BASIC (04-00)

A. Introduction

PL 106-169 defines “other benefit income," in part, as recurring payments that the individual received during the 12-month period immediately before applying for special benefits, or payments received later but only if the individual received similar benefits from the same or a related source during the 12-month period.

B. Procedure—Beneficiary Receives Additional Other Benefit Income

When a qualified individual becomes entitled to a pension, annuity, etc., after he has been entitled to SVB, treat as follows.

1. Veteran Was Receiving Full SVB

If the beneficiary had no other benefit income in the 12-month period prior to his or her entitlement; i.e., he or she was receiving the full 75% of the SSI FBR as his or her SVB benefit payment, disregard any pension, annuity, etc. received after entitlement to SVB that would otherwise be used to reduce this amount. Treat any such “other benefit income” received after entitlement as though it had not been received by the SVB beneficiary.

2. Veteran Was Receiving Less Than Full SVB

If the veteran was receiving less than 75% of the SSI FBR due to the receipt of other benefit income and he or she becomes entitled to additional recurring other benefit income after entitlement, determine if the:

• qualified individual received similar income during the 12-month period before the SVB application was filed; and

• new benefit income is from a source that is substantially related to the sources of income (e.g., the same paying agency or organization) received during the 12-month-period before he or she filed an application for SVB.

If the other benefit income meets the criteria in VB 00205.100, reduce the SVB by the additional pension or annuity amount. If the additional reduction is large enough to reduce the SVB to zero, suspend payment to the SVB beneficiary.

If the other benefit income does not meet the criteria in VB 00205.100, document the file to this effect and do not reduce the SVB.

C. Procedure—Beneficiary Reports Decrease in Other Benefit Income

Secure evidence of the reduction in the beneficiary's income, as explained in VB 00205.110B. Recompute the SVB payment taking into consideration the reduction in the beneficiary's other benefit income. The change is effective with the month in which, or for which, the other benefit income was reduced.