered conditions here.
For every disability claim, the Department of Veterans Affairs assigns a severity rating ranging from 0-100%. This rating moves in 10% increments, is based on service treatment records, VA medical records, and private medical records directly relating to the disability.
For Veterans with more than one disability, the VA uses the combined rating table to calculate your disability percentage.
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How Can I Qualify For A 100 Percent Va Disability Rating
To qualify for a 100 percent VA rating, you must either have one condition rated at 100%, or have one or more individual VA ratings increased, which will then increase your total combined rating to 95.00 or higher .
If your conditions have worsened since you last applied and now qualify for a higher rating, you can submit a new claim on VA.gov by checking the box for an increased evaluation.
Further, you can always add new primary or secondary disabilities, but youll need to prove service connection.
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Disabled Veteran Student Loan Forgiveness Program
The new Disabled Veteran Student Loan Forgiveness Program discharges the Federal Student Loan Debt of veterans who are Totally and Permanently Disabled with a 100% P& T VA Rating OR have a 100 percent Total Disability Individual Unemployability status. Its officially called the Total and Permanent Disability discharge program and has been a huge success to date. And guess what else? A little-known fact is that if youre a veteran with a 100 percent scheduler VA disability rating , youre also eligible for Disabled Veteran Student Loan Forgiveness! Weve seen hundreds of fellow disabled veterans get their student loans COMPLETELEY discharged in under 30 daysthis NEW benefit is EPIC! Apply now if you qualify.
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With Dependents Including Children
Find the dependent status in the left column that best describes you. Then look for your disability rating in the top row. Your basic monthly rate is where your dependent status and disability rating meet.
If you have more than one child or your spouse receives Aid and Attendance benefits, be sure to also look at the Added amounts table, and add these to your amount from the Basic monthly rates table.
| Dependent status | 30% disability rating | 40% disability rating | 50% disability rating | 60% disability rating | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dependent status | Veteran with 1 child only | 30% disability rating | 504.39 | 40% disability rating | 722.28 | 50% disability rating | 1020.44 | 60% disability rating | 1,288.03 |
| With 1 child and spouse | 30% disability rating | 563.39 | 40% disability rating | 801.28 | 50% disability rating | 1,118.44 | 60% disability rating | 1,407.03 | |
| With 1 child, spouse, and 1 parent | 30% disability rating | 607.39 | 40% disability rating | 860.28 | 50% disability rating | 1,192.44 | 60% disability rating | 1,496.03 | |
| With 1 child, spouse, and 2 parents | 30% disability rating | 651.39 | 40% disability rating | 919.28 | 50% disability rating | 1,266.44 | 60% disability rating | 1,585.03 | |
| With 1 child and 1 parent | 30% disability rating | 548.39 | 40% disability rating | 781.28 | 50% disability rating | 1,094.44 | 60% disability rating | 1,377.03 | |
| With 1 child and 2 parents | 30% disability rating | 592.39 | 40% disability rating | 840.28 | 50% disability rating | 1,168.44 | 60% disability rating | 1,466.03 |
The Cost Of Living Adjustment On Va Disability Rates For 2022
Veterans Affairs disability rates had a cost of living adjustment in 2022 at 5.9%, which is the same as the increase in Social Security benefits. This COLA is determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers .
The CPI-W measures the average change over time in prices paid by urban consumers for a fixed market basket of goods and services. The COLA is important because it ensures that VA disability rates keep up with the cost of living. In addition, it helps to protect veterans purchasing power.
VA disability rates play an important role in the lives of many veterans and their families. The COLA ensures that these rates keep up with the cost of living, which helps to protect the well-being of veterans and their families.
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Special Monthly Compensation Benefits For 100% Disabled Veterans
VA Special Monthly Compensation, also known as VA SMC benefits, is additional tax-free compensation that can be paid to disabled veterans, their spouses, surviving spouses, and parents. For disabled veterans, VA Special Monthly Compensation is a higher rate of compensation paid due to special circumstances, such as the need of aid and attendance by another person or by specific disability. For example, the loss or use of a creative organ, which is Erectile Dysfunction for men and Female Sexual Arousal Disorder for women.
Am I Eligible For Va Voc Rehab
This service is for veterans who have both a service-connected disability AND an employment handicap.
There are two thresholds you could meet: either you have a 20% disability rating and an unemployment handicap, or you have a 10% rating and have been determined to have a serious employment handicap.
Click HERE to learn more about Chapter 31 Voc Rehab program.
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Va Special Compensation Is Provided Monthly To Veterans
In addition to the VA Special Monthly Compensation, veterans, their spouses, surviving spouses, and their parents are also eligible for a tax break under this program . Veterans may be eligible for a raise in their benefits under certain conditions. The B option provides home benefits for persons who are unable to leave their home or who are in a specific medical situation that requires care from others.
Military Base Commissary Privileges In
Commissaries, Exchanges, and MWR facilities are now available in-person and online for disabled veterans with a service-connected VA rating between 0% and 100%, effective January 1, 2020. If youre wondering Are all disabled veterans eligible for in-person and online commissary, exchange, and morale, welfare and recreation privileges on military installations? The answer is YES!
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Top100 Disabled Veterans Benefits This Year: The Ultimate Guide
Among many aids available to disabled veterans this year, this article details 15 of the most popular. Veterans and their families who have been fully and permanently wounded will find this to be an invaluable resource. Additional benefits available to veterans who fulfill the requirements for a 100 percent VA disability evaluation may have slipped your mind. This is your best resources.
Do I Qualify For Chapter 35 Benefits
If youre the child or spouse of a veteran or service member who has died, is captured, missing, or has disabilities, you may be able to get help paying for school or job training through the DEA program, also known as Chapter 35 benefits.
Generally, a disabled veteran must be 100 percent permanently and totally disabled due to a service connected disability for dependents to qualify.
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Do Disabled Veterans Get Commissary And Exchange Benefits
Yes, Commissaries, Exchanges, and MWR facilities are available in-person and online for disabled veterans with a service connected VA rating of 0 percent or higher.
This is a fantastic new benefit that went into effect in 2020.
Be sure to take advantage of tax free purchases on a wide array of products and services.
Cola And Va Disability Rates Over Time
2020 COLA
The 2020 1.6 percent COLA increase led to a small jump in veterans benefits. The 2020 VA compensation rates went into effect on December 1, 2019 and veterans received their newly adjusted benefits on December 31 of the same year.
2021 COLA
In 2021, the COLA increase was 1.3 percent, slightly less than the previous year. This lower rate was due, in part, to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economies worldwide. Veterans still saw a boost in their VA disability benefits starting December 1, 2020. Veterans will continue to receive 2021 VA benefits until 2022 COLA rates take effect this December.
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Priority Group 1 For Health Care
When you sign up for VA health care, you will be assigned a priority group. These priority groups are numbered 1 through 8 and each group is used to help make sure that veterans who need to be seen right away, will be able to be signed up quickly. Each priority group can affect each veteran differently. The priority group you are assigned to may affect how soon you are signed up for health care and how much you will need to pay for the cost of your care.
Veterans who are already service connected, are assigned the highest priority. You may be assigned to Priority Group 1 if you have been rated at 50 percent combined rating or more or have a service-connected disability that they have concluded makes you unemployable or have received the Medal of Honor .
As a veteran who is rated at the 100 percent rate, it is likely, you will be assigned to Priority Group 1 for VA health care purposes. To learn more about the different priority groups and who you can contact if you have any questions, please click this link.
Texas Veteran Employment Benefits
Veterans Preference
Wartime veterans have preference in employment with state agencies or offices, as do widows and children of those killed on active duty. State agencies must practice veterans preference until they have reached 40% veteran employment.
Military Time Credit Towards State Retirement
Non-retired veterans who are state employees can claim their active-duty military time toward retirement by making a payment equal to the monthly contribution an employee would make times the number of months active duty. The maximum anyone can buy is 60 months.
Veteran Entrepreneur Program
Visit the following website for more information:
The Veteran Entrepreneur Program provides veteran entrepreneurs and veteran small businesses the tools they need to start or grow their businesses. The program provides consultation with business plans, financing, marketing and more.
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Hospice Assisted Living And Home Health Care
Disabled veterans may be able to get these services through VA. However, the scope, availability and co-pay cost vary widely from state to state. Next week we will provide a detailed description of what is available in Rhode Island.
In any case, a 100% disability rating will eliminate or significantly reduce most co-pay requirements. Please visit:
Hospice Care is offered if the veteran has a terminal condition, with less than 6 months to live, and is no longer seeking treatment other than pain management. It can be provided at home, in an outpatient clinic or in an inpatient setting.
Watch: 100 Percent Disabled Veteran Benefits
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***VIDEO TIMESTAMPS & LINKS***
01:04 Sometimes you have to take the leap!
09:55 Fellow Veterans: Get you butt to the doctor!
13:39 What is the standard of proof in a VA disability compensation claim?
15:15 Get a Medical Nexus Letter!
18:30 The VA Rater is looking for Frequency, Severity and Duration of symptoms over time!
21:35 VA Claims Insider FREE Resource Library
25:13 VA Disability Compensation Pay
29:30 FREE Healthcare and Prescription Medication
30:44 Property Tax Exemptions by State!
34:55 VA Total Disability Individual Unemployability
36:58 CHAMPVA Health Insurance
38:37 Commissary and Base Exchange Privileges
44:29 Free Space A Travel for 100% P& T Disabled Veterans
45:28 NEW! Disabled Veteran Student Loan Forgiveness Program
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Emergency Care Outside Of Va For 100% Disabled Veterans
Veterans in the Priority 1 Group described above that have a P& T disability rating are entitled to emergency care outside of the Veterans Health Administration for any disability. Such emergency care is at VAs expense. Veterans must simply show that VA was not reasonably available to provide the care that they needed at the time.
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Free Space A Travel For Disabled Veterans
With the passage of the Disabled Veterans Access to Space-A Travel Act, disabled veterans with a service-connected 100% permanent and total disability rating can jump on any scheduled or unscheduled military flight within the continental United States under Category 6 operated by Air Mobility Command , subject to availability. Click HERE for the AMC official Space A travel page.
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Overseas Burn Pits Exposed Military Members And Veterans To Toxic Chemicals For Decades
Since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, military members and veterans have been exposed to burn pitsopen-air trash fires that have been used to incinerate everything from medical waste to plastics and metals. The fumes from these pits have caused service members to develop life-threatening conditions such as cancer, respiratory problems, and neurological disorders.
Despite the health risks, the Department of Defense continues to use burn pits to dispose of waste. Thousands of veterans have filed lawsuits against the department, claiming that their exposure to burn pits has caused serious health problems.
The Department of Defense should immediately stop using burn pits to dispose of waste and instead find safer and environmentally friendly methods of waste disposal. Service members and veterans exposed to burn pits deserve better than suffering from life-threatening illnesses because of the negligence of the Department of Defense.
Permanent And Total Va Disability Ratings
Importantly, some of the benefits that are available for disabled veterans who are totally disabled , are conditioned on the veteran having permanent and total status. VA deems a disability permanent when it is reasonably certain, based on medical evidence, that the level of impairment will continue for the rest of the veterans life. VA should automatically consider whether a veterans condition qualifies for permanent status when adjudicating their claim.
If VA has awarded P& T status for TDIU or the veterans condition it will most likely be indicated in the decision letter. On some Rating Decisions, there is a P& T box that will be checked if the veterans 100% disability is permanent. On others, there may be language like Eligibility to Dependents Chapter 35 DEA / CHAMPVA are established or no future exams are scheduled both of which indicate permanence. The exact language may vary with different VA Regional Offices.
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