VA Announces Amended Regulations on Pensions : FedSmith.com

PVT Mark Brown sounds like a solid read/share Benefits for the Veteran.

According to the VA’s pension website, the pension “helps Veterans and their families cope with financial challenges by providing supplemental income through the Veterans Pension and Survivors Pension benefit programs.”

Eligibility requirements are defined as follows as of the time of this writing:
◾Veterans must have at least 90 days of active duty, including one day during a wartime period. If the active duty occurred after September 7, 1980, the veteran must have served at least 24 months or the full period that he or she was called up (with some exceptions).

Eligible veterans must also be:
◾Age 65 or older with limited or no income OR
◾Totally and permanently disabled, OR
◾A patient in a nursing home receiving skilled nursing care, OR
◾Receiving Social Security Disability Insurance, OR
◾Receiving Supplemental Security Income

“The amended regulations bring consistency to the pension process and ensure benefits are available for Veterans and survivors with financial need,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “They will help maintain the integrity of and provide clarity to our needs-based pension program.”

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Samantha S. Maj Marty Hogan SGT (Join to see) SGT Philip Roncari SPC Margaret Higgins SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth CW5 Jack CardwellCOL Mikel J. Burroughs CPL Dave Hoover SFC Shirley Whitfield LTC Stephen F. SSG William Jones Lt Col Charlie Brown PO1 Tony Holland SGT Jim Arnold TSgt Joe C. PV2 Mark Zehner LTC Stephan Porter

It is a little poorly worded, but this is hitting the actual pension portion of the VA, not the disability. They are similar, but not the same. The pension is designed as a supplement to assist those who are unable to work and struggle to get by. Here is a link to the VA site to help clear it up a little.

https://iris.custhelp.va.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/935/~/are-va-disability-compensation-and-va-pension-the-same%3F

Like your trick or treat intro. I'm far from an expert on VA but it seems to be more of a trick for some people who are currently getting VA pensions. It kind of smacks of the same logic being used to pull people off welfare rolls, suddenly you don't meet qualifications so you are going to lose your source of pension income. The treat part is that it seems to have nothing to do with disability entitlements, so unless you rely only on pensions there is no need to worry.