Can I collect Social Security retirement benefits while receiving VA TDIU at 100%?
I'm turning 65 this May and currently receive VA disability through Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU) at the 100% rate. I've been on TDIU for about 7 years now after my service-connected conditions made it impossible to keep working. I'm confused about whether I qualify for Social Security retirement benefits on top of my VA disability. I worked for about 30 years before my disability, mostly in construction and then later as a supervisor. I've heard different things from different veterans - some say I can collect both without any reduction, others say my SS will be reduced because of my VA benefits. Does anyone know for sure? Do I need to wait until my Full Retirement Age (which I think is 66 and 2 months for me) or can I apply at 65? The extra income would really help with my granddaughter's college expenses.
18 comments
Join the conversation
Aaliyah Jackson
Yes, you absolutely can collect both Social Security retirement and VA disability (including TDIU) with no reduction to either benefit. They are completely separate programs run by different government agencies. VA benefits are based on service-connected disabilities while Social Security retirement is based on your work history and what you paid into the system during those 30 years. However, turning 65 doesn't automatically qualify you for full Social Security retirement benefits. For someone turning 65 in 2025, your Full Retirement Age (FRA) is indeed 66 and 2 months. You can apply at 65, but your benefits will be permanently reduced by about 7-8% compared to waiting until your FRA. If you can wait until 66 and 2 months, you'll get your full benefit amount.
0 coins
Giovanni Rossi
•Thank you so much for the clear explanation! That's a huge relief. Do you know if I need to provide any special documentation about my VA benefits when I apply for Social Security? And is the application process pretty straightforward?
0 coins
KylieRose
my buddy gets both VA and social security no problem he said they don't even look at each other
0 coins
Miguel Hernández
•This is mostly correct but there's an important distinction to make here. Regular VA disability compensation and TDIU can be received alongside Social Security RETIREMENT benefits without any offset or reduction. However, if you were applying for Social Security DISABILITY (SSDI), that's a different story - in that case, there can be complications and potential reductions. But since the original poster is turning 65 and asking about retirement benefits, they should be fine receiving both without any reductions.
0 coins
Sasha Ivanov
I'm currently getting both VA disability (90%) AND Social Security. Been getting both for almost 3 years now. The VA doesn't care what Social Security pays you, and Social Security doesn't care what the VA pays you. They're COMPLETELY separate! BUT!!!! Be careful about applying too early. I applied at exactly 65 and lost about $240 a month FOREVER compared to what I would have gotten if I'd waited until my full retirement age. If you can afford to wait, WAIT!!!! That reduction is permanent and adds up to a lot of money over time. Also, have you checked your Social Security statement online to see what your benefit amount will be? You should create an account at ssa.gov if you haven't already and check your estimated benefit amounts.
0 coins
Giovanni Rossi
•I haven't checked my benefit amount yet. I haven't been on the SSA website in years. I'll try to create an account and see what it says. Did you have any trouble getting through to them when you applied?
0 coins
Liam Murphy
Don't forget that SS benefits might be taxable depending on your overall income. Since your TDIU payments aren't taxable, they don't count toward the threshold for determining if your SS benefits get taxed, but if you have other income sources that might push you over. Something to keep in mind when budgeting.
0 coins
Amara Okafor
I went through this exact situation last year. VA TDIU at 100% and turned 65. I can confirm that you can absolutely receive both benefits simultaneously with no reduction to either one. Here's what I learned through the process: 1. Apply for Social Security about 3 months before you want benefits to begin 2. You can apply online, but I recommend trying to get an in-person or phone appointment 3. The backlog for appointments is ridiculous right now - I tried for weeks to get through 4. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an SSA agent within 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU 5. Having an actual person help with the application prevented mistakes that might have delayed my benefits Regarding the timing: If you need the money now, apply at 65. If you can wait until 66 and 2 months (your FRA), you'll get about 7-8% more per month for the rest of your life. If you can wait even longer (up to age 70), you'll get an 8% increase for each year you delay beyond FRA.
0 coins
Giovanni Rossi
•This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I've been trying to get through to SSA for a basic question and keep getting disconnected. I'll check out that Claimyr service - sounds like exactly what I need right now. Did you find the actual application process complicated?
0 coins
Amara Okafor
•The application itself isn't too bad if you're prepared. Have your military service dates, VA claim info, and work history organized before you start. The most complicated part for me was actually just reaching someone at SSA to help guide me through the process. Once I got through to a person using Claimyr, they walked me through everything. Much easier than trying to figure it out alone on their website.
0 coins
CaptainAwesome
THE SSA AND VA ARE CORRUPT!!! I served my country for 12 years, got TDIU after fighting for YEARS, and then when I applied for Social Security at 62, they gave me almost NOTHING!!! They said because I hadn't worked enough in recent years, my benefit was reduced. NOBODY TOLD ME THIS WOULD HAPPEN!!! The whole system is designed to confuse veterans and deny us benefits we EARNED!!! DON'T TRUST WHAT THEY TELL YOU! Get EVERYTHING in writing!!!!
0 coins
Aaliyah Jackson
•I understand your frustration, but there's an important clarification needed here. What you experienced was likely due to applying for Social Security retirement early at age 62 (which reduces benefits by about 30%) AND possibly having years of zero income while on TDIU that affected your benefit calculation. The original poster worked 30 years before TDIU, which means they likely have enough credits and a solid earnings record for a decent Social Security benefit. The situations aren't exactly comparable. Also, Social Security uses your highest 35 years of earnings to calculate benefits. If you have fewer than 35 years of work, they fill in the missing years with zeros, which brings down the average.
0 coins
Miguel Hernández
Something nobody has mentioned yet - if you're on TDIU because you can't work, have you considered applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) instead of retirement benefits? If you qualify for SSDI and haven't reached full retirement age yet, that might be more advantageous in your situation. The medical evidence from your VA disability claim could potentially support your SSDI application. Just something to consider before automatically going the retirement route.
0 coins
Aaliyah Jackson
•This is technically possible, but practically speaking, at age 65 it's usually not worth pursuing SSDI vs. retirement benefits. The approval process for SSDI typically takes 1-2 years with appeals, and at 65 the OP is only about a year away from their Full Retirement Age anyway. Also, SSDI benefits convert to retirement benefits at FRA, so there's no long-term advantage. The only benefit would be potentially getting 100% of their FRA benefit amount now rather than a reduced amount, but the lengthy SSDI application process makes this questionable.
0 coins
Giovanni Rossi
•Thanks for this suggestion. I did consider SSDI years ago when I first got on TDIU, but at this point being so close to retirement age, I think the retirement route makes more sense for me. I appreciate the thought though!
0 coins
KylieRose
ive been getting SS retirement since 63 and VA disability since forever... both deposits hit my bank account no problem... u earned both so u get both
0 coins
Sasha Ivanov
One more thing I just remembered - when you do apply, they'll ask if you want Medicare Part B (the medical insurance part that costs $175.30/month in 2025). Even if you use VA healthcare, you might want to consider enrolling in Part B because VA doesn't always cover everything, and if you decline Part B now but want it later, you'll pay permanent penalties. I have both VA healthcare and Medicare as backup, and it's given me more options for specialists.
0 coins
Giovanni Rossi
•That's a great point about Medicare Part B. I do use VA healthcare exclusively right now, but having a backup makes sense. I'll definitely sign up for that when I apply. Thank you!
0 coins