Some veterans may qualify for both VA disability compensation and Social Security disability benefits. Veterans who apply for both types of benefits should understand the differences between the programs and how receiving one type of benefit can affect benefits from the other program. An understanding of how VA and Social Security disability intersect can help a veteran maximize their financial compensation for a service-connected condition that causes them severe limitations.
Overview of VA Disability Benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides tax-free financial compensation and other benefits to veterans with impairments resulting from service-connected medical conditions. A veteran’s medical condition has a “service connection” if it occurred or worsened due to an injury, event, or series of events that occurred during the veteran’s military service. A veteran’s impairment does not have to keep them out of work to qualify for VA disability benefits. Monthly disability compensation depends on the disability rating assigned to the veteran’s condition by the VA, the dependents in the veteran’s household, and other special circumstances.
Overview of Social Security Disability Benefits
The Social Security Administration operates two disability benefit programs: Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income. SSDI provides benefits to workers who cannot continue working in substantial gainful employment due to a medically determinable impairment. SSI provides benefits to low-income individuals with disabilities that prevent them from working. A person qualifies for SSDI when they have sufficient work history and a recent work history that demonstrates their contribution to the Social Security system, whereas qualifications for SSI involve income and asset limits.
SSDI pays benefits based on the Social Security taxes an individual has paid through their wages and self-employment income. SSI pays benefits based on the federal benefit rate minus an individual’s countable monthly income.
Key Differences Between VA Disability and Social Security Disability
Some of the primary differences between the VA and Social Security disability benefit programs include:
- Eligibility requirements: VA disability benefits require a veteran’s disability to have a service connection, whereas a qualifying disability under the SSD programs can arise under any circumstances.
- Disability determination: The VA assigns a percentage rating to a veteran’s disability depending on the degree of impairment, whereas SSD benefits require total disability from steady employment.
- Right to work: VA disability benefits do not preclude a veteran from continuing to work, whereas SSD recipients cannot engage in substantial gainful activity.
- Benefits: VA disability payments depend on a veteran’s disability rating and the dependents in their household, whereas SSD pays benefits based on a recipient’s contribution to the Social Security system or the federal benefit rate.
- Healthcare access: Veterans with a high enough disability rating for VA disability benefits may qualify for VA healthcare. Receiving SSDI benefits for at least 24 months can qualify a person for Medicare, while SSI recipients might qualify for Medicaid.
Can You Receive Both Kinds of Benefits
A veteran can qualify for both VA and Social Security disability benefits. The benefits a veteran receives from one program do not affect the benefits they can receive from the other. Veterans must apply for both programs separately. Approval under one program does not guarantee approval under the other, as the two agencies have different standards for evaluating disability. However, an approved claim in one program can provide strong evidence for an application to the other program.
Contact Our VA Disability Lawyers Today
When you qualify for both VA and Social Security disability, knowing how the two programs interact can help you maximize your financial compensation for a service-connected disability. Contact Coskrey Law today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation with a VA disability benefits attorney to discuss your eligibility for disability benefits and to learn more about the differences between the VA’s and the Social Security Administration’s benefits programs.