A Little Warning For All -

[Philip Rogers]

Only keep in the bank that which you can afford to lose. I divorced 7 yrs ago. Last month I had $65 dollars deducted from my SSDI deposit as a recovery for charges to ChampVA, by my ex, after our divorce. Somehow they used my SS number. Anyway after 2 weeks of dealing w/ChampVA I was able to straighten it out. To date I've received a $17 refund check from ChampVA(the administration fee) and am awaiting the balance from the treasury. Tomorrow's deposit is short another $65. Just when you think you're free of the BS, here it comes again, seven yrs later. I'll recover the funds but is the aggravation it causes worth it! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

pr

[free_spirit_etc]

I called the VA today. Haven't got a response on the IRIS inquiry on them reclaiming money from my account. THe woman told me that the have to reclaim the money and then issue me the check in my own right - a check made out to me.

I told her about the form I had sent in asking that the money not be reclaimed as I was entitled to it as surviving spouse. The form I sent in per RO directions.

She wasn't impressed.

I asked to her CHECK the file. So she said she would. Amazing they just spout off info without even checking the file to see what is going on.

She said they DID get something from me May 31.

I said does that mean they will stop the reclaimation process.

She said Yes..

Yeah right...

What they got May 31 would have been my DIC claim.

I have no idea what happened to the form I sent in this March - for the final paycheck.

But she told me what she needed to tell me to get me off the phone...

There was no sense asking any more questions to someone who is just going to tell you whatever...

Don't know why I bothered calling..

And the bank told me they don't usually notify people of garnishments and reclaimations because people KNOW they are coming.

Sure caught me by surprise.

But it is kind of a thing like you are a bad person because you haven't paid the people you should so they are pulling it out of your bank account.

Life sure was easier when my husband was alive.

Now I am a so-called bad person who doesn't even deserve to be told that someone is taking my money.

Right now I kind of hate the VA. If they wanted it back - they shouldn't have told me to keep it. They should have just told me to send it back.

To care for him

who shall have borne the battle

and for his widow, and his orphan

Yeah..right...

They send the veteran $225 - tell his widow she gets to keep it --and then sneak behind her back and snatch it away from her like the thief she is for trying to keep that government money. The VA has an odd way of expressing their condolences.

Free

[Josephine]

Free,

You do not deserve this time of treatment. I hate the VA as much as you do and perhaps shouldn't post my feelings on line, but I am like you, I am tired of being treated like a criminal.

I regret each day that I ever re-filed that claim in 2002. It just seems like the months past and I was always hoping that the next month, that there would be an end to it.

My opinion is that they cheated your husband out of his benefits and I ponder the thought, perhaps it was a deliberate act upon their part.

As I said, this is just my opinion.

Take care and God Bless You,

Josephine