Disability and adding a parent

[11th ACR]

I am rated 60% and I understand that the VA will pay additional funds if the veteran is supporting a parent.  I have been married for 27 years and I have my wifes parents moving in with us due to their poor health, age and finances.

Will the VA pay me the additional funds if it is my wifes parents?  Do they qualify?  All information that I have read refers to a "parent".  I do not see it specify as to if it is my parent or wifes.

Please advise and thank you.

Don L.

 

Edited October 11, 2017 by 11th ACR
correction

[broncovet]

I had my wife's parent move in with me.  As always, its complicated, and never simple with VA.  I think you have to  prove you provided over half their support...they want tax returns and everything.  Im sorry but I think they have to be YOUR parents, but remember this, and tatoo it on your arm if necessary:

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THE VA IS NOT A UNIFIED BODY< AND WHEN ONE VA EMPLOYEE TELLS YOU SOMETHING< just wait and the next employee will tell you something totally different.  

At 60 percent, you can put in your dependents, and add a parent and see how much difference it makes:

https://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/resources_comp01.asp

It looks like about 48.00 per month to me, but again its a little hard to figure out.  

My advice is to apply, but I probably would not spend too much time appealing if it does not happen, that is, with appeals.  

I fought VA for years over dependents, and in the end, it kind of wound up to be moot, as I got those dependent benefits when I got an increase anyway.  That is why I wont fight Va unless its actually worth it.  

My father in law, who moved in with us, was a vet, so my wife and I applied for pension for him.  It was a joke.  I knew he had a retirement income, but, since he had cancer, he spent most of his money on medicine and what have you, medical care.  

So I took all the recepts to the VSO and applied for his pension, since my wife had POA.  

The VSO said he did not need the receipts for health care.  

That was false, and va denied as he was over the income limit for pension.  (I knew he had to deduct medical to get pension).  Well he did not want to appeal, so everyone got zero.  

These VSO's are so ignorant, I dont know how they manage to tie their shoes in the morning.  

Edited October 12, 2017 by broncovet

[MikeHunt]

I don't think you can put on your wife's parents.

I'd always urge to read the M21 yourself, as NOBODY has any idea about anything. I did ONE parental dependency the entire time i worked dependency. As you can see below, they change rules often.

M21 gets confusing because it talks about DIC and pension as well, but I'm pretty sure, here.

III.iii.5.I.1.a. Definition: Parent

 

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Change Date

January 25, 2017

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III.iii.5.I.1.a.  Definition:  Parent

The term parent is defined in 38 CFR 3.59 and includes the following: a biological parent an adoptive parent, and   a foster parent. Reference:  See M21-1, Part III, Subpart iii, 5.I.6.a for a definition of foster parent.

M21-1, Part III, Subpart iii, Chapter 5, Section J - Establishing Parental Dependency