Navigation The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is set to reduce its workforce by over 80,000 employees, aiming to revert to its 2019 staffing levels of just under 400,000. This decision aligns with the Trump administration’s broader initiative to streamline federal operations and decrease bureaucracy. Veterans’ organizations, Democratic leaders, and some Republican lawmakers have expressed significant […]
'Gardberg & Kemmerly Blog' Category Archives
Can medication affect veterans’ disability benefits?
Veterans who have served in the military often struggle with health conditions related to their service. Servicemembers could develop hernias due to heavy lifting. They might have conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or anxiety because of the challenges they faced while serving. Veterans are often eligible for medical benefits and treatment provided by […]
Social Security to Reinstate Overpayment Recovery Rate
On March 7, 2025, Social Security issued a press release stating that it will increase its default overpayment withholding rate for Social Security benefits to 100 percent of a person’s monthly benefits. In March of 2024, Social Security had announced a new policy wherein it would withhold only 10% of a beneficiary’s total monthly benefit […]
VA Expands Presumptive Service Connection for Toxic Exposure-Related Conditions
In a significant expansion of benefits for Veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs is adding several cancers to the list of presumed service-connected conditions. Effective January 2, 2025, urinary bladder, ureter, and related genitourinary cancers will be presumed service-connected. Additionally, beginning January 10, 2025, acute and chronic leukemias, multiple myelomas, myelodysplastic syndromes, and myelofibrosis will […]
Social Security Fairness Act
On January 5, 2025, President Biden signed into law the Social Security Fairness Act. This Act ends the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). These provisions reduced or, in some cases eliminated, a person’s Social Security Benefits if they received a pension based on work that was not covered by Social Security […]