relpats

You still have an AB8 or any A suffix letters? They were replaced with some new format type letter months ago and now they don't show the dollar amount the vet receives just the percent disabled???

usdart, Does your comment have anything to do with not being able to view Downloadable Letters or is it posted under the wrong topic?

Checked it last night & just checked it again. The letter that shows disability amount and percentage is gone. No way to print anything to show a lender how much VA disability is now???

Thanks to both of you. Berta - I'm a military retire & receive CRDP (@ above 50%). VSO called 3 weeks ago & said to drop request for increase or imminent reduction so I did. Claim status went blank afterwards. Then today I saw: Claim Received: --/--/2013 Claim Type: Retired Pay Adjustment I did have a dependency claim approved earlier this year before the VSO drama & not received any retro yet. Anyway, never saw this listed under claims when any other claim was worked?? Testvet - I know post is old (from 2012). I googled and found it. Didn't know what else to do to try to figure it out...

Just saw the same thing on Ebennnies and also a retiree. What did this mean for you?

Hear-Hear, Greg88, Valsacar, Stretch, rpowell All good descriptions and testimonials of the lack of representation being provided by DAV. Had better progress on my own dealing with the VA machine. At least VA has to speak to me rather than to someone that won't return calls, have the time to meet with us or be resentful that my rating is higher than theirs. I would ask for my money back, but if .02 cents of it goes to disabled veterans then I would not take that back so, goodbye DAV and have fun spending those life time dues. PS I did ask them to stop sending that bogus propaganda magazine... Give that money to the vets.

My payment history said the same thing for a couple of months, but it's visible again after last nights maintenance. Check yours now.

TiredCoastie Thanks for the number; called & they said it was thought to be fixed a couple of weeks ago, but some vet's still having trouble with it...

Can't even get to the date area you mentioned that used to be visible, mine shows; VA Payment History Payments No payment information is available to display.

Any info on why some folks still have payment history visibility on EBenefits and some of us don't? Haven't seen mine since before one of those weekend maintenance upgrades from over a month ago.

Tried to check "Payment History" and only get a "Please wait..." message that just hangs there for ever. Haven't been able to check it all week. On the occasion that I made to the next screen there was a message saying they are experiencing problems with that function. That last round of upgrades/maintenance must have really put her in the "Tilt" mode.

DAV occasionally sent me a letter like that, but most were generic w/o referencing what I'd mailed. Many of the DAV letters to me contained a single page w/o attachments that read, "The veteran submits additional information in support of his pending claim. Attachment, Doctors statement" We certainly can't get anywhere with a letter like that; no name, subject or even which claim is mentioned...

jbasser - thanx. Hindsight, well you know the saying. But since you mentioned that, well nevermind.

To broncovet - I agree! New to this whole VA,VSO quagmire I have been astounded by almost everything I have learned, witnessed and read about so far. How dare the VA treat any Vet with such contempt? I had been retired from the military for 15 years when I accidentally learned "I may be entitled to some" VA benefits. I still remember the VA representative at the retirement out-processing briefing telling a room full of soon to be retirees, "Don't expect anything from the VA. You served long enough to retire and you will be compensated for that." Didn't think twice about it; I was proud to have served. As far as most of us knew, the VA was some bad place that a G.I. ended up at by being in the wrong place at the wrong time and maybe missing body parts and worse suffering in some governmental hospital where no one cared. Visited a view VA Hospitals on Veteran's Day during my career. Fast FWD - 15 years later, seeking VA medical care was denied , "You're not in the system" What??? Then, my military retirement put me over some income threshold. Someone told me to fill out some forms I had never heard of. Months went by and I was assigned above a 50% rating over a year later (imagine the amount I had missed out on over the course of 15 years because of the VA briefer). Had a lot of questions and went to my 1st appt at the VA CBOC. Was told some guy from DAV could help. Wondered why I even needed someone outside the VA to help; sounded ridiculous! Talked with the guy that was there (that day) anyway and was assured DAV would make sure I got all I was entitled to. The catch was I needed to sign a Power of Attorney. Now, we all now that is serious business; anyone fit for duty enough to be deployable has been briefed on that. Signed the POA, paid DAV the lifetime dues and finally dropped them like a hot rock. The red light came on in the beginning when they asked for a POA, but I had been catapulted back to a point in time where G.I.'s took care of each other. DAV is not the same; they may have never been G.I.'s. My question is simply this,"Is the VA so untrustworthy to veterans that we must seek non-VA representation and counsel"? And, if so, what can we do about it. But furthermore, are VSO's also so untrustworthy that they would deceive a veteran into paying for a membership, signing a POA and then do nothing to help the veteran as they promised they would? DAV has put a bad taste in my mouth and I will not sign another POA with anyone; think about it before you do!

Thanks for the info. I saw where to post to that particuliar thread and a comments button on the right that revealed about 4 or 5 threads including yours. I had not heard of the site before and wanted to register, then add it to my favorites so I'd have another good source for info, but can't seem to figure that out. Saw something about worldpress dot something, but wasn't sure that was it either.

Actually, the government keeps giving big business and corporations tax breaks while they let them take all the jobs overseas. That prevents Americans from working and employers from matching the employee paid in amount. The government's answer is to cut SSA. They've already changed the age requirement for full benefits. My dad appled at 62 years old and died of a massive heart attack at 64. Had he waited until 65 to apply he would have never drawn a penny. So everyone does not get to draw all they paid in. We just came out of the period where the government had lowered the presentage we paid in to SSA so Quote" workers would have more take home pay" Unquote during the economic downturn. That hurt the SSA program even worse. If our taxes had been lowered we would have had more take home pay... Now the "Sequesture". If that's going to reduce gov't spending then don't cut people programs like SSA. I was brought up to respect my elders and help them; a lesson our politicians must have missed!

Welp, I went to that ask website and read the post, but could not for the life of me figure out how to register so I could post a simiiar response. Don't even want to start a blog. Don't know how to blog, never learned how to clog, did use to slop the hogs, too old to jog and now I can't find the right cog??? Anyboby on here can tell me how to register so I can reply to asknod's story? Just a little humor in there...

Bump.

I have a CPA, but when Chuck75 seems to have something to share about these things why should i pay my CPA to have a set down? Hell I don't even know what to ask. I have an IRA, but I'm not entilled to draw SSA for three years.

Chuck75 responded to someone with this info. "A side note: Contributions to IRA's, 401Ks, etc. can impact your SSA earnings. So, the allowed increased contribution levels for those that are nearing retirement age, and happen to be at "decent" pay levels can impact SSA retirement payments." I asked for clarification and was not able to get any response. Not trying to hijack, but can you tell me/us more about how this IRA/401k thing affects SSA benefits? I have both... Any info out there on how a 401k form a past job or IRA's waitnig for me to turn 59 1/2 will/woould affect SSR/SSDI?

Thank you so much Berta. I'll look at all of them.

Live in rural South Carolina and looks like I may need an IMO for some of my claims. Where do I start or does some one have a list of doctors in this state? Thanks for any info/help?

Congrats jbob84! Berta, Don't know how to email you to ask, but saw somewhere you mentioned Dr. Bash. I live in a rural area and may need an IMO/nexus, how can I reach him?

Heard of Dr. Bash, may I ask how I can get in touch with him? I live in a rural area and need some help. Good luck with your claim.

I have bilateral metatarsalgia that i think is a result of an old service connected foot injury. The tingling, burning and pain sounds like PN, but haven't been diagnosed. My experience is ya have to almost tell some doc's the diagnosis yourself...