HESITANT TO APPLY FOR VA BENEFITS, OR ASK FOR AN INCREASE?

Quite often, I will speak with a Veteran who is hesitant to apply for VA Benefits or ask for an increase in their existing ratings. Interestingly, these Veterans are often the most qualified to obtain new or increased benefits and they don’t even realize it! They are often humble and content and offer statements such as these:

“I don’t want to take away from those who need it more.”

Let me assure you that VA law and regulation ensures that every Veteran gets the full range of entitlements they are eligible for as long as they have presented the proper evidence to VA. Competent and skilled VSOs work with Veterans to make sure that they receive their full range of earned benefits.

“I don’t need the money, I am doing very well for myself. I am not a welfare person.”

You may be right! You have two options. You can elect not to be paid compensation by VA, or you can donate that compensation to nonprofits that you believe in, or college kids with your same last name! VA Compensation is not welfare, it is an earned benefit that your mind and body paid the premiums for over the course of your service. There is more to VA service connection than compensation, and I will discuss that very important concept below.

You may also have an excellent health plan. However, having a VA service connected disability may entitle you to additional resources and benefits not covered or offered by civilian health plans such as free vision, free prosthetics, free prescriptions and medical devices, and more!

“I am so busy that I never have time to look into this….”

Do your ears ring from nine bangers or breaching charges? Allow me to give you this example:

A 10% tinnitus grant from VA pays about $136 a month. I will ask for approximately a total of 2 hours of your time to prepare a claim for tinnitus.

If you are granted the benefit, you will earn $1,632 a year in 2026 money. There are COLA increases each year.

If you live for 30 more years, that is $48,960, non-adjusted for increases, that you can talk to Jeff Wright about investing. You had a part-time job that only lasted for two hours and you made $24,480 per hour.

Was it worth your time?

“I don’t want to be labeled as just another Veteran looking for a handout. I am not like that.”

This statement is where I conclude with the main point for writing this article. Most of us have families, or will in the future. There are two facts that apply here:

You are VERY likely a disabled Veteran, whether you apply for the benefits or not.

You are NOT the only one to consider when making decisions about benefits you have earned.

I decided to write this article after seeing one too many heartbreaking stories that follow the same theme:

“My husband passed suddenly last week. He handled all of our finances and business. I don’t even know which life insurance company he used, if any. I am not sure if we had any VA Benefits or if he even applied for any. Our kids are in college and I am not sure I can keep them there as his income will only pay out for his month of death. I have two months of mortgage saved and about 3 months worth of living expenses, but I am not sure what happens after that.”

These cases, of which there are too many, are very difficult to navigate, and take far too long to work for survivors. Families suffer the burden of intense administrative work to try to obtain benefits that may not be available because their spouse was not service connected, all while trying to grieve unexpected loss. It can take weeks or more for advocates to gain access to the Veteran’s VA file to even see if they can begin working on benefits for the family.

Conversely, if a Veteran is service connected for their health conditions, an advocate can quickly get to work trying to tie their cause of death to a service connected disability. An excellent example is a Veteran who died from heart attack or stroke. Even a 0% service connection for hypertension or heart palpitations can tie their cause of death to service, allowing their spouse and family to receive monthly compensation and education benefits.

If you served in GWOT (Aug 2, 1990 – Present) and are later diagnosed with cancer, you are very likely to have it service connected and ensure that your family is covered.

Last, know that you are not “taking money from those who need it more” or “adding to the national deficit.” VA benefits are cyclical. This means that if you receive a VA Award letter for a 50% ($1,000 per month) rating in the mail, on that very day, another Veteran who was receiving that benefit has passed away. This is similar to the Social Security model where the US government knows that beneficiaries will “come off the rolls” naturally, by virtue of death. I know this is morbid, but it is true and you should understand the concept.

You earned your VA benefits. The US Government signed a contract with you and agreed to compensate you for any and all illnesses or injuries incurred during your period of Active Duty. The Congress of the United States and the President signed and codified this agreement into law, several times over, and made a promise to you and your family that they would honor your service. It is as simple as that.

John Bartow
TRF VA Services Director