Retro Pay

[USCG CWO4]

Just curious if any other retirees have run into this:

Got rated at 90% on 01 Sep of this year.

Retirement date was 01 May of this year (I know this was really quick and I am very happy).

Was told in September that I would receive retro pay from the 01 May date, after CDRP issues were cleared up and that it could take up to 75 days.

Received brown envelope with rating award

By Sep 13 the VA received the report on retirement pay and CDRP from the pay center

01 Oct I received my first payment from the VA for my 90%

Received paper copy from the pay center confirming calculation of the CDRP calculation

All this time my claim has been at prep for notification

Towards the end of Oct I got a call from the VA concerning another matter and I ask the woman about my retro pay, she basically told me that they don't pay retro pay and that they were already paying me monthly. I chalked this up to her not knowing what she was talking about. Earlier this week my claim moved from prep for notification to review of evidence (not sure why). Talked to a VA rep yesterday (concerning monthly stipend for kids in school) while on the phone I asked him about the retro pay, because I am almost at the 75 days. He informed me that I would not be getting retro pay until my claim was closed and that he didn't understand why I was getting monthly payments, as my claim was back in the review stage. I told him that I had already received my award letter and was not sure what was happening either. He said he could not put in an inquiry, because we were short of the 75 days.

Ok has anything like this happened to anyone else? Is he correct in that I will not get the Retro pay until the claim is closed? I seem to get different answers every time I call or they call me. They are all very nice but don't seem to know what is going on. Is this something I need to address or should I just sit on my hands and wait? I know my process has been quick so far, especially compared to others on these boards, I would just like to get things settled and finished so that I can somewhat close this chapter on my retirement.

Take Care

Bob

[broncovet]

Yes, I experienced something similar. I received a BVA partial Award in August. Even tho there is a "fast letter" 10-02 prohibiting delaying payments on BVA awards (including partial grants) , the Va is doing it anyway. There is no decision that needs made..it has already been made by the BVA. All that need be done is input it into a computer.

While yours may be held up by CDRP, I have none of that...and its still delayed.

The only thing I can conclude is that the VA is in a much worse mess than we thought. I think the VA has wasted money...tons of it...on things like lavish parties, employee bonuses for putting on parties, etc. that they are out of money for those of us who deserve it. One example is here:

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/259563-va-official-resigns-after-report-finds-department-spent-61m-on-lavish-conferences

The VA, when submitting a budget, do not include things like, "millions of dollars for lavish parties"...so it has to come from somewhere else. You guessed it..it comes from Vets compensation.

[deanbrt]

Bob, you need to call the VA Office of Case Managment. 202-273-7453. They only deal with old claims and appeals but that is you.

" Even tho there is a "fast letter" 10-02 prohibiting delaying payments on BVA awards (including partial grants) , the Va is doing it anyway.

Broncovet, you are so correct. That is exactly what happened to me. They were sitting on my BVA grant trying to bundle it ( read hold it up) with some other claims that I never initiated. When I got the Office of Case Management and my US senator involved things finally happened

[aggie54]

This also happen too me.My claim was filed July 25,2010. I retired Aug 31,2010. I was also granted 90% effective date of March 1,2012, but they retro paid to the day after I retired.

I still have several contentions pending so I keep going back and forth from Pending Notification to Review of Evidence. I am also receiving my retirement check from DFAS and the VA.

DFAS only deducted $5.00 as a VA waiver fee. Don't worry you should receive your retro soon. Only thing is that I received my brown envelope than the retro followed several weeks later.

Good luck and hang in there.

Edited November 9, 2012 by aggie54 (see edit history)

[USCG CWO4]

I think they deducted $4.00 from my retirement or applied that towards my VA comp. Also i got my Brown envelope the 2nd week of september.

Thanks all for your responses!

[aggie54]

Make sure you keep your eye on your Annual or Changed RAS and your Monthly Retiree Account Statement (eRAS) for any changes.

Good Luck...