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Veterans Disability Compensation

VA Disability Pensions Can Be Service Related, Non-Service Related, Or For Survivors

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Service Related Pensions

Generally, to qualify for Disability Compensation:

  • The disability must have been incurred or been aggravated during active military service.
  • You must have separated from the service in a manner other than "dishonorable."

The condition must have been caused or aggravated directly as a result of your military duties. However, the rules are liberalized for people whose military duty occurred during a time of war or an officially designated national emergency.

There are some veterans who may be "presumed" to be eligible and receive a service related pension if they have been diagnosed with specific, listed conditions and have a history of:

  • Incarceration as a Prisoner of War for at least 30 days.
  • Exposure to Agent Orange or other specified herbicides.
  • Exposure to ionizing radiation while on active duty. OR
  • Certain symptoms of undiagnosed illness and active duty during the Gulf War.

Non-Service Related Pensions

It is possible to receive a VA pension due to disability that is not service related. In order to qualify for a non-service related pension you must:

  • Have served at least 90 days, of which at least one day was during a designated time of war.
  • Be 100% disabled from causes that are not service related.
  • Not have total assets that exceed the maximums which are set annually.
  • Not have total income from other sources that exceeds the amount established by Congress annually.

Survivors Benefits

Pension benefits are available to certain survivors of deceased veterans, generally to widows and widowers. In some instances, pension benefits are available to children of a deceased veteran.

Eligibility depends on the status of the deceased veteran at death, as well as your marital status now and at the time of the veteran's death.


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