Supreme Court gives some military veterans more generous educational benefits

FACTS and Information EVERY Veteran needs to know :

1.) Include VA's Disability Payments in Taxable Income

By law, VA's disability ratings (the basis for disability payments) are to be based, as far as practicable, on the average earnings that veterans would be expected to lose given the severity of their service-connected medical conditions or injuries, whether or not a particular veteran's condition reduced his or her earnings.

Disability compensation is not means-tested (that is, restricted to those with income below a certain amount), and payments are exempt from income taxes. Payments are in the form of monthly annuities and typically continue until the beneficiary's death.

** This option would include VA's disability benefit payments in taxable income.

SOURCE : https://www.cbo.gov/budget-options/58695


It would be a very unwise decision …


2.) End VA’s Individual Unemployability Payments to Disabled Veterans at the Full Retirement Age for Social Security

* This option consists of two alternatives. Under the first, VA would stop making IU payments to veterans age 67 or older (the full retirement age for Social Security benefits for those born after 1959). That restriction would apply to both current and prospective recipients. When veterans reach age 67, all VA disability payments would revert to the amount associated with the rated disability level; veterans age 67 or older who are already receiving IU payments would no longer receive them after the effective date of the option.

* Under the second alternative, veterans who began receiving the IU supplement after December 2023 would no longer receive those payments once they reached age 67, and no new applicants age 67 or older would be eligible for IU benefits after that date. Veterans who are currently receiving IU payments and who would reach age 67 or older after the effective date of the option would continue to collect the IU supplement.

SOURCE: https://www.cbo.gov/budget-options/58653


3.) VA NEWS
Ways Congress is Trying to Take Your VA Disability Benefits Away

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has introduced budget options that might drastically reduce your veteran’s disability benefits.

* First, the VA may stop making IU payments to veterans age 67 or older, which is the full retirement age for social security benefits.

* Second, veterans receiving IU after December 2021 would no longer receive those payments after they reach age 67 and no new applicants age 67 or older would be eligible for IU benefits after that date.

* Third, congress is trying to narrow eligibility for for VA’s disability compensation by excluding veterans with low disability ratings.

SOURCE : https://www.hillandponton.com/congress-taking-away-benefits/


BONUS :

How We Can Best Support Our Veterans
Nov 12, 2021 3 min read

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1 Since 2000, the number exposed to combat represents at most 10% of the total force, yet the number of veterans rated at 70% to 100% disability has increased.

2 The current system emphasizes driving up the disability ratings for permanent compensation rather than encouraging veterans to live up to their "maximum potential."

3 One of the reform points Mr. Gade stresses is that “injuries not caused by direct military service might be targets for treatment instead of compensation.”

[ It is a common misconception that anyone who puts on the uniform goes in harm’s way. In Vietnam, for every combat soldier, there were at least nine uniforms behind him who did not hear a shot fired in anger. Since 2000, the number exposed to combat represents at most 10 percent of the total force, yet the number of veterans rated at 70 to 100 percent disability has increased sevenfold. ]

Good news... thanks for the update.