Should veterans and retirees be "Triple Dipping?"

I am a 59 year old retired vet, I am getting retired pay, 100% VA and SSDI

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I receive Retirement, VA disability and Deceased spouse SSI benefits.

The term "triple dipping" is misleading and offensive to those who have given 20 or more years of their lives and sustained combat-related injuries. Receiving benefits can either be legal or fraudulent. There is no middle ground. This term implies an older/elderly veteran with combat-related injuries should feel ashamed about receiving contract-bound entitlements and recompense for work-related injuries that have caused negative and life-altering handicaps. If you're really concerned someone is fraudulently collecting benefits they are not entitled to, report it.

I don't know peoples' situations so those who need, got it. If you don't need and you do go for the money then you're no better than a lazy welfare junky.

military service really pays off if you complete 20+ yrs, receive retirement compensation and find employment that allows you to earn a living and retire at 60, 65, or even 70. You'd collect military retirement compensation, TSP payout, civ 401k / pension & civ IRA along with Soc Security. Throw a Svc connected disability into the mix and you subtract the civilian IRA, 401k / pension from the earnings equation. So some one who receives mil retirement, VA disability, SSDI (disability from the doc security folks), and the unemployability "stipend" is barely making as much as if the vet had worked an additional 20, 25 yrs post Svc. Plus the spouse may not have been able to earn Soc Sec as they are often primary care giver.

Are you triple dipping if you take a mortgage deduction, child care credit and charity deduction on your taxes? Make it illegal, the we will agree, otherwise it's legal and I'll take advantage, they took advantage of me for 26 years after all. I was surely not paid what I was worth or what I sacrificed, so for the CPO that wishes we rot in hell, wait til you're here

I am a retired female. When I retired I applied for VA Disability based on my current medical issues. I was told I was denied because all my issues self-resolved. to me this is a slap in the face to the women who serve faithfully. As for those who have real issues that cause them to live in daily pain or wind up with lifelong health issues as a direct result of serving and it impacts their quality of life or ability to work/live independently, then my answer is yes, let them get what they deserve. For those who don't deserve it, no.

We have way too many coming home from duty in hostile war zones who will never be the same. Some who will never be able to walk again or work again. They volunteered themselves to uphold and defend our American way. They were not conscripted and do deserve the right to live in safe homes with the benefits they deserve.

Retirement is an earned benefit...for serving at least 20 years of active service...in combat and in peace. There are a few who were allowed to retire, at a reduced rate, short of 20 years service, but that was legislated by Congress. VA benefits also are paid, for disabilities incurred during that service....even if short of 20 years, and not receiving retirement. They are two separate benefits. I have been retired for 15 years now, and am receiving VA disability, and now SSI Disability. I originally received 40%, for both my knees, my back, high blood pressure, and chronic sinus problems...each were rated at 10%, but they use 'fuzzy' math, and they added up to 40% according to the VA. I also got 0% rated for hearing (flight deck) and hemmorhoids.
Well, VA benefits can be increased if they worsen after service....my knee's were each upgraded from 10% each to 30% each after knee replacement surgery (the doctors don't want to do this surgery for folks under 50, if they can avoid it) and sleep apnea gave me an extra 50....but somehow 50% and 30% and another 30% and 10% (back), 10% (blood pressure), and 10% (sinuses) only 'add up' to 80% for compensation purposes. (Knee replacement does give you a temporary 13 month 100% disability...so I'm waiting to be declared "Permanent and Total"
Also the high blood pressure has since evolved into diabetes (type II) and the hemorrhoids into colon cancer....waiting for the the VA to finish that claim.

Sadly, I'd like to be able to go back to work....but the surgeries, chemo, follow-on care, and then upcoming surgeries to remove some of the 'add-on's' associated with chemo and the colon surgery, have my dance card kinda full. Luckily, I was able to qualify for SSDI, so that now makes me a triple-dipper...but didn't we all pay into SSI and Medicare while on Active Duty? I know I saw these deductions on my LES. So, SSDI is a benefit we paid for and I have to know, what is the complaint for a person receiving it? I'll admit the combination of my Retirement Pay, VA disability, and now my SSDI allow me to live and keep my standard of living...I had to leave a job that paid me $80K @ year...and transfer my 401K to an IRA...and exercise some stock options and divest myself of some others. Frankly, I'd rather not have the artificial knee's and not have had cancer...I'd still be at work in a job I loved.

If it's allowed to you. You should be able to receive it.