VA Ends Income-Reporting Requirement

Veterans who apply for benefits no longer will have to report annual income information. Instead, the Department of Veterans Affairs will gather it from resources within the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration. First-time applicants will still be required to submit income information. Officials expect the change will streamline the application process somewhat, however. “Eliminating the requirement for annual income reporting makes our health care benefits easier for Veterans to obtain,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “This change will reduce the burden on Veterans, improve customer service and make it much easier for Veterans to keep their health care eligibility up-to-date.”