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VA Individual Unemployability Form: Veteran's Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability
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VA Form 21-8940 in short
VA Form 21-8940 is the claim for Individual Unemployability (TDIU). You use it to say your service-connected disabilities keep you from holding a steady job that supports you. If VA agrees, it pays compensation at the 100 percent rate while your rating stays the same.
| Issued by | U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Benefits Administration |
|---|---|
| Current version | Rev. July 2024 (checked 2026-10-25) |
| Who fills it in | Veterans who already have service-connected disabilities. VA says you generally need one disability rated 60 percent or more, or two or more with one at 40 percent or more and a combined rating of 70 percent or more. VA says it may grant it at a lower rating in some cases. |
| Who receives it | VA, at the Evidence Intake Center in Janesville, Wisconsin. |
| Where to send it | VA's page says you can submit it online or by mail. The form says to mail it to Department of Veterans Affairs, Evidence Intake Center, PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444. VA also needs VA Form 21-4192 from your most recent employer. |
| Deadline | No fixed deadline. Follow any date in a VA letter. If you have not filed a disability claim yet, VA says to do that first. |
| Official links | Official page · Official PDF |
What changed
The JUL 2024 edition supersedes the JUN 2021 edition, as printed on the form. VA did not publish a list of changes.
How to fill out VA Form 21-8940, line by line
| Section I, items 1 to 7 | Veteran's identification Name, Social Security number, VA file number, date of birth, address, email and phone. |
| Section II, items 8 to 13 | Disability and treatment Name the service-connected disabilities that keep you from working, then list doctors and hospitals that treated you in the past 12 months with dates. |
| Section III, items 14 to 17C | Key employment dates When your disability started affecting full-time work, when you last worked full time, when you became too disabled to work, and your highest yearly earnings with the year and job. |
| Section III, item 18 | Employment history Every job, including self-employment and military duty, for the last five years you worked: employer, type of work, hours, dates, time lost to illness and highest monthly gross earnings. |
| Section III, items 19 to 22C | Current income and job search Earned income for the past 12 months, current monthly income if working, whether you left your last job because of disability, disability retirement or workers compensation, and jobs you applied for. |
| Section IV, items 23 to 25C | Education and training Highest grade completed and any training before or after you became too disabled to work. |
| Section VI, items 27 to 30B | Signature and witnesses Sign and date. If you sign with an X, two people who know you sign as witnesses and give their addresses. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filing it without a service-connected disability. VA says you must have one and should file a disability claim first.
- Not getting VA Form 21-4192 from your most recent employer. VA says it needs both forms.
- Listing fewer than five years of work history in item 18. Use Section V remarks if you need more room.
- Leaving item 21A unexplained. If you left your last job because of your disability, the form asks you to explain in item 26.
- Not counting odd jobs correctly. VA says marginal employment does not count as substantially gainful employment, but the form still asks for all earned income.
- Forgetting that you must tell VA right away if you return to work. The form says payments after you start work may become an overpayment.
Questions about VA Form 21-8940
What ratings do I need for Individual Unemployability?
VA says one service-connected disability rated at 60 percent or more, or two or more with at least one at 40 percent or more and a combined rating of 70 percent or more. It may qualify you at a lower rating in certain cases.
Will my disability rating change if I get it?
No. VA says your payment changes to the 100 percent rate but your rating stays the same.
What other form do I need with VA Form 21-8940?
VA says you also need VA Form 21-4192, which your most recent employer completes.
Can I work part time and still qualify?
VA says odd jobs, called marginal employment, do not count as a steady job that supports you financially. The form asks you to report all earned income.
Can I submit VA Form 21-8940 online?
Yes. VA's form page says you can fill it out online instead of the paper form.
What happens if I go back to work?
The form says you must tell VA right away, and benefits paid after you start work may be treated as an overpayment.
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Sources
Checked against the official sources on 2026-10-25. PDF Editor Hub is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.