Will I Receive My VA Disability Check If the Government Shuts Down?

Yes, you will still receive your VA disability check as usual if the Government shuts down. During a shutdown, Congress pays extra attention to sectors such as VA, public safety, firefighters, etc. Among these, the funding for VA usually passes a year beforehand.

With that being said, during a shutdown, there can be other adverse effects on military and veterans alike. It can also impact federal agencies and departments. There have been cases where many agencies didn’t get their paychecks during a shutdown.

This article explains this matter in detail.

Why Does the Government Shut Down?

There can be many reasons behind the shutdown of the government. But usually, it happens because of the failure to pass any Appropriations Bill. When it happens, the government cannot fund federal agencies, programs, and their activities.

Do not confuse the Appropriation Bill with the Authorization Bill. While the former is the funding behind all the activities, the latter is the funding for authorization and handling of the programs. During a shutdown, both can cease.

Meanwhile, reaching the debt ceiling is another reason behind the government’s shutdown. During this scenario, the Gov fails to get any more money from the US treasury since they hit the limit of it. It is pretty rare but not unlikely.

So, is all hope gone during a shutdown for the veterans? No, since there is a ‘continuing resolution’ to the rescue.

Brief Introduction to the Continuing Resolution (CR)

The Continuing Resolution is how it sounds. It allows the gov to continue all its activities during a shutdown, depending on its expiration date. So, if a CR has an expiry date of a couple of weeks, then the government can keep its operations running for that long.

However, the CR needs to be voted by Congress and the president and passed. So, it may not come out right away or automatically. Once a CR ends, instead of stopping funding all the federal agencies, the Government usually goes for the following two choices-

• Pass a new Continuing Resolution.
• Extending the existing one.

Because of the Continuing Resolution, most federal agencies, including VA and veterans, remain unaffected during a shutdown. Only some agencies and programs stop getting their funds, even when a CR is running.

However, even if the CR ends but the shutdown doesn’t, VA won’t likely get affected that easily. Yes, many sectors of the VA may shut down temporarily, but they won’t affect veterans regarding their compensations and benefits.

Why Veterans Remain Unaffected During a Shutdown?

Millions of veterans with disabilities are getting their paychecks and benefits from VA. Not only them but also their dependents rely on this compensation. If VA were to stop it, the result would be disastrous as many of these veterans cannot sustain a proper job due to their conditions.

Hence, Congress prioritizes them higher by allowing their funds to pass a year earlier. It is known as Advanced Appropriation Bill. As a result, VA, its health sectors, and its benefits remain still during a shutdown.

Call 1-888-442-4551 if you haven’t received your compensation payment on time to report it. Not to mention, since most of the process is unaffected, you shouldn’t stop doing anything related to VA that you have started already.

For example, if you were filling a form of claim, going for a court appeal, or getting an eligibility review from VA Disability Coach or any other physicians, don’t stop. In fact, you may find your work getting done quickly since the lawyers and case managers will want to finish everything before anything shuts down.

Check if you have received your VA payment on the Payment Date (usually on the first business day of the month). If not, then it is being delayed. Consider calling the abovementioned number.

Previous Government Shutdowns and Their Effects on VA

Let’s look at some of the previous Government shutdowns-

• December 22, 2018, to January 25, 2019: The longest-running gov shutdown continued for 35 days. However, VA and most military fractions and their payments were unaffected throughout it. Although NOAA, Commissioned Corps of the US Public Health Service, and USCG were unpaid.
• February 9, 2018: It was a short shutdown lasting only some hours that didn’t affect anything significant.
• January 20-22, 2018: A shutdown that continued for a few days. Again, the VA remained unaffected.

If you look before that, most such shutdowns still let VA run, and veteran payments were being paid. Albeit, some military sectors didn’t get their due payments or got it delayed.

Can I Maintain My VA Disability Benefits If the Government Shuts Down?

During a government shutdown, there are potential risks of losing va disability benefits. While most VA programs continue during a shutdown, delays in processing claims and disruptions in administrative services may occur. It is crucial for veterans to stay informed, monitor updates from the VA, and have contingency plans in place to cushion any potential impact on their benefits during such uncertain times.

Can I Maintain My VA Disability Benefits If the Government Shuts Down?

During a government shutdown, there are potential risks of losing va disability benefits. While most VA programs continue during a shutdown, delays in processing claims and disruptions in administrative services may occur. It is crucial for veterans to stay informed, monitor updates from the VA, and have contingency plans in place to cushion any potential impact on their benefits during such uncertain times.

Final Note

If you worry about any government shutdown stopping your veteran payments, stop worrying. While it may affect other military sections and federal agencies, it won’t affect your payments. The advanced appropriation rules stop that from happening.