Many veterans who receive disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs assume that those benefits are the only disability support available to them. Others worry that applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) could reduce their VA benefits, or that their VA rating might not count for anything with Social Security. The reality is more favorable than many veterans expect. You can receive VA disability compensation and SSDI at the same time, and in several ways, one can help the other.
Here is how the two programs work together, and what veterans should understand before applying.
Two Separate Programs, Two Separate Agencies
VA disability compensation and SSDI are administered by two different federal agencies, under two different sets of rules. The Department of Veterans Affairs pays compensation for disabilities connected to military service. The Social Security Administration pays SSDI to workers who have paid into Social Security and who can no longer work because of a disability. Because the programs are separate, qualifying for one does not disqualify you from the other.
Yes, You Can Receive Both at the Same Time
Nothing prevents a veteran from receiving VA disability compensation and SSDI concurrently. The two benefits are paid independently, and receiving one does not bar you from the other. For many veterans with serious service-connected conditions, both programs are available at once.
Does VA Disability Reduce Your SSDI Payment?
No. VA disability compensation does not reduce your SSDI payment. SSDI does have an offset that can apply when a beneficiary also receives certain public disability benefits, such as workers’ compensation, but VA disability compensation is not one of the benefits that triggers that offset. Your SSDI payment is based on your earnings record, and your VA compensation is based on your service-connected rating. The two amounts are calculated separately. It is worth noting that SSDI is distinct from Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is a needs-based program with its own income and resource rules.
The Two Programs Use Different Disability Standards
This is one of the most important points for veterans to understand, and one that causes frequent confusion. The VA and Social Security define disability differently.
The VA uses a percentage system. It assigns a disability rating from 0 to 100 percent based on how a service-connected condition affects you, and it recognizes partial disability. A veteran can hold a 30 percent, 60 percent, or 70 percent rating and continue to work.
Social Security does not use percentages. SSDI is an all-or-nothing determination. To qualify, you must show that your condition prevents you from engaging in substantial gainful activity and is expected to last at least twelve months or result in death. There is no partial SSDI benefit.
Because the standards differ, a VA rating does not translate directly into an SSDI approval. Even a 100 percent rating from the VA does not guarantee that Social Security will approve your claim, because Social Security makes its own independent determination under its own rules.
How Your VA Rating Can Still Help Your SSDI Claim
Although the standards differ, the medical evidence behind your VA rating can support your SSDI claim. The service treatment records, examination reports, and medical opinions developed for your VA case document the same conditions Social Security will evaluate. Providing that evidence to Social Security gives the agency a fuller picture of your condition. A strong, well-documented VA file can be a meaningful asset in an SSDI claim.
Faster SSDI Decisions for Many Veterans
Social Security offers expedited processing for two groups of veterans, which can shorten the wait for a decision.
The first applies to veterans who have a VA compensation rating of 100 percent permanent and total. A veteran with this rating can request expedited processing of an SSDI claim. The rating does not guarantee approval, but it does move the claim through the review process more quickly.
The second applies to veterans who became disabled while on active military service on or after October 1, 2001. This expedited process is available regardless of where the disability occurred, and the condition does not need to be combat-related. It must have arisen during active duty.
In both cases, identifying yourself as a qualifying veteran when you apply, and providing your VA documentation, helps Social Security apply the expedited process to your claim.
Speak With McKown and Myers
At McKown and Myers, we help Indiana veterans understand how their VA benefits and Social Security Disability benefits work together, and we guide them through both processes. If you are a veteran with a service-connected disability and you want to understand your options, call 765-668-7531 or complete the contact form on our website to request a free consultation. Your service earned these benefits. Let us help you secure them.