Disability payouts help some vets earn more than healthy peers

Veterans with low disability ratings often earn more annually than their non-disabled peers, but those with more significant service injuries lag significantly behind other veterans in personal income, according to a new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office.

The findings come as the Department of Veterans Affairs continues to see its annual disability compensation costs rise each year. In fiscal 2022, those payouts totaled $125 billion, almost 45% of all department spending.

Veterans with disability ratings can span a range of ailments, including physical wounds, illnesses linked to military toxic exposure, traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. In 2022, about 30% of all veterans in America had some compensable service-connected disability.