Being married can affect your United State Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability benefits, as can having other dependents in your household, such as children or elderly parents. If you are on VA disability and support a spouse or dependents, you may qualify for extra compensation beyond the base benefit you receive as determined by your impairment rating. This extra payment is called a “benefit rate.” You can receive it if your impairment rating exceeds a certain level and you have qualifying dependents.
A VA disability lawyer from the Disability Advantage Group can help you receive VA disability benefits for your spouse and dependents. Our passion is connecting veterans to the benefits they deserve for their service and sacrifice. For any questions about being married affecting your VA benefits and/or to receive a free consultation with a member of our dedicated staff, call +1-865-566-0800 today.
How to Qualify for Extra Benefits for Your Spouse
As a VA disability recipient, you can qualify for a “benefit rate” on behalf of your spouse if you meet two criteria:
- You and your spouse live together and are not legally separated; and
- Your service-connected disability has an impairment rating of at least 30%.
When you were approved for a VA disability, you probably were assigned an impairment rating. This rating was a number between 0% and 100% in increments of 10 percentage points and measures the severity of your disability, with each rating on the scale corresponding to a monthly compensation level.
As of December 2018, the VA disability compensation scale is:
- 10% rating: $140.05 per month
- 20% rating: $276.84 per month
- 30% rating: $428.83 per month
- 40% rating: $617.73 per month
- 50% rating: $879.36 per month
- 60% rating: $1,113.86 per month
- 70% rating: $1,403.71 per month
- 80% rating: $1,631.69 per month
- 90% rating: $1,833.62 per month
- 100% rating: $3,057.13 per month
You must have an impairment rating of 30% or higher to receive a benefit increase on behalf of your spouse or other dependents.
The amount of the increase (your “benefit rate”) depends on a couple of factors including your VA impairment rating and the total number of dependents living in your household. A VA disability lawyer can help you determine what compensation level you can expect based on your impairment rating and number of dependents.
What About Children or Elderly Parents
Spouses are not the only family members on whose behalf you may qualify for a higher benefit amount. VA also considers the following family members dependents:
- Children (biological, step, or adopted) who are unmarried and either under 18 years old, between 18 and 23 years old and attending school full time or have been disabled since before they were 18;
- Parents who live with you, depend on you for care, and have incomes below a certain threshold.
Call +1-865-566-0800 Today for a Free VA Disability Case Evaluation With the Disability Advantage Group
The VA disability lawyers at the Disability Advantage Group, want to help you get the most out of your compensation. If you have questions about your VA disability benefits and being married affecting them, we are eager to help. Our team offers a free consultation and case evaluation. Call us today at +1-865-566-0800.