Social Security Disability Lawyer Blog

A misunderstanding exists that veterans cannot receive both Social Security disability and Veterans' disability benefits at the same time. This is not true. A veteran can receive both Social Security disability and service connected Veterans' disability benefits at the same time.

The misunderstanding occurs because both the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans' Affairs have two types of disability benefits. Both government agencies have one disability benefit program that analyzes a veteran's income and resources when determining eligibility and another disability benefit program that does not.

Through the Social Security Administration a veteran can be awarded Social Security Disability (also called SSDI, Disability, Disability Insurance benefits or Title 2 benefits) and/or Supplemental Security Income (also called SSI or Title 16 benefits).

Most of us are aware that Social Security may be available to pay us disability benefits if we become unable to work or function because of a medical problem or problems. However, most people are unaware that SSA actually has many types of Social Security disability benefits. The type of benefits that a person may qualify for depends on many factors such as the type of disability, the disabled person's past work history, or the relationship of the disabled person to the person who did work.

The following is a summary of some of the types of disability benefits available and basic qualifications for the benefits:

1. Disability Income or Insurance Benefits, also called SSDI or DIB, may be payable to a person who has worked at least 5 years out of the last 10 years and now is unable to do any work because of severe medical conditions [impairments] that have or will leave the person unable to work for at least 12 continuous months.

2. Supplemental Security Income, also called SSI, may be payable to a disabled adult person who is unable to work because of severe medical conditions [impairments] who do not qualify for SSDI because they have no past work, not enough past work, or past work that is too long ago. This benefit is affected by income of others in the household.

3. Supplemental Security Income- disabled child, also called SSI- DC, may be payable to a child who meets the disability requirements for children who are under the age of 18 at the time of application. These benefits are subject to reduction based on the income of parents in the same household.