Understanding how VA Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU) benefits work is vital for veterans who find themselves unable to engage in substantial gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities. However, the TDIU process is often complicated by misunderstandings about age, educational background, income thresholds, and interactions with other benefits like Social Security. Below are five of the most frequently asked questions about TDIU, each answered to provide clearer, actionable guidance for your VA claim.
1. Does Age Affect My VA Unemployability Claim?
One of the most common misconceptions concerns the role of age in VA unemployability determinations. The VA is strictly prohibited from considering your age when evaluating eligibility for TDIU. Whether you’re 24 or 94, the decisive question is whether your service-connected disabilities—not your age—prevent you from maintaining substantial gainful employment. The focus is on your ability to work due to your service-connected conditions, not how long you’ve been out of the workforce or your current age.