Past rates: 2021 va protected disability and death pension | veterans affairs

You may be eligible for protected rates if you began receiving VA disability or death pension payments before December 31, 1978, and you haven’t elected to change to the current, improved

pension program. This means you’ll be able to continue receiving payments at the rates under the old program. Find out if you’re eligible, and review 2021 rates. Want to check current VA

protected rates? Get rates for the current year HOW WE DETERMINE IF YOU’RE ELIGIBLE FOR PROTECTED RATES To qualify for protected rates, your yearly income for 2020 must be at or below a

certain amount. This is called the income limit. We count as income any money you earn in a year, including your salary, investment and retirement payments, and any income from your

dependents. Some expenses, like non-reimbursable medical expenses (paid medical expenses not covered by your insurance provider), may work in your favor to reduce your countable income. WE

BASE YOUR INCOME LIMIT ON: * The specific pension benefits you’re eligible to receive (including added amounts for Aid and Attendance), AND * Whether or not you have eligible dependents, AND

* Your yearly income ELIGIBLE DEPENDENTS Eligible dependents may include your spouse. We recognize same-sex and common-law marriages. Dependents may also include any biological, step, or

adopted children you may have who are unmarried and meet at least one of the requirements listed below. AT LEAST ONE OF THESE MUST BE TRUE FOR A DEPENDENT CHILD: * The child is unmarried and

is under 18 years old, OR * The child is unmarried and is between 18 and 23 years old and enrolled in a qualifying school full time, OR * The child is unmarried and was seriously disabled

before age 18 and is unable to care for themselves NOTES: * THE HOSPITAL REDUCTION RATE is a reduced rate of Special Aid and Attendance that we pay if you’re hospitalized and meet certain

requirements.  Read the full Title 38 regulations for hospital reduction rates * IF YOU’RE MARRIED, we also include some of your spouse’s income when we determine if your yearly income is at

or below the income limit. The current Section 306 disability pension spouse income exclusion limit is $5,060. This means that we won’t include the first $5,060 of your spouse’s yearly

income, but we’ll include any amount above this unless you provide evidence that you don’t have access to this income or that including it would cause you financial hardship.  Read the full

Title 38 regulations for the spouse income exclusion SECTION 306 DISABILITY PENSION MONTHLY PAYMENTS If you qualify for a protected rate, we’ll pay you the monthly payment amount you were

entitled to on December 31, 1978. The income limitation includes a 1.3% cost-of-living increase. SECTION 306 DEATH PENSION RATES Effective December 1, 2020 This non-service-connected pension

program was available from July 1, 1960, through December 31, 1978.   SECTION 306 SURVIVOR BENEFIT PLAN ANNUITY LIMITATION Effective December 1, 2020 An annuity is a fixed sum of money paid

to the plan’s beneficiary each year. If you’re part of a Section 306 survivor benefit plan (also called the “minimum income widow” provision), we’ll pay you up to $9,344 this year. The

income limitation includes a 1.3% cost-of-living increase. ------------------------- OLD LAW DISABILITY PENSION RATES  Effective December 1, 2020 This non-service-connected pension program

was available before July 1, 1960.  OLD LAW DEATH PENSION MONTHLY PAYMENTS If you’re eligible for the protected rate for the old law death pension, we’ll pay the rate you were entitled to on

December 31, 1978. The income limitation includes a 1.3% cost-of-living increase. OLD LAW SURVIVOR BENEFIT PLAN ANNUITY LIMITATION Effective December 1, 2020 An annuity is a fixed sum of

money paid to the plan’s beneficiary each year. If you’re the beneficiary of an old law death pension survivor benefit plan (also called the “minimum income widow” provision), we’ll pay you

up to $9,344 for the year. The income limitation includes a 1.3% cost-of-living increase.