TDIU, or Total Disability Individual Unemployability, is a benefit that the VA offers to veterans who are incapable of securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.
In other words, if you can’t work because of your disabilities (even if they’re only as high as a 60% VA rating or 70% VA rating), you may be able to get TDIU which is the equivalent to a 100% VA disability rating.
There are two ways to qualify for TDIU: schedular and extraschedular.
Schedular is the easier of the two, and only requires that you meet certain “rating requirements.”
However, if you don’t meet those rating requirements, you can still qualify for extraschedular TDIU.
How to qualify for TDIU
The rating requirements for schedular TDIU are:
- If you have a single service-connected disability, it must be rated at 60% or higher.
- OR, If you have multiple service-connected disabilities, one of the disabilities must be rated at 40% or higher and your combined rating must be 70% or higher.
As mentioned above, even if you don’t meet those rating requirements, you can still qualify for “extraschedular TDIU.”
It’s the exact same benefit (VA pays you at the 100% payment rate), but you have to jump through some extra hoops and it generally takes longer to win an appeal for extraschedular TDIU.
However, don’t let that deter you from applying. The bottom line is that if you have a service-connected disability that prevents you from working, even if it is only rated at 10%, you should apply for a TDIU.
How Much Does the VA Pay for TDIU?
The amount of money you will receive from the VA for a Total Disability Individual Unemployability rating depends on how many dependents you have.
For a single veteran with no dependent in 2022, they receive $3,332.06 per month. That’s the same amount a veteran with a 100% schedular disability rating receives.
If you are married with children, each additional dependent will increase your payment by hundreds of dollars a month. Check out our VA compensation rates page here!
VA TDIU Income Limits for 2023
VA will typically look to see if you as the veteran are substantially and gainfully employed. For 2023, that number is $13,590 a year.
If you are, your VA disability claim for TDIU will likely be denied.
Many veterans wonder what the income limits are for VA TDIU in order to ensure they do not make too much money and have their claim denied.
So again for the year 2023, if your income exceeds $13,590 a year the VA will likely deem you as employed and making a meaningful income.
If you earn less than this amount, then this might be considered marginal employment and then you may be able to apply for TDIU benefits.
Is TDIU rating permanent?
A Total Disability Individual Unemployability rating from the VA can be permanent, but not always. The VA will occasionally review a veteran’s case to see if their disability has improved to the point where they are able to work again.
Especially, if the VA sees that the veteran has been working and getting close to the poverty line.
If you have been rated TDIU and are worried about the possibility of your benefits being discontinued, continue seeking treatment for your condition. By doing this, you’re making sure there is documentation of how your disease or condition has progressed.
This can help show VA why receiving TDIU is vital to your life and that your condition has remained more or less static but still there or worsened. That way if VA ever questions your TDIU rating, you have readily-available evidence to submit.
What Benefits can Veterans Get from TDIU?
Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU) is a benefit program offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that provides financial support to veterans who are unable to secure or maintain gainful employment as a result of their service-connected disabilities.
Here are some of the benefits that veterans can receive from TDIU:
- Tax-Free Monthly Payments: Veterans who receive TDIU benefits are eligible for tax-free monthly payments that are equal to the VA’s 100% disability compensation rate.
- Health Care Benefits: Veterans who receive TDIU benefits are eligible for health care benefits through the VA, including medical treatment, prescriptions, and hospitalization.
- Education and Training: Veterans who receive TDIU benefits may be eligible for education and training assistance, such as vocational rehabilitation and employment services.
- Dependents’ Educational Assistance: Dependents of veterans who receive TDIU benefits may be eligible for educational assistance through the VA.
- Special Monthly Compensation: Veterans who receive TDIU benefits may also be eligible for special monthly compensation if they have additional disabilities or need aid and attendance.
Tax-Free Monthly Payments
The tax-free monthly payments provided through TDIU are meant to compensate veterans for their inability to work and earn an income due to their service-connected disabilities.
The amount of the monthly payments depends on the veteran’s disability rating and the number of dependents they have. The VA updates the payment rates annually to adjust for inflation.
One of the key benefits of TDIU is that the payments are tax-free.
This means that veterans do not have to pay federal income tax on the payments they receive.
Additionally, some states may also exempt TDIU payments from state income tax.
Health Care Benefits
Veterans who receive TDIU benefits are eligible for health care benefits through the VA. This includes medical treatment, prescriptions, and hospitalization.
Eligibility for health care benefits is determined by the veteran’s service-connected disability rating, which is assigned by the VA based on the severity of their service-connected disabilities.
TDIU beneficiaries are eligible for the same health care benefits as veterans who are rated at 100% disability by the VA.
This means that TDIU beneficiaries are eligible for comprehensive medical care, including preventive care, primary care, specialty care, and mental health care.
TDIU beneficiaries are also eligible for prescription drug coverage, which includes both brand-name and generic medications.
In addition to medical care, TDIU beneficiaries are also eligible for long-term care services, such as nursing home care and assisted living.
The VA provides a range of long-term care services to eligible veterans, including in-home care, community care, and nursing home care.
Education and Training Benefits
The VA offers several education and training programs for veterans, including the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program.
TDIU beneficiaries may be eligible for these programs, depending on their individual circumstances and needs.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides financial assistance to veterans who served on or after September 11, 2001, and who have at least 90 days of active-duty service.
The GI Bill provides funding for tuition and fees, a housing allowance, and a stipend for books and supplies.
TDIU beneficiaries may be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill if they meet the eligibility requirements and are pursuing a degree or other approved educational program.
The VR&E program provides education and training assistance to veterans with service-connected disabilities who need help preparing for, finding, and keeping suitable employment.
The program offers a range of services, including vocational counseling, rehabilitation planning, job training, and job search assistance.
TDIU beneficiaries may be eligible for the VR&E program if they have a service-connected disability that makes it difficult for them to work, and if they need education or training to obtain suitable employment.
Dependents Educational Assistance
TDIU beneficiaries may also be eligible for the Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) program, which provides education and training benefits to the dependents of certain disabled veterans.
The DEA program provides education and training assistance to the children and spouses of veterans who have a service-connected disability rated as totally and permanently disabling, or who died as a result of a service-connected disability.
Eligible dependents may receive up to 45 months of education and training benefits, which can be used to pursue a degree, certificate, apprenticeship, or other approved educational program.
TDIU beneficiaries may be eligible for the DEA program if their service-connected disability is rated as totally and permanently disabling.
If the veteran has more than one dependent, each dependent is eligible for up to 45 months of benefits.
The DEA program provides financial assistance for tuition and fees, a monthly housing allowance, and a stipend for books and supplies.
It’s important to note that TDIU beneficiaries must apply for DEA benefits on behalf of their dependents.
To apply for DEA benefits, veterans should complete and submit VA Form 22-5490, Dependents’ Application for VA Education Benefits, to the VA.
Special Monthly Compensation Benefits
TDIU beneficiaries may also be eligible for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) benefits, which provide additional financial assistance for veterans with severe disabilities.
The VA offers several types of SMC benefits, including the following:
- Aid and Attendance (A&A): A&A is a benefit that provides additional financial assistance to veterans who require the aid and attendance of another person in order to perform activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, and feeding.
- Housebound: Housebound is a benefit that provides additional financial assistance to veterans who are confined to their homes due to their service-connected disabilities.
- Loss or loss of use of a limb: Veterans who have lost or lost the use of a limb as a result of their service-connected disability may be eligible for additional financial assistance through SMC.
- Loss of use of an organ: Veterans who have lost the use of an organ, such as a kidney or lung, as a result of their service-connected disability may be eligible for additional financial assistance through SMC.
- Need for regular aid and attendance: Veterans who require regular aid and attendance from another person due to their service-connected disability may be eligible for additional financial assistance through SMC.
Have Questions About Appealing Your Claim or Understanding How the Claims Process Works?
The attorneys at Hill & Ponton are here to support you with appealing a claim to get TDIU benefits.
If you are intending to appeal a denied claim, you can contact us for an evaluation and we can help you with this process.
However, if you are considering filing an initial claim, or even if you are interested in learning about the appeals process, we offer a free ebook to get you started on the right foot!
The Road to VA Compensation Benefits will help break down the claims process from start to finish. Click the link below to learn more.
