The Board found that the Appellant's income from Social Security Administration benefits exceeded the maximum annual pension rate for a surviving child, thus denying her entitlement to improved death pension benefits.
The deciding factor: The Appellant's SSDI benefits were $8418 per year, after deducting unreimbursed medical expenses and applying the 5% medical deductible, resulted in an income of $3744. This amount exceeded the maximum annual pension rate for a surviving child (MAPR) set at $2020.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- January 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19104894
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.