How do you survive?

Beergod0352

PEB Forum Regular Member
PEB Forum Veteran
Registered Member
Medically retired in 2016 after 18+ years.

100% PTSD, plus 60% in other shit. I’m P&T. Va pay is special compensation S.

Barely making ends meet and the bills are piling up. Have child support payments to my x, and can barely keep up with them. Plus NJ courts counts your VA pay as “income”. So after child support, rent, water, electric, It leaves me $1000 a month for everything else. I don’t even have cable or internet and have 3 kids of my own to take care of.

I don’t want to hear people’s “opinions”. I’d rather hear cold hard facts. I can’t keep selling my personal belongings to “get by” anymore. How do people that are 100% p&t IU make extra money. I HATE being poor.

I can’t stand the VA and haven’t even been there in well over a year. How would they even know if I got a job?

There has to be other people that are in this same situation.
 
I’m also 100% PT, but no SMC. I get by on SSDI, still married and wife is an E6 AGR in the Air National Guard. My first recommendation is to apply for SSDI. You can sign up for my ssa account and see what your SSDI would be if approved. I was approved by my state DDS finding me to meet the criteria for the ssa blue book listing 11.12 for Myasthenia Gravis. I don’t know why your SSDI blue book listing is, but you need to apply and then try and meet that listing.
 
I’m also 100% PT, but no SMC. I get by on SSDI, still married and wife is an E6 AGR in the Air National Guard. My first recommendation is to apply for SSDI. You can sign up for my ssa account and see what your SSDI would be if approved. I was approved by my state DDS finding me to meet the criteria for the ssa blue book listing 11.12 for Myasthenia Gravis. I don’t know why your SSDI blue book listing is, but you need to apply and then try and meet that listing.
You “get by” on SSDI. Lol. Pretty sure your E6 wife helps put food on the table. Glad your surviving and thanks for the reply. Not being a dick here, but I’m sure you’re doing ok.
 
Are you 100 P&T or IU? If you are 100 P&T you can work and not lose any VA benefits. If you are IU, working will reduce your benefits. But working may more than offset the loss in benefits.
 
I don’t know if I’m IU or not. Where can I find that on ebennies? I don’t have any of the paperwork from the VA. I never had the chance to read any of that, or my award letter or anything my x wife threw all that shit out when it arrived in the mail.
 
There are a couple ways. Once you're logged in, in the middle of the screen you should see "Things you can view here:" Under that section, click "Disabilities". The next screen will show what your total percentage is and break down each one individualy.

You can also go to "Letter Generator" and choose the Benefit Summary option. The next screen, at the bottom, under VA Benefit Information will show the following "You are considered to be totally and permanently disabled due soley to your service-connected disabilities" with a Yes or No in the column to the right.
 
M
There are a couple ways. Once you're logged in, in the middle of the screen you should see "Things you can view here:" Under that section, click "Disabilities". The next screen will show what your total percentage is and break down each one individualy.

You can also go to "Letter Generator" and choose the Benefit Summary option. The next screen, at the bottom, under VA Benefit Information will show the following "You are considered to be totally and permanently disabled due soley to your service-connected disabilities" with a Yes or No in the column to the right.
Mine says “yes” in the letter. In the disability breakdown it just shows different ailments and the percentage. Where would it say IU on ebennies?
 
If it says yes for P&T, then you have a schedular rating of 100. Its not due to unemployability. With IU, you'd be required to mail in annual updates on employment as well. If you've not done that, then that just bolsters my opinion. I'd say you're cleared hot to look for a job if you want. The VA would probably assist you with vocational rehab as well! Ebenefits will show that option as well.
 
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Here are some "cold facts" you live in one of the most expensive states for someone on a fixed income I travel to NJ a few times a year and get hosed just driving around on all the poorly maintained toll roads. When I was discharged from Alaska I can't believe how many other service members stayed 50 for trash 100 for water 200 electric 200 gas heat 1100-1400 for mortgage or rent internet alone was 150 on and on. If you have kids nearby see if you can get by living in PA for a lot less while still being relatively close to the kids, if you work and child support is already killing you they will just make you pay a lot more I'm not sure why you are even voluntarily giving this federally protected info out anyway, here is a good group to help you out in fixing that angle.

 
I agree with the cold hard facts. We are trying to help you. If you want more money try for SSDI. Otherwise go to work.
 
Here are some "cold facts" you live in one of the most expensive states for someone on a fixed income I travel to NJ a few times a year and get hosed just driving around on all the poorly maintained toll roads. When I was discharged from Alaska I can't believe how many other service members stayed 50 for trash 100 for water 200 electric 200 gas heat 1100-1400 for mortgage or rent internet alone was 150 on and on. If you have kids nearby see if you can get by living in PA for a lot less while still being relatively close to the kids, if you work and child support is already killing you they will just make you pay a lot more I'm not sure why you are even voluntarily giving this federally protected info out anyway, here is a good group to help you out in fixing that angle.

Roger that. Thanks for the reply. I live in Florida. Last duty station was Nj
 
Here are some "cold facts" you live in one of the most expensive states for someone on a fixed income I travel to NJ a few times a year and get hosed just driving around on all the poorly maintained toll roads. When I was discharged from Alaska I can't believe how many other service members stayed 50 for trash 100 for water 200 electric 200 gas heat 1100-1400 for mortgage or rent internet alone was 150 on and on. If you have kids nearby see if you can get by living in PA for a lot less while still being relatively close to the kids, if you work and child support is already killing you they will just make you pay a lot more I'm not sure why you are even voluntarily giving this federally protected info out anyway, here is a good group to help you out in fixing that angle.

Federally protected info? What are you talking about. I’ve said nothing that someone can’t “google”
 
Federally protected info? What are you talking about. I’ve said nothing that someone can’t “google”

I linked the FB group CFR 1.511 is a starting point.
 
I think this is the law that is being referenced:

CFR 38 1.511 <—-link

I believe he was just trying to be helpful.


Ron
 
So with having a PTSD diagnosis. You can also file for the VA Caregiver program to get help at home; but heres the best part, it can be a family member that can be assigned in this spot and the VA pays your family member based on what a Home Health Aid makes in your area (I think 110% of the avg is what they pay). Also, your family member is still able to work at their primary work if they choose. You get benefits based on hours allotted by the VA: 0, 10, 20 40. 40 hours is the max and it also comes with a bunch of other benefits.

We're about to be done with the process and I also have PTSD and MDD and we looked it up with the bureau of labor statistics and the program would pay my spouse roughly $2400 a month, and since its VA pay its also tax free.

I hope this helps and may be a way to help monetarily.
 
I was denied for the caregiver program. The reason “the va hasn’t seen me in a year”. That SHOULD NOT be a reason. I freaking hate the va and my blood pressure rises just going there. I’m not going to go to the va for stupid appointments just so they can see how f$&$$$ up I am. They already know! So yeah the caregiver program would of been awesome to get but I was told when they interviewed my fiancée that they said “just because I’m 100% doesn’t mean you’ll get accepted into the program”.
 
Wow this is next level messed up. Try appealing and if needed, write a letter about your situation and send it to your local congressmen. Your local representative is a great tool that few people utilize.

That definitely SHOULD NOT have been a valid reason.
 
Wow this is next level messed up. Try appealing and if needed, write a letter about your situation and send it to your local congressmen. Your local representative is a great tool that few people utilize.

That definitely SHOULD NOT have been a valid reason.

Have you been approved? This program is actually much harder to get approved for then people state.
 
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