Veterans Collecting Disability Benefits: 5 Things You Don't Have To Pay For

Do you, as a veteran collecting disability benefits, find it difficult to budget your money? Could saving a few dollars make it easier to pay your bills and live a comfortable lifestyle? If you answered yes, read on for a list of 5 things you probably didn't know you don't have to pay for.

1.  Your Phone Service

How much are you paying for your phone bill? According to the Federal Communications Commission, if you're collecting disability benefits you're probably paying too much. To offset the high cost of phone service for those living on a tight budget, the FCC offers the Lifeline program. The program, since it began in 1885, has helped tens of millions of qualified low-income households substantially reduce their phone bill. 

The program is available not only to those on social security or disability, but anybody with an income below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines. The Lifeline program is also available in every single state and territory across the country, and you can choose whether to receive your discount on a landline or a cellular phone. 

2.  Taxi Fare

If your disability makes it difficult for you to drive yourself to appointments or run errands, you probably qualify for paratransit services. These services, funded by federal grants, will arrange for safe transportation both to and from your important destinations on a regular basis.

Paratransit services are run by local communities, so the details of the program vary from state to state. Contact your local Agency on Aging to find out how to schedule your next ride.

3.  Housecleaning Service

Another helpful service offered by many Agencies on Aging is household and yard maintenance assistance. These programs are generally offered to anybody with a disability or people over the age of 60 receiving social security benefits.

If your Agency on Aging has a household maintenance assistance program, they'll assign somebody to come to your house on a regular basis, and help you take care of cleaning chores, yard work, or even packing your things if you're preparing for a move.

Agencies on Aging fund these programs with grants received from Home and Community-Based Supportive Services. Often, you'll need to pay for these services upfront and then apply for a grant to recuperate your funds.  

4.  Home Renovations

Do you need to renovate your home due to your ever-changing needs as a person with a disability? If you receive disability due to a service-related injury or illness, you may be able to make those modifications for free. 

The U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs offers Specially Adapted Housing Grants to help veterans with disabilities adapt or modify their home for easy mobility. Eligible recipients may receive a grant up to 3 times, but no more than once per fiscal year. The maximum grant amount is currently set at $67,555, but that number may fluctuate to account for changing costs of construction.

5.  End-Of-Life Services

Are you worried about how to set aside money from your limited budget for end-of-life planning? If you're a veteran with a disability, the Veterans' Administration offers both you and your family members free headstones and cemetery plots, and in some cases, funeral allowances. 

You can choose to be laid to rest in any of the country's 131 national cemeteries, or any state cemetery in the state you claim residency in at your time of death. While plots in private cemeteries are not covered by Veterans' Affairs, those opting for this type of arrangement may still receive a headstone and headstone inscription free of charge.

It can be difficult to live a comfortable lifestyle when limited to disability income, but you may be paying for more than you have to! Cut your spending and make budgeting a little easier with the above information on things you don't have to pay for if you're a veteran collecting disability benefits. Click to find out more.