As some of you may know, I was very fortunate and was awarded SSDI within 3 months of my claim. It is such a relief to have SS benefits and VA benefits kicking in while I am not working. I understand that there are so many other Vets fighting their claims right now and I wish them the best of luck. Needless to say, it has been a long battle to get these benefits and I feel that a big burden have been lifted from me.

Forgive me if I sound stupid but since being awarded SSDI.... ? What do I do now?? I am more familiar on how the VA works but not how SS works. It was stated that I am up for an exam every 3 years. Last week they sent me brochures on " back to work programs ", etc. I have been working since I was 16 years old. Do I try to go with their programs just to "remain under their radar"?

What do other people do after they are awarded SSDI? Do they usually remain on SSDI forever? What should I do or don't do while I am on SSDI? The benefit is a big help and I do want to keep it. As of now, no employer will hire me and it would be illogical to get any job paying less. I just do not what to lose it because I was not following some protocal.

First Congrats.

That is way it should work. Social Security will allow you to work but it can impact your VA TDIU. If you can work that would be good but you probably would lose the VA TDIU but keep a partial rating. No really good advice except be careful and take your time. Don't forget that SS and VA have rehab programs for retraining. VA probably bets cause they will pay for it and give you some extra money over 900 a month I think.

Okay, x2, here it is in a "nutshell":
Obviously, both the SSA and the VA consider you totally disabled (and UNemployable).
Now, if you want to go out, get a job, and prove them wrong...................well, then you obviously are NOT totally disabled and UNemployable.
You go with their "programs" and you will soon find "employment", if you can call it that, if that is what you want to do.
Lotsa luck on EVER getting SSA and TDIU again.

I guess this is where reality sets in...huh?

Oy Vey!

If you work and make less than 950 month then it won't affect your SS. If you go over that your automatically kicked into their program known as the trial work period. I think this lasts 9 months then your SS stops. You then have 36 months in case you stop work due to your disabilities. After that you have to go through the whole process again.

Don't attempt unless your totally sure you can continue working. Getting IU is a long arduous process and takes many vets many years to get plus all the benies that come with IU and PT.

Remember what got you IU, your unemployability then give it some SERIOUS thought if you really want to risk it.

DH

Ditto on Larry's post to include the "Oy Vey"
carlie

If you are over 40 stay on SSD and IU. The over 40 crowd are not very hot items in the job market no matter what your qualifications. I say a show on CNN about all these very qualified workers who were over the age of 40 who got laid off and they were out of work for years. I am financially much better off being disabled than I was as a worker. What I get from the VA is just about equal to what my take home pay was from the post office.

Couldn't agree more John...If you're IU and SSD then you likely are pulling in around 4k month tax free. I know for me it would be hard finding a job that pays this in this market and taxes taken out on top of that.

DH

Ya know, I kavetch about the VA, sometimes too much. Yes, they are a pain in the tucuss. But, when all is said and done, when you have finally hopped thru their hoops, and, provided that you have a "good" claim, a verifiable claim, then, in most instances, you will be vindicated and you will be compensated (although, in my instance and in other's, it's hard to say when you are compensated "enough" for over 40+ years of pain and opportunities lost and "quality of life" that is missed).
But, all in all, I have been granted compensation whereas, if in another country, wellllllllll, I wouldn't want to be "there".

If I had it to do over again, I STILL wouldn't leave my country, as many did, to keep from serving, nor would I use the "dodges" that many used, to keep from serving, but, I'd do what I did, all over again:

I'd stand on my painted yellow "foot prints" as thousands of proud and scared young men and women have done.........and say "Thank you, G-d, for makin me an American! and thanks, taxpayers, for giving me the respect that we veterans deserve."

Semper Fi!..........semper fi

You're so correct Larry...Thank Gd that we are in America and that we have these benefits. Compared to many other Countries we are well taken care of.

DH

So there is no offest of IU pay with SSI?

nope

No offset with SSD, not SSI. SSI is considered NEEDS BASED so I don't think you can get SSI if you have IU but SSD is still paid in full with IU.

DH

Larry, Darkhorse, Carlie, and others...Thank you for your suggestions. These comments are very valuable to me. Yes, you are correct, I fought so hard to get these benefits and would be foolish to attempt to work again. I could lose everything that I'd worked so hard for. I 'd previously went to so many job interviews in this tough economy with no such luck. I've actually recently stop searching. Nevertheless, I would probably lose any job again because my disabilities would be too of a barrier.

Unless I can find a job making over 70k a year, and a written garanteed that I will never lose my job, it would be more logical to just stay home and shut up.

One of the reason why I even ask is somewhat a feeling of guilt. I am doing better than some other disabled vets and other folks in this tough economy. I've always been a good worker and one that hopes on making a good high end money. Not no more.

I now must resign to the fact that I will never be rich. However, I will never be poor either.

I look at it this way. It helps me. The VA and SS are paying me more than 25 bucks an hour not to work. Tax free!!!! I would have to get a job that pays more than 32 bucks an hour to break even and also put up with the hassle of office politics and answering to weird people. As it stands now I am able to do what I want mostly and only have to answer to wife and kids,


For a person to be retired and enjoy the same income they would have to have a couple of million stashed away. I don't think I would have ever earned that nor saved it so I am much better off than I would have been.

Sometimes its just better to count your blessings and accept what you have.

Yup. And, not only that, but we have healthcare, forever. It may not be "concierge healthcare", but, hey, at the Dallas VAMC we even have VALET PARKING!

And, when I think back to all the hours I spent in an aluminum tube flying all over heck and back, trying to make a buck, when all I was doing was making my health worse, my panic attacks worse, my life at home was spent trying to figure out the next weeks meetings and flights and hotels, and I spent thousands of dollars that were never recouped, that just sifted through the cracks, and when it was all said and done, at the end of the year, when the IRS and I settled up.....it was sad.

And, then, after years of this...........my last memory of my "working days" is an ambulance ride and being rushed down a hallway, on a gurney, and the flourescent lights in the ceiling going by overhead...............and the look on my Wife's face.
It isn't the "retirement" that I had in mind, but, at least I'm still HERE, and I get to see my kids and my wife, and I still have my sense of humor.
And, I've got a warm cat on my lap, and the coffee tasted good this morning. I like warm cats and warm coffee.

AMEN to that Pete........DH

Pete said,

Sometimes its just better to count your blessings and accept what you have.

I really think it depends on your age and your disability. If you are 25 years old and have some disability that does not affect your thinking then it does make sense to try to work. If you are 50 years old with a severe emotional disorder it makes no sense at all. Not many people will have a fixed income of over 2500 bucks a month tax free in the future. They will have their tiny IRA's and 201-K's to live on for 20 years. Maybe people will just work until they drop like in the 19th Century.

Pete, and add another 2/hour for the duduction in a civilian payroll check for healthcare with deductible.

And another two hours a day commuting, and $80 bucks a week gasoline, and $45 bucks a week auto maintenance/depreciation and lunch 5 meals a week..............ect, etc.

Some in here have mentioned SSD as "tax free."

Just a caution concerning that......

SSD isn't necessarily tax free. Depending on how much you and your spouse (if married) combined make will depend on if you have to pay taxes.

Social Security income whether Disability or Other is taxable. I think the amount is 32,000 but could be wrong. Half of your SS income would then become part of the total. If the amount is over the 32,000 (if that is the right amount), then you would have to pay taxes on that.

Check with the SS via their site. Look at your income tax form on the front page and figure about what your total income would be.

I'd look it all up but have another project I have to get to.

Just don't get penalized because you think the SS income is tax free. VA comp is but not necessarily SS.


fanaticbooks

P.S. You can choose for the SS to withhold a percentage of your SSD each month or elect to pay an estimated tax every 3 or 4 months whichever it is. We personally use a percentage deducted each month and then get it back when we file our taxes.

Books is right. SS is taxable after 32,000 for married couple and 26,000 for single taxpayer. My wife and I are close to the 32,000 but with no COLA's for awhile nothing to worry about. Also you would have to make a lot of money cause the standard deduction would spare you and over 65 you get double deductions so in affect unless you are very wealthy we pay no Federal Income Tax.

Even if over 26,000 the extra income is not taxable if the income is VA disability Compensation. For tax purposes this is only for earned income...Unemployment, employment, etc.

dh

I think it is meant the combined total of 4,000. VA's Individual Unemployability (IU) (tax free) and SSD (not necessarily tax free). Depending on extra add on's on IU a veteran could get $4,000 or higher depending on how much SSD has been earned.

Old H,
IU = Individual Unemployability.
It means the veteran has not been awarded 100 % schedular
but has been adjudicated as Individualy Unemployable (due to SC'd disabilities)
and is compensated at the 100 % rate, which for a single veteran is about $2,673
per month add your $1,400. to that and you've got the 4K.
carlie

If you find that your disability improves you can go back to work and get full SSD benefits for 9 months. It's called a "trial work period."

As long as you don't work I wouldn't worry about losing it. The last evaluation I got was 5 years after my initial award and all they did was verify if had worked any. I did have a few part-time jobs but they still considered me totally disabled. They didn't give me any exams and I didn't have to submit any medical evidence.

dh