question; I am drawing 100% disability from the VA. If I were to volunteer to be a host would it hurt my disability. Is there a chance I could lose it.

Why not call the VA and ask?

Hey dude:
I would ask the VA like chippysgt said, but I don't think it would, depending on what you do as a volunteer. The best thing to do is let Sis be the volunteer and you watch, there isn't anything they could say about her volunteering.

tell Sis hi for us.

Answered your e-mail. Say hello to Ellen for me.

I don't see how since there is no IRS-1099 or any other type of reporting. Just make sure that the place you volunteer knows that you are disabled and what the effect of that disability is.

Don't take the risk, a 1099 can be generated anytime. Call the IRS as suggested and explain your position. You can be challenged by the IRS years after the fact.

I think this is the second similar thread in the past week or two. In this one and in the past one, the criteria that seems to be used by some in answering the question is whether or not you get a 1099 and relies on the fact that the work you would be doing is volunteer, non-paid work.

Now I realize that this current thread is about VA disability and I will freely admit that I have no idea what VA's definitions are. But I am familiar with SS Disability law and am familiar with many private disability plans and I assure you that none of them use a 1099 or W-2 or wages or barter or anything like that as a determinant of one's disability or ability. Being private or public insurance, they are interested in ones medical conditions and ones ability to perform physical and/or mental tasks (whether paid or not). I'm sure most of us have heard the stories of the disabled guy who, when observed re-roofing his OWN roof by a PI, loses his disability benefits - or some similar story.

Should you want an example of what I mean, you might check the SS web site on this issue. I defy you to find the words '1099', 'W-2', 'wage', 'volunteer' etc. Further, the referenced page is just part of the FAQ on the subject - it is not the boilerplate or legalese.

If I were to call the agency (or in the case of private disability - the ins. co) to ask questions on the subject, I would not trust some customer service type person to understand or articulate these FAQs much less have a clue as to the boilerplate language. If I were to call, I sure would not use my name nor would I call from a phone number that could be traced back to me.

When folks answer that it should be OK because you are not issued a 1099 etc., I think their opinion is really not one of whether or not volunteer WORK is OK, but more whether or not one might get caught via some automated cross check. If you volunteer and perform labor, whether physical or mental, that might put you at risk of your disability benefits, you must weigh the risk/benefit ratio. You might just have a fellow worker or a supervisor who was, or whose spouse or dear relative was, turned down for disability benefits and that person might just be unhappy enough to document your volunteer labor in words and pictures and then turn you in. If cut off, the burden of appeal and proof then shifts to you.

It depends on which type of 100% disability you are drawing:

If you are 100% schedular, the answer is NO.

If you are 100% IU (individual unemployable), the answer is YES.

If you would like more information on this and many other VA-type topics from a reliable source, check out the information available on the Veteran's Benefits Network at http://vets.yuku.com/

(Just checked the link and their server is down for maintenance today - 7/12/08)

These guys know their VA info cold. Lots of good scoop there.

Bryan & Susan
2007 National Pacifica TE-40B

I broke down a called the VA. Thier response was I would have no trouble as long as there was no money exchanged. That my disability is Schedular what ever that means. So we will take the position if it is still open. I told the person I talked to that I was recording the conversation so that if I had any troubles in the future over it I could show where I recieved my information. She transferd me to her superviser who also told me the same thing and I recorded her with her permition too.

Wish we could be out there with all of you but things won't let us as yet. Now we have another apointment the 4th of Aug.

I know they are using me for a guini pig but what the hell this may help another in the future. And who knows they just might fix me up one day.

Well Love you all and one day maybe we will see all of you.

We used to be able to volunteer at Thousand Trails, Western Horizon, (private parks) for a site. The IRS cracked down on this practice and requires privates to issue a 1099 for site worth. Most privates cover this requirement by pay minimum wage (1099). This, in effect, killed the volunteer program for privates. You can still volunteer at city, county, state, national and religious affiliated parks can pay you a stipend without a 1099.

quote:

You can still volunteer at city, county, state, national and religious affiliated parks can pay you a stipend without a 1099.

Not true about the stipend. We have received a stipend from the US Fish & Wildlife Service and we received one from a state park. In both cases we did receive a 1099 for the stipend only, not the RV site. In the state situation they with held state income tax from it as well. Of course, it was small enough that the state tax was less than $10 for the entire time and we could have gotten it back by filing state income tax.

The Air Force is now requiring a nonpayment contract for hosting at the FAMCAMPs. The value of the site is reported on the 1099 to the IRS. They talked about it last year but let it slip but I had to sign a contract this year for the value of the site. I made them put in the contract that I was required to live on site to perform the duties of camp host and I don't know if that will matter with the IRS. It kind of takes away from the spirit of hosting for your site.

The IRS rules for if site has to be reported on a 1099 have been pretty clear for the last several years, with lots of examples. It is a simple matter to look it up. If you meet the requirements then your site is not included as compensation. But you have to meet the requirements.