You May be Eligible for VA Benefits Besides Money

A lot of disabled veterans I talk with tell me they are happy with their rating, and they do not feel it is worth reopening previously denied claims, or filing new claims, since they do not need the money.

However, there are benefits besides money that go along with a higher rating. The higher the rating, the greater your collateral benefits. Higher ratings also help veterans preserve their assets for retirement. 

 

For example: 

 

VA Home Loans; Automobiles; Adaptive Equipment; Specially Adapted Housing

 

Veterans with compensable service-connected disabilities are allowed a waiver for VA home loan funding fees. 

 

The VA may pay benefits toward the cost of a vehicle, or special equipment to modify a vehicle, for Veterans who suffer from certain severe service-connected disabilities.

 

The VA may also pay benefits for certain severely disabled veterans to purchase a home specially adapted to their disability, or to assist in adapting a home they already own. 

 

Health Care and Nursing Home Care

 

Veterans get free VA health care for any service-connected disability. 

 

The VA is required to provide nursing home care for service-connected disabilities. 

 

Veterans in need of extended care services do not need to pay a copay for VA non-institutional care programs, if they have a compensable service-connected disability. 

 

Veterans with a 10% rating or higher do not need to pay a copay for inpatient or outpatient care at the VA. 

 

A 50% rating means you don’t pay a co-pay for medications from the VA. 

 

For veterans who are too sick, disabled, or elderly to care for themselves, a 70% rating also means the VA is required to provide nursing home care for you. The same care is provided to veterans who are rated at 60% or more disabled and who are unemployable, or who are rated as permanently and totally disabled. 

 

Hiring Preferences

 

A 10% rating gives a veteran a 10 point preference for federal jobs in the competitive service.

 

A 30% rating gives a federal agency or organization the option to hire you directly for employment. 

 

Many states also have preferred employment hiring criteria for disabled veterans. 

 

 

Family Caregiver Benefits 

 

For veterans in need of continuous, in-person care services, a 70% rating means the VA can pay your spouse or an extended family member a monthly stipend to help with your care. 

 

Survivors Benefits 

 

For veterans rated at 100% disabled for 10 years or more at the time of death, their widower or widow may qualify for Dependents Indemnity Compensation (DIC). The surviving spouse will receive a monthly payment for life, providing they don’t remarry before the age of 55.

 

DIC will also qualify the widow for health care through the Civilian Health and Medical Program (CHAMPVA).  

 

The DIC benefit for widows is also a good reason to get more claims service connected. 

Another way to qualify for DIC is when the veteran’s death is related to military service. This means that if a service-connected disability contributed to the veteran’s death, the widow will qualify for the benefit. 

Even if you are only service-connected for physical injuries or a mental health disorder, these disabilities can eventually contribute to things like heart problems, diabetes, and dementia. The more disabilities you have service-connected, the more likely it is that one of them will be a contributory cause of death. Having more service-connected disabilities means it’s more likely that your spouse will be taken care of after you are gone. 

 

Minor surviving children, helpless surviving children who are 18 or older, and dependent parents of low means may also qualify for the DIC benefit. 

 

Educational Benefits for Dependents 

 

A total and permanent disability rating will qualify the veteran’s spouse and minor children for Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA). 

A child is eligible for DEA if they are under 18, become permanently incapable of self-support before 18, or is between 18 and 23 and attending school or college at an institution approved by the VA. 

 

DEA is also available to a surviving spouse, when the veteran died of a service-connected disability, or suffers from a service-connected permanent and total disability. However, the spouse’s eligibility period for this benefit is only for 10 years. 

 

Conclusion

 

Even though you may not need the extra money, the benefits available to disabled veterans go far beyond monetary benefits alone. 

 

Call Elder Law of Omaha today to discuss getting your ratings increased, and to discuss preserving your assets into retirement.

-Written by Cameron Kroeger