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Financial Resources
- The US Veterans Administration’s GI Bill Recent Amendments
- The “Road Map for Success” for the US Veterans Administration GI Bill
- 3 Tips For Easing the Veterans Disability Benefits Application Process
- How the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs Helps Veterans Survivors Buy a Home
- Differences in Social Security Benefits for World War II Veterans
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Financial Resources
- How the US Veterans Administration GI Bill Help Veterans Return to College (Part B)
- How the US Veterans Administration GI Bill Helps Veterans Return to College (Part A)
- Claiming Disability Veteran Status for SSDI & SSI Benefits (Part B)
- Claiming Disability Veteran Status for SSDI & SSI Benefits (Part A)
- Understanding Veterans Survivor Benefits from the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs (Part B)
Claiming Disability Veteran Status for SSDI & SSI Benefits (Part A)
The Department of Veterans' Administration provides special additional federal benefits for veterans who were injured during active duty and developed a service-related condition or disability. It's not easy to obtain disabled veteran status through the VA, and similar Social Security disability programs aren't much simpler.
Can disabled veteran status be used for Social Security benefits?
Absolutely! Many veterans have had jobs outside the military prior to and after serving our country, meaning they paid into the Social Security system just as any civilian. They are entitled to both Social Security benefits and federal benefits for veterans as long as they have the necessary proof of eligibility.
Veterans are treated similarly when it comes to disability claims for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The biggest difference is how work credits are calculated. Since 1957, the federal benefits for veterans have taken into account that military service can equal work credits.
How Veteran Status Work Credits are Determined for SSDI and SSI Benefits
For veterans who served between 1957 and 1977 according to the Department of Veterans' Administration, each quarter of active duty pay is equal to $300 in work credits. Those who served between 1978 and 2001 will receive work credits equal to an additional $100 for each $300 of active duty pay, not exceeding $1,200 a year. For veterans serving in 2002 and after, work credits are not supplemented.
If you or your loved one served between September 1940 and 1956, there is still a $160 credit for earnings during active duty. Work credits are important when calculating eligibility and amounts for SSDI and SSI.
There's much more to know about the effects that drawing both VA pension or benefits and Social Security benefits have on your amounts and eligibility. Your veteran status may also approve you for additional benefits, while denying you for others.
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