Does VA disability rating (80%) increase Social Security benefits after retiring at 62?

VA disability and Social Security are separate systems, but he might qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) if his condition prevents him from working. Having VA disability doesn't automatically increase regular retirement benefits, though. The 80% rating is for VA only. However, if his disabilities are severe enough, he could potentially qualify for SSDI which might pay more than early retirement benefits. Worth looking into especially since SSDI doesn't have the reduction for claiming early that retirement does. The medical criteria are different though - VA rates based on service-connection while SSA requires total disability from any substantial work.

I'm in a similar situation (70% VA disability) and just went through this! Your husband's retirement benefits aren't increased by the VA rating directly. HOWEVER, if he applies for SSDI and gets approved, he could potentially get a higher monthly amount. The frustrating part is that even with my VA rating, I still had to go through the full SSDI process. They did expedite my case slightly as a veteran, but still took 4 months for approval. One important thing - if he's already collecting retirement, and gets approved for disability, SSA will just pay the higher of the two amounts (not both).

The SSA rep probably was starting to tell you about the expedited SSDI processing for vets with 100% P&T VA disability. Since your husband is at 80%, he doesn't qualify for the expedite, but he can still apply for SSDI if appropriate. Your husband's payment seems lower than expected because he took retirement at 62 instead of waiting until his Full Retirement Age (FRA), which results in a permanent reduction of about 30% from his full benefit amount. This reduction happens regardless of VA disability status. I've seen so many vets get confused by this - the systems don't boost each other's payments. They're completely separate.

YES! He can still apply for SSDI even though he's already collecting retirement! If approved for SSDI, SSA will pay the higher benefit amount (likely the SSDI). The medical requirements are strict though - he needs to prove he can't do ANY substantial work, not just military-related jobs. Since he's only been on retirement for a month, the timing is good. There's no penalty for applying, so I'd recommend he try for SSDI if his conditions seriously limit his ability to work. The VA rating documentation will help but won't guarantee approval since SSA has different criteria.

My husband has a 90% VA rating and applied for both at the same time. It was SUCH a nightmare getting through to anyone at Social Security!!! Kept getting busy signals for weeks and when I finally got through, they'd transfer me and then disconnect!!!! ARRGGHH!!! So frustrating!

i work at ssdi lawyers office and we see vets all time. VA and social security totally seperate!!! but 80% VA helps show medical evidence for SSDI. u shoulf apply for the SSDI now and keep getting retirement until decision comes. good luck!!!!

One more thing I just remembered - if your husband was deployed in a combat zone after 2001, he might qualify for Wounded Warrior expedited processing through SSA. Doesn't guarantee approval, but gets his application processed faster. Just make sure to mention his combat veteran status when applying for SSDI.

Based on everything in this thread, here's what I suggest: 1. Apply for SSDI as soon as possible (you can do this while still receiving retirement) 2. Mention his Afghanistan deployment to qualify for expedited processing 3. Submit all VA disability documentation with the SSDI application 4. Consider getting legal representation to increase approval chances 5. Continue receiving retirement benefits until a decision is made If approved for SSDI, they'll switch him to the higher benefit amount. If denied, he continues with his current retirement benefits with no penalty for trying.

Just wanted to add one more resource that might help - the VA has Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) that can assist with both VA and Social Security disability claims at no cost. Organizations like DAV, VFW, and American Legion have trained representatives who understand how both systems work together. They can help ensure your husband's SSDI application includes all the right medical evidence from his VA records and is properly formatted. Since he's already service-connected at 80%, having that established medical history will be valuable for the SSDI claim. Good luck with the application process!

I went through this exact same situation with my dad who has a 70% VA rating. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that if your husband does apply for SSDI and gets approved, he should be aware that there's a 5-month waiting period before SSDI benefits begin. However, since he's already receiving his retirement benefits, this won't leave him without income during that waiting period. Also, I'd recommend keeping detailed records of all his medical appointments and how his conditions affect his daily activities. SSA will want to see not just the diagnosis, but how it impacts his ability to work. The VA focuses on service-connection and percentage of disability, while SSA wants to know if he can perform any substantial gainful activity. Having that documentation ready will help speed up the process. The good news is that once you're approved for SSDI, you automatically qualify for Medicare after 24 months, even if you're under 65. This could be valuable additional healthcare coverage alongside any VA benefits he receives.

I just wanted to share my experience as someone who successfully navigated both systems. My husband had a 90% VA rating and we went through the SSDI process last year. A few additional tips that really helped us: 1. When you apply for SSDI, make sure to specifically request they pull your husband's C&P (Compensation & Pension) exam records from the VA. These are incredibly detailed medical evaluations that SSA can use, and it saves time vs having to do all new medical exams. 2. The VA disability rating percentages don't directly translate to SSDI approval, but the underlying medical conditions and functional limitations documented in his VA file are exactly what SSA needs to see. 3. If he has any mental health conditions rated by the VA (PTSD, depression, anxiety), make sure those are included in the SSDI application too. Sometimes people focus only on physical disabilities but mental health conditions can be just as disabling for work purposes. 4. Consider applying online at ssa.gov rather than trying to call - the online application saves all your progress and you can complete it at your own pace with all his military and medical records in front of you. Best of luck with the process! The wait can be frustrating but it's definitely worth pursuing given his rating level.

As a veteran who went through this process myself, I want to emphasize something that might not be obvious - even though your husband's VA rating is 80%, the actual medical conditions and limitations documented in his VA file are often more than sufficient for SSDI approval. The key is that SSA looks at functional capacity rather than percentage ratings. One thing I'd strongly recommend is gathering all of his VA medical records before applying, including any recent treatment notes. The VA doctors are very thorough in documenting how conditions affect daily functioning, which is exactly what SSA needs to see. Also, if he has any conditions that have worsened since his last VA rating exam, make sure to get current medical documentation of those changes. The timing is actually good since he just started retirement benefits - if SSDI gets approved, the switch to the higher payment amount will be retroactive to when he first became disabled (up to 12 months before application), so there could be some back pay involved too. Don't let the complexity of dealing with both systems discourage you from applying!

One important thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that if your husband does get approved for SSDI, he should be aware of the earnings limit if he ever decides to try working again part-time. In 2024, SSDI recipients can earn up to $1,550 per month without affecting their benefits (this is called Substantial Gainful Activity or SGA). This might be relevant given his 80% VA rating - he could potentially do some light work while still receiving SSDI, whereas with regular retirement benefits there are different earnings limits that apply until full retirement age. Also, since he's already 62 and collecting retirement, if he gets approved for SSDI, he'll automatically convert to regular retirement benefits at his full retirement age (probably 67) but at the full benefit amount, not the reduced amount he's getting now for claiming early. So SSDI can actually help him avoid that permanent reduction penalty. This is something a lot of people don't realize about the interaction between early retirement and disability benefits.