If you or a family member has recently received a 100% disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (the VA), then you might be wondering: what benefits do 100% disabled veterans get? Low Income Relief has information on monthly payments to disabled veterans, property tax exemption, and more.
What benefits do 100% disabled veterans get to help pay expenses?
Veterans who have been assigned a 100% disability rating from the VA receive a monthly payment to cover their living expenses. The dollar amount of the monthly payment increases if the veteran has a dependent spouse, dependent children, or dependent parents.
As an example, a 100% disabled veteran with no dependents is entitled to payments of $3,332.06 per month. If they have a dependent child, their compensation will rise to $3,456.30 per month. More information about basic disability payments is available on the Department of Veterans Affairs website.
Further, additional payments are available for specific types of disabilities. Some veterans will be entitled to what is called “special monthly compensation”, which is an additional payment on top of the regular monthly payment. You may be entitled to special monthly compensation if you have certain needs. Those needs could include help with activities of daily living- things like dressing, bathing, and eating. Special monthly compensation may also be available if you are unable to get out of bed, or you have sustained certain kinds of injuries, such as the loss of a limb.
The calculations made to determine the rate of monthly payments for those entitled to special monthly compensation are highly individualized. A table listing the various conditions that can result in additional compensation are available on the Department of Veterans Affairs website.
The information above covers the disability benefits which are available to 100% disabled veterans through the VA. However, some veterans with 100% disability ratings can also receive Social Security disability benefits. It is possible to receive Social Security disability even if you are already receiving disability benefits from the VA.
However, the Social Security Administration is separate from the VA, and they have separate criteria for determining the coverage you are entitled to based on your disability. In other words, just because you have a 100% disability rating from the VA, you are not automatically entitled to Social Security disability benefits. More information about Social Security disability benefits for veterans is available on the Social Security Administration website.
What benefits do 100% disabled veterans get for healthcare?
Most veterans are eligible for healthcare through the VA, but 100% disabled veterans receive special privileges when it comes to healthcare.
Veterans with a 50% or higher disability rating are placed in priority group 1 for VA healthcare, which means that you will be the first priority when signing up for healthcare benefits. Veterans in priority group 1 are also not required to pay copayments for their health services.
More information about veteran healthcare services is available on the Department of Veterans Affairs website.
For veterans with disabilities, health and quality of life can also benefit from having a safe and accessible home. Depending on the nature of a disability, 100% disabled veterans might be eligible for disability housing grants, which offer funding to make adaptations to veterans’ homes, which will make them more accessible.
What benefits do 100% disabled veterans get in each state?
In addition to the benefits offered by the VA, which is administered by the federal government, each state offers various benefits to 100% disabled veterans. In fact, many states offer a property tax reduction or exemption, which can save veterans a lot of money each year.
Most states also offer free or reduced fee access to public parks, hunting and fishing licenses, and campgrounds.
To find out what benefits are available to 100% disabled veterans in your state, visit your state’s Department of Veterans Affairs website. A directory is available through the VA.
If you are a veteran with a 100% disability rating, help is available. We hope these resources are helpful!
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Catherine Hall
Catherine Hall, LMSW is a therapist at a small group practice in New York City. She earned her master of social work degree at New York University.