Rating increase, part of retro withheld?

[highoctane]

So I recently was awarded a previously denied claim and that increased my total rating. I received retro but it was short of what I calculated based on the increase so I made some calls. My contact says the system shows that $180 a month was withheld, but he couldn't explain why so he put in an inquiry to the proper department. Being the effective date was 12/1/14 it shouldn't be a CDRP issue right? That's been phased out and hasn't effected me with any of my other payments. Oh and it's not an issue of not getting paid for December I already about that BS :)

This is listed in the "system" and $180 each moth for 10 months as "withheld". Any idea why they would have withheld part of my retro? I'm just curious and with the long weekend and the normal process it might take me a while to find out what they claim is the reason and be ready for anything lol. Like I said I have a pretty good contact inside the VA and he was at a loss to explain it, but he doesn't work in the department responsible for retro so maybe we are both missing something. I know there are caveats and loopholes all over. I did a search and didn't find a similar situation. Found people getting all withheld for competency but nothing else. Also my recently granted contention wasn't mental health related.

Thank for any ideas. 

Edited October 10, 2015 by highoctane

[highoctane]

Ah...maybe it is a CDRP thing, even though that's basically no in effect any longer apparently they still have to go through the DFAS audit and withhold part until that's complete? I think that's what I'm getting from a few threads I've read(posted before the full phase out). That's what's wrong with the system..too much BS twists and turns in the laws, I think tax laws might be the only laws that out BS the VA compensation laws. 

My initial retro wasn't even partially paid until that was completed..that's what confused me. 

Anyone out there that can shed some light please feel free. Now that there is full concurrent receipt I bet situations like mine will come up often. 

[highoctane]

Oh and if this is the case this just continues to prove what I've said before, one of the biggest  problems the VA has is how it communicates, or doesn't with vets. A simple note on the ebennies recent payments page that said "this is a partial retro payment pending a DFAS audit" would have made it a non-question. I mean should we all really have to read through the laws and countless posts to figure out why something was done the way it was when a few simple sentences from the VA would tell us and we would just patiently wait for the outcome? Sure there are people here who have done so much research and know so much that they might say "well duh everyone knows that" but we don't all know. I didn't and I have probably done as much research or likely more than we should HAVE to. We all have other things we should be doing to live our lives and be productive members of society for our families and fellow Americans but here we are training ourselves in VA law over something a simple few sentences on a VA website would have explained. 

 

Rant over..

[iceturkee]

Ah...maybe it is a CDRP thing, even though that's basically no in effect any longer apparently they still have to go through the DFAS audit and withhold part until that's complete? I think that's what I'm getting from a few threads I've read(posted before the full phase out). That's what's wrong with the system..too much BS twists and turns in the laws, I think tax laws might be the only laws that out BS the VA compensation laws. 

My initial retro wasn't even partially paid until that was completed..that's what confused me. 

Anyone out there that can shed some light please feel free. Now that there is full concurrent receipt I bet situations like mine will come up often. 

not saying this is the reason however. when i was discharged from the navy, i received a lump sum severence pay. after receiving my rating, i was informed that my monthly check (then 10 percent) would be witheld until the va recouped the almost $32,000 i got from the navy.

[highoctane]

Thanks for the response iceturkee. I am familiar with the severance recoupment, I retired (no severance)so it's not that.