The Compensation and Pension exam is, in many cases, the single most important event in a VA mental health claim. VA will generally give more weight to the C&P examiner’s findings than to your treating provider’s records, your lay statements, or anything else in the file. A good exam can result in an accurate rating […]

Many veterans who are unable to work due to service-connected disabilities are also eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance. The two programs are administered by different agencies, use different standards, and evaluate disability differently. But they are not mutually exclusive. In most cases, veterans can receive both TDIU and SSDI simultaneously, with no offset or […]

Getting a TDIU grant from VA is a significant win. It means VA has recognized that your service-connected disabilities prevent you from maintaining substantially gainful employment, and you’re now being compensated at the 100% rate. But the grant itself is only the beginning. There are several steps veterans should generally consider taking after a TDIU […]

If you have a service-connected physical disability and you’ve developed depression, anxiety, or another mental health condition because of it, you may be entitled to a separate VA disability rating for that mental health condition. This is called secondary service connection, and it’s governed by 38 C.F.R. § 3.310. The connection between chronic physical conditions […]

Under the AMA, the difference between a “new claim” and a “supplemental claim” can be worth years of retroactive compensation. A supplemental claim filed within one year of a VA decision preserves your original effective date. A new claim resets it. Until recently, VA took the position that the only way to file a valid […]

One of the most common reasons veterans don’t file for TDIU is because they think they can’t work at all and still qualify. That’s wrong. You can work and still get TDIU — as long as your employment is considered “marginal” under VA’s rules. The real question VA is asking is not whether you’re completely […]

Special Monthly Compensation at the T rate — SMC-T — is the highest-paying VA disability benefit available to veterans with traumatic brain injury, and most veterans have never heard of it. In 2026, SMC-T pays $11,271.67 per month for a single veteran with no dependents, tax-free. That’s nearly three times the standard 100% disability rate. […]

On February 4, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued its decision in Hamill v. Collins, No. 24-1543, and it may be the most significant veterans law opinion in years for anyone with a pending or overlooked TDIU claim. The court held that the implicit denial doctrine no longer applies to […]

For disabled veterans struggling to work due to service-connected disabilities, TDIU (a total disability rating based on individual unemployability) can be a financial lifeline. At After Service LLC, we help veterans nationwide navigate complex TDIU rules – starting with one key question: “Does your income exceed $15,650/year?” Below, we explain how the 2025 poverty line […]

As we look ahead to 2025, Congress has just approved a 2.5% bump to monthly payment rates for veterans receiving disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This adjustment aims to help veterans keep pace with inflation and the rising costs of everyday living. Understanding COLA and Its Impact on VA Benefits The […]