Dropping SSDI, but retaining VA Disability?

[Skyler0311]

So I will try to make this short. I am on VA disability and on SSDI.  I want to start working soon, and am considering stopping my SSDI in order to do so. Is this possible, and if I do so, can I continue to get my VA Disability? While I will never be fully recovered from my injuries overseas, I feel that I can atleast have a job. I don't want to spend the rest of my days doing nothing. I'm still in my 30's and want to have a life. 

[pwrslm]

SSDI will let you do a trial thing for work and still keep benefits. Talk to an SSDI rep on this. Dont know what your disabilities are so I cant recommend much but VA disability does not restrict your ability to work unless they awarded you 100% IU (individual unemployability). If you have IU, when they find out that you are working (usually through SS and taxes) they will re-evaluate you, or you can notify them that you need a re-evaluation after you get a solid job. VA will also give you some room for a trial before they pull an IU award, but then your disability compensation will drop back to whatever it should be without IU.

 

You should check into CH 31 VR&E also. It will get you a degree if you are over 30% disabled and cannot work. You could get a 4 yr BA and be much better off in the long run with a degree of your choice. I did this, 59 Y/O in school, graduate next May. They pay everything including books, computers, pens, the whole shot plus you get a living stipend of 750+/- every month on top of your disability pay. If you already have a degree, they can get you the PhD also. Explore your options.

Edited October 16, 2018 by pwrslm

[Skyler0311]

4 hours ago, pwrslm said:

SSDI will let you do a trial thing for work and still keep benefits. Talk to an SSDI rep on this. Dont know what your disabilities are so I cant recommend much but VA disability does not restrict your ability to work unless they awarded you 100% IU (individual unemployability). If you have IU, when they find out that you are working (usually through SS and taxes) they will re-evaluate you, or you can notify them that you need a re-evaluation after you get a solid job. VA will also give you some room for a trial before they pull an IU award, but then your disability compensation will drop back to whatever it should be without IU.

 

You should check into CH 31 VR&E also. It will get you a degree if you are over 30% disabled and cannot work. You could get a 4 yr BA and be much better off in the long run with a degree of your choice. I did this, 59 Y/O in school, graduate next May. They pay everything including books, computers, pens, the whole shot plus you get a living stipend of 750+/- every month on top of your disability pay. If you already have a degree, they can get you the PhD also. Explore your options.

I do have a VA disability rating, but it is not IU. I have a friend who works VA disability claims and he told me that I can have a full time job, and still keep my VA benefits since they are not IU. I am hoping this will be the case. 

As far as SSDI goes, I am willing to just cut the whole thing off. I know they send letters stating that they will let you work on a trial basis. From my knowledge, basically if you are doing well enough to work on the trial period with no issues, it probably means they will eventually reduce or cut your SSDI benefits, which I don't mind since even a full time job at McDonalds would earn me more than my SSDI payments. With the minimum wage being higher where I live, even a basic part time job would probably net me more. So why not just call SSDI and tell them to cut me off outright instead of going through a lengthy process? I'm only concerned that if I do this, my VA Disability would be affected. My friend gave me a long spiel basically saying that my VA Disability isn't a reflection on my ability to work, but how much my disability impacts my life. My personal disability deeply affects me in every aspect of my life and it has messed up alot of things in my life, so I don't see that being an issue of losing my VA disability. But if I DID lose my VA disability, it would make it impossible for me to live my life as it is right now. 

[pwrslm]

Not knowing what your condition is, I cannot advise. Until you are 55, its a sure thing that the VA will call on you from time to time about re-evaluations. I am past 55, got to 100% P&T by submitting everything related to my spine/leg.  Not supposed to get any more re-evaluations, but thats not a guarantee. Just be straight with all of them and if someone tries to railroad your rating, be prepared to fight to protect it. That means have a reliable alt pcp or other provider on your side. 

 

Meanwhile check ch 31 VR&E out. Free to look. If you increase your education it increases your income and will hedge against losing VA disability.

[broncovet]

VA compensation is designed to compensate Vets for an average "loss of occupational impairment".  Its kinda tough to argue you have a loss of occupational function if you are working full time.   However, Max Cleland, Senator Tammy Duckworth, and the Late John McCain are all 100 percent Vets who work full time, as they have overcame their disabilities.  

The problem lies when you have a 100 percent disability for a mental impairment, and then work full time.  

The VA does not seem to have a problem with people who are missing arms and legs and overcome this and go to work.  However, if you look at the criteria for 100 percent for mental disorders, you will see that it says, "Total occupational Impairment".    This isnt really compatable with working, unless you are working in what VA calls a "protected environment".  

If you watched Duck Dynasty, "Si" was an example of working in a protected environment.  Most people would not hire him, but family members seemed to think he deserved it.  You would have had to seen the show to understand.  He was hilarious.  

[Skyler0311]

I understand that the VA might have me reevaluated from time to time, and I accept that. My question is whether cutting off my SSDI will call for an immediate reevaluation by the VA. 

Also, my friend who works VA disability claims told me that while employability is a point of consideration for VA disability, the primary thing they look at is how your disability affects your life on the whole, not just the employment part. For example, you might have a full time job, but if your personal life is in shambles (whatever the case may be), then your rating might not be affected. It's a judgement call. Like I said, my disability does affect my personal life every day, but I still want to work. If my disability rating gets reduced by 10 percent, then so be it. I'd rather that not happen, but I don't think SSDI and VA are intrinsically connected. But I want to know if the SSDI people talk to the VA people and say, "Hey, this guy just discontinued his SSDI benefits, you guys might want to check him out right quick" or if there is any sort of automatic connection of sorts. 

[vetquest]

I had a 50% PTSD and a 50% for migraines that came out to 80% and worked full time for many years.  I finally succumbed to my disability and had to go on IU.  The nice thing about working is you are still paying into social security and could meet the level that you need to get regular SS when it becomes obvious that you cannot work if that ever happens.