If you are a Veteran, or know someone who is on the Veteran's Affairs plan, important information is available regarding the 2016 compensation increase. For veterans who are disabled, there are no adjustments attainable during this time due to the various calculations for cost of living and inflation indicating a zero percent increase in expenses. Therefor, the VA Compensation 2016 increase amount is 0%.
To be eligible for VA compensation, a veteran must have a disability rating of no less than 10%. Depending on disability, a veteran may be able to receive up to $3,434.98 per month. There are VA Disability charts, which can help determine a veteran's eligibility for financial assistance. This assistance is tax-free and not to be included as income on income taxes. This is true for the years aside from the VA Compensation 2016 increase, when benefits may increase by percentage amounts. There is a line on your income taxes dealing with the VA Compensation benefit.
While on active service within the military, if you have been injured or became very ill, the VA may assess you to be eligible for certain benefits, including the VA disability compensation. The payment is made based on any sickness or injuries occurring while you are on active duty.
This year, there is no VA Compensation 2016 increase. When rating disability, cases are handled on an individual basis. This means that each case is examined in its entirety before any decision is made. The first information the VA will want to establish is whether or not the injury or illness occurred while in active service. Second, the injury or illness must be rated based on severity and how it affects the ability to lead daily life. Some injuries are determined to be unrelated to active duty or too low a rating (such as 0%) to be considered for compensation at this time.
The good news is, if the condition changes, you can re-apply for compensation. While a 0% disability rating may seem pointless, it is an indicator in your file that you have had a service-related disability, and it means that if you re-apply to have your disability rating upgraded, there is generally less paperwork because you are already in 'the system'. Although there is no monetary VA Compensation 2016 increase, having a record of your illness or injury as it progresses can save you a lot of time when looking into future benefits.
The compensation payments are monthly. There are situations where you may qualify for multiple levels of compensation, this usually happens if your disability rate is 30% or higher, and you are supporting dependents such as a spouse, parents, or children. Other circumstances where additional benefits may be applied include the loss of any limbs, or if you have a severely disabled spouse.
Start by gathering as much supporting information as possible. This includes things such as how the injury or illness happened, medical treatment received, your current health status as per your doctor, and how your life was changed by this change in condition in your health. You can fill out VA Form 21-526, or you can apply online using VONAPP. You will need a copy of your DD Form 214, and should make copies of any documents submitted so that you have a record of everything you have sent in your application. There are generally social agencies, which can help you if you have difficulty understanding or filling in the forms. The zero VA Compensation 2016 increase is only one of four incidents of benefit years without adjustments made upwardly for monthly benefits.
Those persons receiving:
will be affected by the zero percent increase VA Compensation 2016 increase.
The compensation increase 2016 was calculated using the inflation measure which Social Security Administration used, without a decrease in benefits. Overall rate increases are calculated using Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA). This year there was a negative inflation rate; therefore, rates would remain the same.
For 2016, all retired military veterans, compensation and pension for disabled veterans and surviving families was put into effect so that the first payment came out December 31, 2015 for the 2016 year. The VA Compensation 2016 increase of zero percent should mean that the benefits received on December 31 are the same as the benefits each month for the rest of 2016.
The benefits have been calculated since 1975 by using the COLA calculator combined with the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers or CPI-W. Back in 1980 the highest increase was 14.3 percent. The concept of benefits remaining the same is not a new one for the department. In the years 2010 and 2011 there were also no increases. Part of the reason for the current zero increase is said to be due to the lowered price of gasoline.
Improvements are to be made within the disability compensation processing system so that eligible veterans and families may not have as long to wait for claims to be processed as well as funds paid out. In Title III, Section 301, where compensation for two or more disabilities are being claimed, if the VA makes a decision regarding one of the disabilities, and that decision results in monetary benefits to the person claiming; the VA is to begin payments for that one disability while awaiting decision and processing for the second disability.
Once all disability claims have been judged, the VA is to pay the full amount of any accrued benefits, except for benefits paid for the first disability during the assessment process.
The VA will now establish and carry out a minimum of two-years of training for new hired claims processors, and use successful existing claims processors to mentor and assist in the training.
Section 303 mentions that the VA is now obliged to inform every claimant of their eligibility for up to an extra year of benefits payments, providing they file a fully developed claim.
Processing times for claims as well as the percentage of submitted claims which have been awarded benefits will now be posted at each VA Regional Office, claims-intake location, and on the website.