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How much money can a veteran have in bank and still draw benefits, can he own part of the house he lives in?, thanks, am 100% disabled, Brain operation so please forgive me if I'm a few fries shy of a happy meal
:VA Claimant Net Worth Issues
If you are filing for Service Connected (SC) benefits, your income and net worth are not factored into the VA decision. Non Service Connected (NSC) benefits do factor income and net worth in to the decision process. SSDI is considered countable income while SSI is not. If you are applying for NSC Health Care benefits, countable income as a means test varies between states and their counties.
Housing:
Using the VA "worksheet", let's say you own a duplex in which you reside in one side and rent out the other. The portion you live in is not counted towards net worth while the rental side is countable real property. The general rule of thumb is that the claimaint's primary dwelling is not countable.
Bank Accounts
The VA's Veterans Service Representative (VSR) who evaluates your claim will make an individualized determination as to what part of your bank accounts can reasonably be used for maintenance purposes (living expenses). These maintenance amounts are factored in to the decision process. Since each claimant's circumstances are unique in this regard, the VA instructs the VSR to view bank accounts as one part of the total net worth picture. For instance, non-reimbursed medical expenses not previously considered as an offset to countable income should be factored into the mix when making the decision. If the claimant has $80,000 or more in bank accounts (or similar monetary assets), the VSR must submit the claim to VA adminstrative staff for review prior to the final decision being made
If you haven't already done so, I would recommend that you contact the VA and discuss your situation in more detail as to what benefits you have applied for or anticipate applying for in the future. That said, I would also recommend that you contact a non-VA source such as a county Veterans Service Officer or a service organization (e,g, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars) for additional assistance. I especially stress using this independent source since I have found that there is a wide range of answers given by the VA dependent upon who you talk to on inquiry to that agency and, unfortunately, the Veteran is occasionally given incorrect information.
Mike
