green

syne7, all I did was provide the support. As the disability had been denied in the past they looked at that decision. They didn't go back to the date I filed the original claim but did pre-date the current claim back 12 years (sorry, didn't have the letter when I posted above and was assuming they went back 20 yrs based on the backpay). The VA stated they could find no evidence prior to that date (not true) so i'm seeking records and will submit a CUE for an incorrect rating date.

I'm happy to say that on Hadit we don't judge others but rather assume veterans are ethical and have their fair share of integrity. By approaching veterans with this mindset we focus on helping rather than judging. There are other sites that focus on judging and believe that the majority of veterans (new posters) are looking for undeserved handouts, as such they offend a significant number of hurting folks. I personally think the environment here is much more helpful and productive.

The Windfall provision does not apply to Normal Federal FERS Retirement. There is however provisions related to Federal Disability Retirement and ArNG11 is correct. The first year you receive 60% of your high-3 which is offset 100% by SSDI, starting the second year your pay goes to 40% of your high-3 and that is offset by 60% of your SSDI. At age 62, your FERS disability retirement is recalculated as if you had worked the time you were disabled and your SSDI continues on but no longer offsets your FERS retirement. Clear as mud?

Sorry to hear you are having a difficult time N4L. Hope things improve quickly and your wait ends with good news.

I'm also sorry to hear about this, appreciate your willingness to help us here at Hadit.

The only time I'm aware the windfall provision comes into play is if you contribute to a retirement system in lieu (or instead of) contributing to Social Security. This occurs when working for certain State Governments and the Federal Govt pre FERS (or CSRS employees). I don't remember the reduction percentages being quite that high though. Please take a look at this document https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf it does a good job explaining how the windfall provision works. FYI, there are different multipliers used in calculating your SS benefit. The first calculator is 90% of a certain base. The windfall reduces the percentage but it doesn't appear to me that it reduces it to the degree you were told. https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/wep-chart.html States the following " *Important: The maximum amount may be overstated. The WEP reduction is limited to one-half of your pension from non-covered employment."

Every letter I to access on eBenefits has a message saying it is currently unavailable.

Are letters unavailable for everyone or is it just me? Thx

Your A8 letter won't be accurate until the claim is complete. You got the cart before the horse my friend. Try your best to be patient, eBenefits is rarely accurate and my last claim jumped all over the place several times before it was completed.

gs106, which RO processed your claim?

It's now been over two seeks since my claim was decided, can anyone tell me how long you had to wait for your award letter, big brown envelope, etc.? Thank you!

Congrats, appreciate you sharing your good news.

If there is no accountability and penalty for this sort of behavior, it will continue. I liken this to fraud which the Federal Government is suppose to deal with through administrative actions, including termination depending on the magnitude of the infraction.

Amen to that Garylinn

I won't challenge your perspective Paul as you are entitled to your opinion. I can however share my own perspective.... I have found this site to be nothing but helpful, when presented with a question the members have done their best to help me understand the process and shared their experiences. I did not find this to be confusing. I am very thankful for hadit.com and the many members that help others.

I also am thankful for what I receive, that doesn't negate the impact of my disabilities. I believe the "glass half full" or positive attitude is not only helpful to ourselves, but to those who spend time around us as well.

It seems to me that someone should lose their job over this sort of behavior...

Flores, I applied for two secondary disabilities 20 years ago that were denied due to lack of evidence. When I reapplied in July, I had significant documentation and the C&P supported my claim. They pre-dated the award based on my previous application date (20 years ago). I would suggest you apply and if turned down, gather the evidence and reapply.

Andy, thank you for the prayer and well wishes, I certainly have been blessed.

I would like to suggest Liechtenstein, no I've never been there but it's just fun to say the name. I do know they speak German and it's located between Switzerland and Austria. One negative is they have no airport.

For all reading this post, I have listened to all of Meddac's podcasts and found the information to be valuable. We all wonder about the inner workings of the VA and Meddac's shares this information in his podcasts. For some reason, simply understanding the process helps when you don't understand and the VA provides canned responses related to status. Meddac, thank you for taking the time to educate vets on the inner workings of the system. Green

Thank you Flores :)

fantastic news!

Does anyone know how long it takes for eBenefits to update and reflect the correct rating after an award? I was rated on all my contentions and the letters show me as 100% P&T, the commisary letter is available, the I9 shows 100% and the other letter shows permanent and total. When I look at the Disabilities section it shows a rating of 90%. When I do the math I'm at 100%. Thanks all!

Berta, thank you, you are the first person that I talked with on this site and your advice was invaluable. N4L, I guess that "feeling in your bones" is nothing to poke fun at :)