Receiving Veterans’ Disability Benefits & Social Security Disability Benefits

Can you collect veterans’ disability benefits and Social Security disability benefits at the same time? The answer depends on your disability, your work history, and the type of Social Security disability benefits that you are eligible to collect.

When it comes to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the program offers one type of disability benefits based on work history and contributions (SSDI) and one type of disability benefits based on income and resources (SSI). When it comes to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the program offers one type of disability benefits to those who were injured while serving (compensation) and another type of disability benefits to those with non-service connected disabilities and limited resources (pension).

• A disabled veteran could receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and service-connected compensation without an offset as long as the person in question had a significant work history and had contributed to Social Security through tax payments.
• A disabled veteran could receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and a non-service-connected pension at the same time, though the amount of the latter would likely be offset by the former.
• A disabled veteran could receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and service-connected compensation, but the receiving funds from both programs at the same time would likely cause an offset.
• A disabled veteran could receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and a non-service-connected pension at the same time, but since both programs are based on income and resources, an offset would occur.

As you can see, understanding how different government programs for disabled veterans work together can be extremely confusing and even overwhelming. If you have questions regarding what types of disability benefits you are eligible for, you may wish to speak with an experienced Dallas disability attorney who is familiar with the law. At Morgan & Weisbrod, we offer all veterans a free, confidential consultation where we can review the details of your case and explain what course of action makes sense for you. Call today to schedule your appointment.

by Paul B. Burkhalter
Managing Partner of Morgan & Weisbrod, Board Certified in Social Security Disability Law.

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