Veterans who are unable to work because of a service-related disability may qualify for Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. They receive the same benefits as veterans with a 100% disability rating (even if they don’t have that rating).
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To qualify for TDIU, you must be unable to work and have a minimum level of service-related disability rating.
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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reviews claims and provides benefits for TDIU.
In 2024, TDIU benefits range from $3,737.85 to $4,433.39. Monthly compensation might be higher for eligible veterans with multiple children.
Veterans who qualify for TDIU are eligible for the same benefits as someone who has a 100% disability rating with VA disability benefits. The VA adjusts the rates based on the SSA’s annual cost-of-living adjustment.
Receiving TDIU comes with enhanced eligibility status for VA health care benefits. That isn’t a guarantee that you’ll receive them, but the VA says you are more likely to be approved for them if you receive TDIU..
To qualify for TDIU, a veteran must:
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Have a service-related disability rating of 60% or higher, or two service-related disabilities: one with a rating off 40% or higher, and a combined disability rating of at least 70%.
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Be unable to work in a job that supports them consistently because of the service-related disability.
🤓Nerdy Tip
If you have one service-related disability, it must have a rating of at least 60%.
If you have two service-related disabilities, at least one must be rated 40% or higher — but together, they must have a combined rating of at least 70%.
The VA assigns the percentage ratings for disabilities.
You meet the unemployed requirement if you are unable to earn enough to support yourself, also known as substantial gainful activity (SGA). Generally, this means you are unable to work consistently and pay for necessities such as food and shelter.
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The Social Security Administration (SSA) determines the monthly income limit to qualify for TDIU. The substantial gainful activity limit for 2023 is $1,470 per month ($2,460 if you’re blind). In 2024, the limit is $1,550 per month ($2,590 if blind). If you earn more than the monthly income limit, you are unlikely to qualify for TDIU.
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You don’t have to be unemployable in every field to qualify for TDIU. You can still qualify for TDIU if you have marginal employment, which is a job that provides earnings below the current poverty threshold for an individual. Marginal employment can also include work in a “protected environment,” such as family business where you receive accommodations that other jobs cannot provide. In that case, you might still qualify for TDIU even if you earn more than the annual poverty threshold.
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TDIU qualification examples
Here are several examples of how people might qualify or not qualify for TDIU.
Single disability approved for TDIU
Single disability not approved for TDIU
Two disabilities approved for TDIU
Two disabilities not approved for TDIU
When determining TDIU benefits, the VA doesn’t consider the following information:
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The applicant’s age.
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How non-service-related disabilities affect the applicant’s ability to keep substantial gainful employment.
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Reasons (other than the applicant’s service-related disability) the applicant left a job.
TDIU vs. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
The main difference between TDIU and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is that TDIU is for disabled veterans who are unable to work in a job that supports them consistently, and SSDI is for disabled people who are not able to work at all. Although the two programs have the same goal, they have several differences.
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Social Security Administration |
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Doesn’t require the beneficiary to contribute financially to the program. |
Requires beneficiaries to have contributed financially to the program. |
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Considers only service-related disabilities that prevent someone from working. |
Doesn’t restrict disabilities to those related to military service. |
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Doesn’t require someone to have a VA rating of 100%. |
Requires someone to be completely disabled (the equivalent of a VA rating of 100%). |
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Only requires that an applicant be unable to work a job that meets the definition of substantial gainful employment. |
Requires that an applicant be unable to work any type of job. |
Veterans may qualify for both TDIU and SSDI, but the programs are from different federal agencies, which means you’ll have to apply to each program separately if you want to receive benefits for both.
🤓Nerdy Tip
The SSA expedites veterans’ claims for SSDI benefits. You might need to self-identify as a veteran when you apply for SSDI and provide proof of VA-rated disability.
To receive TDIU benefits, you’ll apply for VA disability benefits and provide documentation such as medical records to show that you are unable to keep steady employment. You’ll also submit records of your work history and education so the VA understands what work you’ve done in the past and what you’re trained to do.
When filing a disability claim for TDIU, you’ll submit two forms that are unique to these types of benefits:
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A Veteran’s Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability (VA Form 21-8940).
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A Request for Employment Information in Connection with Claim for Disability Benefits (VA Form 21-4192).
The first form requires information about your disability and medical treatment, employment history and education. You’ll need to provide dates that you were in the hospital within the last 12 months, the dates you last worked full-time and became unable to work because of your disability, the highest annual income you earned during your career and the time lost at each job you’ve held during the past five years due to your service-related disability.
Your most recent employer will fill out and submit the second form. They will send it directly to the VA after they’ve filled it out, so you only need to provide them with the form.
3 things to know about TDIU
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The forms require a lot of information. Because TDIU requires two additional forms, you’ll have to provide a lot of information about your disability and work history. It might take you a while to collect all of this information, so be prepared to gather everything in advance.
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Your most recent employer needs to submit a form. Your employer must fill out the Request for Employment Information in Connection with Claim for Disability Benefits — you can’t do it. The employer’s HR department should know how to handle the form. Once you’ve provided the form, ask for an estimate of when they’ll submit the form to the VA, and ask for an email confirming that they’ve submitted it.
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You can also receive additional government assistance. Because VA benefits are separate from SSA benefits and those offered through individual states, such as Medicaid, you can also apply for other assistance programs. However, qualifying for TDIU does not guarantee that you are eligible for other benefit programs.
Whitney Vandiver
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