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Helpless Child VA Benefit and SSI Disability

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I am 100% P&T and I applied for  and was granted Helpless Child for my stepson before his 18th birthday with little or no problems from the VA. He is now over 18 and eligible for Social Security benefits, but we are having issues with the SSA and the VA. Social Security is docking my son's SSI payments and counting the helpless child payment as income for him because I am getting the helpless child payment on my VA disability. After lots of calls and back and forth, we have finally got SSA to say that we need a letter from the VA showing the break out of the payments and that the payments from the VA is only for me. However, when I looked on EBenefits I could not find a letter or link that shows the breakdown /stack up of how my payment is determined. I tried showing the SSA the chart from the VA website, but that is not good enough for that side of the government. So my questions are: 1) Has anyone else fought this fight with 2 of the most obtuse government agencies before? 2)Is there anyway to get or generate a letter or some other documentation close to what he SSA is requiring? 3) Is there somewhere on the VA site that shows our payment breakdown, not just the total award, i.e. $xxxxx for 100%, $xxxx for SMC, $xxx for dependents, etc.?

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Bottom line:  It's PAINFUL, but there is an answer.  I (or I should say my wife) have been dealing with this for 10 years.  I receive the Helpless Child Benefit as my son is permanently disabled.  He has received SSI since prior to his 18th.  The transition was relatively easy.  Submitted once, disapproved, appealed, approved.  Now is where the fun begins.  Every three months since his 18th Birthday we receive a letter from SSA explaining his SSI is being reduced by x amount due to HIS Department of Veterans Affairs payments of x.  This precipitates a phone call to the SSA explaining the payment is NOT to him, it is to ME and is used to offset the cost of his care PERIOD.  Then they reinstate with backpay and the cycle begins again.  EVERY THREE MONTHS!  The one thing you will absolutely need is a letter from the VA.  It has worked for us.  The hardest part is that every time you call you will get a new bureaucrat who isn't familiar with this fairly unique situation.  I am happy to provide the text of the letter if you want it.

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Great answer nIffy:   You are hired!  Your pay is zero dollars a year, to be paid in installments at zero dollars each month.  Answer other Vets questions, when you can, and get the benefit of knowing you helped others.  Its worth it for the benefits.  

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On 3/8/2021 at 10:58 AM, niffy1963 said:

Bottom line:  It's PAINFUL, but there is an answer.  I (or I should say my wife) have been dealing with this for 10 years.  I receive the Helpless Child Benefit as my son is permanently disabled.  He has received SSI since prior to his 18th.  The transition was relatively easy.  Submitted once, disapproved, appealed, approved.  Now is where the fun begins.  Every three months since his 18th Birthday we receive a letter from SSA explaining his SSI is being reduced by x amount due to HIS Department of Veterans Affairs payments of x.  This precipitates a phone call to the SSA explaining the payment is NOT to him, it is to ME and is used to offset the cost of his care PERIOD.  Then they reinstate with backpay and the cycle begins again.  EVERY THREE MONTHS!  The one thing you will absolutely need is a letter from the VA.  It has worked for us.  The hardest part is that every time you call you will get a new bureaucrat who isn't familiar with this fairly unique situation.  I am happy to provide the text of the letter if you want it.

Thank you for this information!!!! Our son, 24 yo, just started getting SSI and he got a letter yesterday that his VA payment was going to reduce his SSI. It's all crazy. Son is moving into supported housing, but we will still be responsible for a lot of his living costs - Tricare premium and copays, care for his emotional support dog, vet care, transportation, cell phone, etc.

 

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dessertlady Welcome to Hadit. Hope you get the advice you need. The first thing I think of is contact your Congressman's office. Seems like it's a federal issue to me.

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