Dic Benefit Questions

[NeedHelp91]

Hello,

I received my Rating's Decision and Notice of Benefits from the VA Regional Office today (July 11th). It states the ratings decision was completed in September of 2014 and so my back pay only goes up to this date. What happens to the payments from the 9 months since they made that decision (Sept-now)? I have yet to receive any payment.

Thank you for any assistance you can provide in this matter.

Best,

NeedHelp91

[Philip Rogers]

I can't tell you w/o seeing the award letter. Please post it if you can, blocking out any personal identifying info. I believe you may/should get a retro payment. jmo

pr

[Gastone]

Original SC Comp claim File Date is?????? MORE, NOT LESS INFO PLEASE.

Semper Fi

Gastone

[NeedHelp91]

Hello,

Thank you for responding. I have what might be a very dumb question...with the answer right in front of me. But I don't see it. How can I upload a pdf document to this post? I see a "My Media" but when I click it there is not an option to upload mine.... I see the image and link sections, but I have the documents on my computer. Not at a link that I could post.

Thanks for your help. I appreciate it. I tried to search about uploading documents, but I could only find things about uploading them to the actual ebenefits website.

Slightly off topic, but I have an additional question with regard to the ebenefits website if anyone has any insight to share. I tried to register for it today and it says I am not in the system. I was on the Google searching and also saw some posts in another forum that said surviving spouses do not have access to ebenefits. Is this the case? I plan on calling tomorrow after work to start the ball rolling (as it seems sometimes it can roll forever and forever...), but I thought I would ask here as well...it seems if I am able to fill out and submit my information on the ebenefits website it would be a bit faster than doing it all vial mail.

[Berta]

To add to PR's suggestion....

Surviving spouses can finally use ebenefits now.

To attach docs, pdfs, etc go to the More Reply Options button to the lower right hand side of the reply area, next to the POST button.,

[NeedHelp91]

Thank you for the ebenefits information!

I have tried clicking the "more reply options" and nothing new shows up to add a document. Is this because I am still a new member? I get the message that my posts must be approved when I type them.

I have tried this in the chrome, the internet explorer, and the firefox.

Thanks for your help!

[NeedHelp91]

Good Afternoon!

Thank you for help so far. As I still cannot figure out how to upload documents (my screen doesn't change when I click "more reply options") I have uploaded them to a different website. Here is the website to view the pdf versions with the name blacked out. I am not sure if someone else can add them to my post? or if you could just look at them with these links and let me know what you think. The were two separate documents in the letter which I have at the links below:

Back to my original question that may make more sense now... if you can look at the letter you see it shows the retroactive payment from September 2014 to April 2006. What happens with the payments I should be receiving from September 2014-now for DIC? That is almost 9 months not mentioned or addressed at all. I was reading online and am slightly confused. These would not be "accrued" benefits, correct? My husband did not receive any benefits during his lifetime from the VA.

It does include the 20% payment to my lawyer. Once we reached the Supreme Court of Veteran's Appeals last year I could no longer represent myself...and could not afford the medical opinion on my own at that time. I understand this deduction. As I understand it, it is only 20% of THIS original calculated amount for myself only, correct? Would it include any retroactive payment for dependents that are not included in this initial computation?

I have been on the phone with the VA and various VA entities all morning. Enough elevator music to make my head explode. After nearly 10 years, I should be used to the constant frustration of waiting, waiting, waiting. My benefits were approved in September 2014...they had all the approval signatures in April...yet they could not let me know and start the process until July? I never imagined. Few more questions about DIC benefits if anyone is able. I want to make sure I do not miss anything.

-The two folks on the phone this morning claimed that as a surviving spouse I was not eligible for ebenefits. I tried calling ebenefits at the end of everything and they told me I had to call DEERS because I do not show up in the system. DEERS told me to call the VA (1-800 #) again because "only the VA can put me in the system since I am not active military." As is likely with the VA..the folks I got may not have known what they were talking about...or maybe the ebenefits is not available for DIC. I called the VA back, but was caller 36 so signed up for a call back...we'll see if it ever comes.

-The letter claims they did not have my payment information. The first person I spoke with (at the 1-800-827-1000 number) said that they were able to input that information on my file. Does anyone have any experience with this? About how long it takes? He said he had no idea about a timeframe and it would depend on when it was sent to the RO and that he had received correspondence on July 8th (my same letter, maybe? though he acted like he didn't understand the letter when I asked about the nine months Sept-July payments). I told him (and you can see on the letter) that it is from the Indianapolis RO. And if the Indianapolis RO is issuing my retroactive payment...where is it being sent from? He just said that they "do not have it yet." At this point, I don't see anything further I could do with this step...am I missing anything?

-Also, in my letter and when I contacted VA to ask about it today...they said they had no record. We had two children (twins) and therefore I believe I should have the additional monetary DIC benefit for dependents. They were 14 in 2006 when my husband passed. I know I submitted birth certificates when I initially filed the claim in 2006. I have the original paperwork noting dependents. I have kept copies of everything. However, they claim no record. So I got transferred to the "dependency office." They sent me a form 21-686c that I completed and faxed back with copies of my children's birth certificates. Does anyone have experience with getting retroactive DIC for dependents? Does this mean they are going to have to recalculate my entire retroactive payment? or do you think the initial amount will be paid (as stated in the letter) and that I can the back pay from having dependents will be added on later? The dependency office said they had none of this information and that they usually only added dependents for live veterans. Not for benefits like this....

-I completed and submitted the CHAMPVA paperwork today with the required evidence today via fax. Application (10-10d) and 10-7959c (because I have additional insurance through work for a couple more months.) I am not 65 and do not qualify for Medicare.

-Another CHAMPVA related question. I am aware (a bit) of the retroactive DEA benefits (still reading through these with my daughter). However, I have seen different things on another forum...are there any sort of retroactive CHAMPVA benefits? or benefits from medical and medication expenses from when either I or our dependents had medical bills in the past? In 2006 when my husband passed away it was sudden (insanely enough--when someone from the Navy contacted me and told me to call and tell the VA I thought my husband had died as a result of his service and get the ball rolling). At that time we had no benefits through the VA. However, I could not afford for insurance for the three of us so we are still slowly paying down some of my son's medical expenses. He would have been eligible until age 18 from what I understand. Not sure if there is anything retroactive here or how to go about that if so. Any advice is appreciated.

-I realize my husband's memorial took place in 2006, but from reading on this forum I believe I am eligible for the $2000 burial benefit now that his death is service connected. Is this correct? I am having my daughter print the paper so that we can complete that. He did not receive any death benefit or pay towards expenses from the VA before or for service-connection. It states there is no expiration...so I think I am still eligible.

-Last question. And probably the one we are having the most trouble figuring out. My daughter and I need help with the retroactive DEA benefits. My son did not attend college (however now he might!). I talked to someone at the 1-800-827-1000 phone #. They sent us the original DEA application as if you are just starting school. . My daughter attended college full time August 2009 and graduated in May 2015. It was a 6 year doctor program. Of course, we are granted our claim after she graduates. However, from what I have read online (38 CFR Part 21 RIN 2900–AL44; found here: http://www.va.gov/orpm/docs/20080528_al44_survivorsanddependentseducationalassistance.pdf)we are eligible for retroactive DEA. From what I understand it is 15 months of benefits on a day by day basis. So if school started August 31, that would be 1 day of benefits. Not one month. She also had summers off. I know that DEA and DIC benefits cannot be received at the same time. It also seems to me from the above link that you can choose to defer your DEA benefits or choose your own start date. So I think that perhaps we could claim the last 45 or 44 months (still has a licensing exam to take since she graduated in May that I think would be paid as well based on the online readings) of school as her DEA benefits...and in the time before that (since she attended 6 years of college full-time) I could claim her as a dependent and receive additional retroactive DIC benefits from that time? (being a full time student under the age of 23). Any help on this is much appreciated. I apologize if this seems greedy. I just want to maximize the use of our benefits. If DEA is on a day by day basis, would it make sense for me to go back and look at every single day of enrollment to claim the 45 months...and then the time before that as DIC? Also, I read that there is not payment for spring, winter, and summer breaks. So these would not count in the 45 months, correct? Do they really go back and look at weeks of a time off school? She will have been off one week every spring for Spring Break, one day in January for MLK, etc.

I know this is a really long post. Any assistance or advice anyone can provide would be helpful. Thank you for your time!

Edited July 16, 2015 by NeedHelp91