Veterans often face financial burdens when their children have a disability. They need to pursue the benefits that are available to them. A reputable VA attorney can help veterans claim their disability benefits. They will complete almost all of the paperwork on a veteran’s behalf and explain the process to them.
Helpless Child Benefits
For veterans with children who suffer disabilities, the care required is ongoing and can be expensive. To help offset this cost, the VA provides a supplemental monthly compensation called Helpless Child Benefits. This is paid in addition to your VA disability rating and requires a specific set of criteria to be met. First, the child must be under 18 and cannot be claimed as a dependent for your VA claim once they reach 18. The child must also be permanently incapable of self-support due to a physical or mental disability established before their 18th birthday. The medical and treatment records must show that the child requires assistance from others to survive, can not maintain expected social interactions, read/write or cook meals on their own or move around alone, etc. In addition to helpless child benefits, the children of Veterans may be eligible for TRICARE or CHAMPVA healthcare providers that offer comprehensive coverage for health plans, dental and prescriptions, and medicines.
Healthcare Providers
When a military service member gets hurt or sick during active duty, their body and mind suffer. Those injuries and illnesses can leave them with permanent, disabling conditions that affect their entire family’s lives.
The VA offers several disability benefits to help veterans with children with disabilities. These benefits provide financial, medical, and educational assistance. For example, dependent children of disabled veterans receive dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC). This monthly payment covers living expenses for your child or children. It’s important to apply for this benefit. Also, your child might be eligible for health care through CHAMPVA and TRICARE. These programs are available for spouses and dependent children rated as permanently disabled by the VA. To qualify for this, the VA must deem your service-connected condition permanent. You can get help applying for these benefits by finding an accredited veteran service officer in your area.
Education Benefits
Some state-level education benefits are available for dependent children of a service-disabled veteran. These are not standardized nationwide, so veterans should research what is offered in their state before enrolling in a school. Spouses and children of a 100% service-disabled veteran rated as permanently disabled may be eligible for Dependents Educational Assistance. This benefit can be used for college, vocational training programs and apprenticeships. In most cases, eligibility lasts ten years from the date of a veteran’s permanent and total disability rating or 20 years if they were rated as permanently disabled within three years after discharge from active duty. Lack of awareness is one of the main reasons veterans need to maximize their benefits. Seeking VA benefits to contact an accredited VA attorney who can complete all or nearly all the paperwork required for a claim.
Vocational Training
If you have a child with a disability, it’s important to plan and consider your options for long-term care. Depending on your child’s condition, they may need lifelong specialized care that is expensive and difficult to provide at home. The VA offers several benefits to help with these expenses, including a monthly stipend that you can use to pay for child-related medical costs. This stipend is tax-free, and it can make a huge difference in your family’s financial stability. However, many veterans need to be made aware that these benefits exist.
