TN 1 (11-01)

A. Policy--When Required

1. Amount of Other Benefit Income is Less than 75 Percent of the SSI FBR

If, at the time the application for SVB is filed, the claimant alleges receipt of other benefit income, the total of which is less than 75 percent of the SSI FBR, SSA requests evidence of the other benefit income as explained in VB 00205.110B.

See VB 00205.130 for information on cases in which a qualified veteran reports changes in his or her other benefit income after adjudication of his or her claim.

2. Amount of Other Benefit Income is Equal to, or More than 75 Percent of the SSI FBR

If, at the time the application for SVB is filed, the claimant alleges receipt of other benefit income which when added together is equal to, or more than, 75 percent of the SSI FBR, SSA denies the claim. Evidence of the other benefit income is not requested.

B. Policy—Evidence of Other Benefit Income

1. General

Acceptable evidence of other benefit income is an award notice or other letter from the paying agency or written notification from the former employer, insurance company, etc., showing that a pension, annuity, retirement or disability benefit is payable, the current amount of that payment, the frequency of the payment (absent information to the contrary assume the payments are made monthly) and the date payment began. If the individual alleges that a portion of the payment is not income to him or her, the evidence must show the nature and amount of the payment, and if applicable, for whom it is intended.

2. The SSR as Evidence of Other Benefit Income

The SSR can be evidence of other benefit income if the amount shown on the SSR agrees with that shown by the claimant. If the other benefit income is not paid in U.S. dollars, the foreign currency amount of the other benefit shown by the claimant must agree with the foreign currency amount used to compute the dollar amount shown on the SSR. For example, the claimant states he is receiving a monthly Philippine civil service pension of 2,500 pesos. The SSR shows him as receiving a Philippine civil service pension of $62.84 (based on a monthly benefit of 2,500 pesos). Evidence of the other benefit income is not required because the benefit amount has not changed. It is immaterial that, using the current exchange rate, the dollar amount of that pension payment is now $49.06. The dollar amount shown on the SVB SSR is computed in accordance with VB 00205.125C.

See VB 00205.125D. for additional information on PVAO pensions.