Disability And Employment?

[attack_boat_vet]

I have a question about working and getting benefits at the same time. I have heard both answers, yes you can draw disability if you are employed & no you can't be gainfully employed if you want to get disability.

The latter would mean that the only rating you could get would be 100% IU if you weren't able to work. How does the VA give say 30% and expect you to not have other income?

Can someone clarify the VA rules on this...Thanks so much in advance!

[Objee]

I have a question about working and getting benefits at the same time. I have heard both answers, yes you can draw disability if you are employed & no you can't be gainfully employed if you want to get disability.

The latter would mean that the only rating you could get would be 100% IU if you weren't able to work. How does the VA give say 30% and expect you to not have other income?

Can someone clarify the VA rules on this...Thanks so much in advance!

ABV,

There are two situations when you can't work:

1. You've been awarded 100% TDIU. Even then you (theoretically) could earn below the poverty level without jeopardy.

2. You've been awarded 100% direct SC, but mental problems are involved (PTSD as an example). Clearly if you can work AT ALL, you aren't 100% disabled.

If you're 30% disabled, you're 70% well! (Haven't figured the logic behind this.) SO, you can work.

Ralph

[Vike17]

Attack,

Someone has given you some wrong information. The only time you cannot work is if you're receiving 100% due to IU or you are rated 100% soley due to a mental disability.

Vike 17

[sixthscents]

Vike's right but remember that the VA and Social Security have dirrent rules.

[Pete53]

Sing this to the old song "If you want to be happy the rest of your life never make a pretty woman your wife.

If you want to draw 100% the rest of your life never work the rest of your life.

Ok think about it if you can work than you don't need 100%.

[tssnave]

The way I understand the VA IU guidelines (see link below) is that you can draw UI and work so long as you don't exceed the poverty threshold ($9,645 for 2004). This info is only for UI and not when your sc disability is 100% so I don't know how being rated sc 100% for SC mental or some other SC illness works. But the way I read the VA guideline, so long as you don't exceed the poverty threshold then they can grant you IU and you can still earn some money, just not a lot of money.

http://www.warms.vba.va.gov/admin21/m21_1/...2/ch02_secf.doc

Here's a link to Change 123 to the above guideline dated Feb 2005:

http://www.warms.vba.va.gov/admin21/m21_1/part6/chg123.doc

If anyone has more current information please post a link to it.

If I have this wrong or am reading it incorrectly, somebody please let me know and send a link to the correct information.

Any link on employment information especially as it pertains to mental illness would also be appreicated. After I get an independent psych eval I will be putting in a request for increase in disability for mental illness from my current 50% to 70% (which is really where my problems fall out anyway - the C&P exam did not go well). UI is my end goal as I've not been able to work full time for many years, though I do work part time and earn well below the poverty threshold.

Thanks,

ts

[Hoppy]

I am rather certain it applies to income from investments. I was told by my SO that if my personal investments earned more than the poverty level then my IU was in jeopardy or they would at least do a dollar for dollar offset. I was told that monthly payments I received from a family trust given to me by my grandfather would not jeopardize my IU. It gets so complex. Earned income from work is not an issue with me I have been singing petes song since 1993.

VIKE was I given the right info? This could become an issue in the future. Eventually the trust will cash me out with the principal (rather than payments) and the money will become a personal asset that will be difficult for me to spend in a short period of time. I would hate to lose my privilidges card. I have a real nice boat slip on a military base.