Denied
The Board denied the Appellant's request for a higher death pension payment rate, finding that her income was appropriately reduced by her Social Security Administration benefits and that VA’s income-based pension program is intended to provide beneficiaries with a minimum level of financial security.
The deciding factor: VA has properly paid the Appellant’s death pension benefits at the Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR) reduced by her SSA entitlement, as required by law.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 24, 2020
- Citation
- 20006233
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.