TDIU Eligibility Estimator

Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU), also called Individual Unemployability (IU), is a VA benefit for veterans who cannot maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

With TDIU, you receive compensation at the 100% disability rate even if your combined rating is less than 100%. For example, a veteran with a 70% combined rating who qualifies for TDIU would receive the same monthly payment as a veteran rated 100% schedular ($3,737.85/month for a single veteran in 2026).

TDIU recognizes that some disabilities may not rate at 100% but still prevent veterans from working.

To qualify for Schedular TDIU, you must meet one of these rating requirements:

• Single disability: One service-connected disability rated 60% or higher
• Multiple disabilities: Two or more service-connected disabilities with a combined rating of 70% or higher, AND at least one disability rated 40% or higher

Plus: You must be unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to your service-connected disabilities.

If you meet these criteria, TDIU can be granted at the Regional Office level without special referral.

If you don't meet the schedular rating requirements but still cannot work due to service-connected disabilities, you may qualify for Extraschedular TDIU.

These cases require:

• Referral to the VA Director of Compensation Service
• Strong evidence that your disabilities prevent substantially gainful employment
• Documentation may include vocational assessments, medical opinions, and employment history

Extraschedular TDIU is harder to obtain but is available for veterans with exceptional circumstances.

The VA defines substantially gainful employment as work that provides income above the federal poverty level (approximately $15,060/year for a single person in 2026).

Marginal employment generally does NOT disqualify you from TDIU:

• Part-time work earning below the poverty threshold
• Sheltered employment (work in a protected environment)
• Employment with family members who accommodate your disabilities

However, if you earn above the poverty threshold or work full-time, you may not qualify for or could lose TDIU benefits.

To apply for TDIU, submit these forms:

1. VA Form 21-8940 — Veteran's Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability
2. VA Form 21-4192 — Request for Employment Information (sent to your previous employers)

You can submit these forms:

• Online through VA.gov
• By mail to your VA Regional Office
• Through a Veterans Service Organization (VSO)
• In person at a VA Regional Office

Strong TDIU claims typically include:

• Medical Evidence — Treatment records, physician statements about functional limitations
• Employment History — Documentation of job losses, reduced hours, or workplace accommodations
• Vocational Expert Opinion — Professional assessment of employability
• Lay Statements — Personal accounts from family, friends, or former coworkers
• Education Records — To show the types of work you're qualified for

The more thoroughly you document how your disabilities affect your ability to work, the stronger your claim.

TDIU claims can be complex. Consider working with:

• Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) — Free assistance from organizations like DAV, VFW, American Legion, or state VSOs
• VA-Accredited Attorneys — May charge fees (usually a percentage of back pay) but provide legal expertise
• VA-Accredited Claims Agents — Professional representatives who can help with complex cases

Find accredited representatives at VA.gov/vso.

TDIU is a VA benefit that allows veterans who cannot maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities to receive compensation at the 100% rate, even if their combined disability rating is less than 100%.

For example, a veteran with a 70% combined rating who qualifies for TDIU would receive the same monthly payment as a veteran rated 100% schedular.

Under 38 CFR 4.16(a), you may qualify for Schedular TDIU if you have:

1. One service-connected disability rated 60% or more, OR
2. Two or more service-connected disabilities with a combined rating of 70% or more, with at least one disability rated 40% or more

You must also be unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to your service-connected disabilities.

Extraschedular TDIU under 38 CFR 4.16(b) is for veterans who don't meet the schedular rating requirements but can demonstrate they cannot maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

These cases are referred to the VA Director of Compensation Service for approval and require strong evidence of unemployability.

TDIU pays at the 100% disability rate. In 2026, that's:

• Single veteran: $3,737.85/month
• Veteran with spouse: $3,946.25/month
• Veteran with spouse + child: $4,101.80/month

All TDIU payments are tax-free, just like regular VA disability compensation.

TDIU is based on inability to maintain "substantially gainful employment," which the VA generally defines as earning above the federal poverty level (about $15,060/year in 2026).

Marginal employment, such as part-time work earning below this threshold or sheltered employment, typically does not affect TDIU.

However, working full-time or earning above the poverty threshold may result in losing TDIU benefits.

To apply for TDIU:

1. Submit VA Form 21-8940 (Veteran's Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability)
2. Have your previous employers complete VA Form 21-4192
3. Include medical evidence showing how your disabilities prevent employment

You can submit through VA.gov, by mail, or through a Veterans Service Organization (VSO).