Means Tested?

Question:

I am a 100% service connected veteran, my disabled stepson is in a residential program where he gets SSI and a portion of my wife's Social Security benefits. I am being billed $65 monthly because I get money from VA. Is this correct? They said the order came from the State or County's DFS. Is that accurate?


Jim's Reply:

I can't speak to rules and regs that are made up by a state or county when you don't tell me what state or county you refer to. Even if I could, it probably wouldn't make a lot of difference since most organizations that provide services to low income and disabled citizens do a means test to determine eligibility for their benefits.
 

Veterans often think their benefits are exempt from such things because our monetary benefits are exempt from taxes. That isn't true, our disability money is treated as income and I have to guess that's what happened here. It's likely that counting your VA income puts you in a position of paying a charge as you note.
 

Good luck.