If you are a disabled veteran, then you might be eligible to receive disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). You must have been discharged from the military under other than dishonorable conditions to be eligible to receive them. Two types of VA disability exist: compensation and pension.
Disability Compensation
Veterans who have a disability that was incurred while they were in the military are eligible for disability compensation. The amount of disability compensation that a veteran receives is based on his disability percentage rating that the VA assigns him when they evaluate his disabilities to determine how sever they are. Disability compensation was developed to compensate veterans whose disabilities may not have occurred where they not in the military, so any other income that the veteran has does not affect what she can receive in compensation.
Disability Pension
Disability pension is for low income veterans who are completely and permanently disabled, but that disability cannot be due to their own willful conduct. It is also available to low income veterans who are over the age of 65. Disability pension is directly affected by a veteran’s countable income because it is designed to aid veterans who have a disability that did not necessarily occur while they were in military service, but who need financial help. All taxable household income that a veteran has like wages, including the veteran’s spouse’s wages is considered countable towards the veteran’s income.
Claims Process
VA Form 21-526, the Veterans Application for Compensation and/or Pension must be completed and mailed to the veteran’s local VA office to apply for VA disability benefits. Copies of his DD214 separation papers, medical records proving his disabilities, marriage certificate, divorce decrees and dependents’ birth certificates must be included with this application. After the VA receives her claim, they will send her a letter notifying her that they have received it and then it is not unusual for the VA to take six months or longer to make a decision regarding the claim. No further correspondence will be made until the decision letter unless the VA needs further documentation or information from him.
Retroactive Payment
If your claim is approved, your first check will be a lump sum payment called a retroactive payment. A retroactive payment means that you will receive payment for each month from the date your filed your claim up to the current date. Every month thereafter you will receive your VA benefits check for the month on the first of that month. If the first of the month falls on a day that the United States Postal Service doesn’t run like a Sunday or a government holiday, then you will receive your VA check on the day before the holiday.