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VA Guidance: Answer to Five FAQs from Veterans

VA Guidance: Answer to Five FAQs from Veterans

In the weeks just before Veterans Day, I talked to several companies' Veteran groups about their benefits. Across the groups, I noticed five common questions. I am sharing these, with answers, below.  Question 1 – I am not happy with the results of my claim for disability compensation. What can I do? The short answer is: Appeal the decision. I described this process in detail in this article. When I asked each Veteran who posed this question, I learned that they filed the claim without help. That is, they completed the form and provided the supporting documentation.  Most were unaware they could get no-cost assistance from a Veteran Service Officer (VSO). I describe more about that in this column. The key point is that a VSO is trained in VA processes and may have helped dozens of Veterans with similar issues. Their learning and experience can help a Veteran filing for the first time avoid mistakes and ensure their application is complete. In addition, they may be able to enhance it,...

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VA Guidance: Two Quicker Options to Appeal a VA Decision

VA Guidance: Two Quicker Options to Appeal a VA Decision

One of the powerful features available to every Veteran is the ability to have a decision made by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) about your healthcare, benefits, and services reviewed and potentially reversed or changed. This is often called "filing an Appeal" or simply "Appealing a decision." Options to Appeal a VA Decision: Historical Overview Historically, appealing a VA decision was a complicated process, requiring an in-person hearing before a Judge at VA's Board of Veterans Appeals. This process generally took between three and seven years to resolve, leading to frustration. Often, Veterans hired lawyers, expending personal funds to get what they pointed out was "rightly theirs." The Appeal process was changed in 2019 and now there are two options (called Lanes) for Veterans to relatively quickly have their decisions reviewed. These are:1.    Higher-Level Review2.    Supplemental Claim For the purpose of the explanation below, I will...

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Top Reasons a Claim for VA Disability Compensation is Denied

Top Reasons a Claim for VA Disability Compensation is Denied

VA states that disability compensation is "a monthly tax-free payment to Veterans who got sick or injured while serving in the military and to Veterans whose service made an existing condition worse."  VA Disability Compensation is Denied Without Proper Documentation After leaving service, an injury or disability can limit or reduce a Veteran's ability to earn a living. Additional expenditures on care, equipment, and supplies might be necessary. Disability compensation is the benefit that addresses this situation. At a high level, the process to obtain disability compensation is as follows: • The Veteran provides information and VA forms (referred to as a claim), documenting their injury that occurred during military service and continues to affect them.• VA staff review information, comparing it with the relevant rules and regulations, to determine if the Veteran qualifies.• VA decides to grant, and at what level, or deny benefits and informs the Veteran. VA Disability Compensation...

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VA Updates: What Can I Do to Help Expedite My Claim For My Veterans Benefits From VA?

VA Updates: What Can I Do to Help Expedite My Claim For My Veterans Benefits From VA?

Applying for disability compensation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can be time-consuming and frustrating. This frustration is made worse by the time it takes to get a decision. Often, this wait is extended because needed information is missing. When that happens, additional time passes as the Veteran and VA search for that information. One way to avoid this additional time and help the VA complete your claim faster is to present all the information needed when initially applying for veterans benefits. This is often referred to as presenting a completed claim. With all the needed information, VA claims processors can focus on rendering the decision, avoiding "back-and-forth" communication with the Veteran about what is missing. Required Documentation for Veterans Benefits from the VA To apply for disability compensation, you have to demonstrate three items. Here is a listing of these items and the documentation used to support each item. Item 1 – Demonstrate that...

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VA Updates: Are You Eligible for Disability Compensation?

VA Updates: Are You Eligible for Disability Compensation?

A frequent topic in conversations with Veterans is how they were injured in service and whether they are eligible for benefits. Generally, they point out they didn't serve in combat but were injured while in service. Their question is, given their experience, "Am I Eligible for Disability Compensation?" Eligibility Criteria for Disability Compensation The specific benefit they are referring to is Disability Compensation. This is a tax-free monthly payment for Veterans who have suffered an injury or disability while in service. Consequently, under certain conditions, the answer to the question could be yes. One important requirement is to demonstrate that the injury is connected to service, often called Service Connection.Service-Connection can be demonstrated in one of three ways: 1.    Direct Service-Connection2.    Aggravated Service-Connection3.    Secondary Service-Connection  Types of Service-Connection for Disability Compensation Direct Service-Connection This means that the...

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VA Updates: Keep Your Life Status Current With the VA

VA Updates: Keep Your Life Status Current With the VA

Many monetary benefits administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) depend on your life status. This is defined as the Veteran's marital status and the number of dependents in the family. To ensure you receive the correct payment – no less or no more – it is essential to have this information accurately reported to the VA at all times. Failure to do so can have consequences that can cause financial hardship for the Veteran. An example demonstrates this. Marriage and Its Effect on VA Benefits Let's start with a male Veteran who is 50 percent service-connected. In this example, he is not married, or as the VA describes it, "alone." Based on the payment schedule for 2024 (you can find this schedule), he will receive $1,075.16 each month. The Veteran marries. Now, for VA purposes, he is considered a "Veteran with Spouse," his monthly payment will increase to $1,179.16, provided this information has been reported to the VA.   The first key point to understand is the...

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VA Updates: Veteran Home Ownership

VA Updates: Veteran Home Ownership

Homeownership has many positive features for Veterans and their families. A home provides shelter and safety. With planning, a home is an anchor to a strong community with solid schools for children. Connecting to the community can bring purpose and a sense of belonging to replace those experienced in the military. Empowering Veterans Through Homeownership Another positive feature of homeownership is the increase in net wealth, which can happen when the home appreciates in value over time. For example, if you purchase a $500,000 home and sell it later for $600,000, you keep the $100,000 extra that remains once you pay off the old mortgage. This money can be used for many reasons, including children's college education, starting a business, or retirement. For many, including Veterans, your home may be the largest asset in your portfolio. Most people purchase a home with the assistance of a financial institution and a mortgage – an agreement to pay for the purchase monthly over a...

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VA Updates: What If My Veteran Dies?

VA Updates: What If My Veteran Dies?

End-of-life planning is uncomfortable, which is why so many people avoid it. I know this from personal experience. What Happens When My Veteran Dies My father was a wonderful man – a career Army Officer and patriot, a loving husband, and a strong and tough mentor to four children. He was also a lifelong cigarette smoker. So we were not surprised when they discovered he had lung cancer. During his final two years, he put off all efforts to address issues that required he acknowledged he wouldn't live forever.  After he died, I spent hours helping my mother with paperwork and taxes, tasks that could have been easily handled when he was alive. Even years later, she still receives inquiries related to his affairs. As we worked through these, I often joked that this was his plan, so she would never forget him. With this experience, I always admire Veteran spouses when they ask me, "What happens when my Veteran dies?" There are many aspects to a complete answer, but two points...

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VA Updates: Most Popular Veteran Benefits Don’t Expire

VA Updates: Most Popular Veteran Benefits Don’t Expire

A recent article in a Veteran-focused publication had the headline, "Did you know many of your benefits have an expiration date?" It gave the misleading impression to many that the benefits they have earned from military service could evaporate or disappear. This is inaccurate. The most popular Veteran benefits have no expiration date. As I explain below, you can apply at any point and are not time-bound. Three Most Popular Veteran Benefits For these benefits, there are important dates to remember. However, if you miss those dates, you will be inconvenienced, but these benefits are still available to you, providing you qualify. Let's start with the three most popular benefits:•    Disability Compensation•    Home Loan Guaranty•    Education/GI Bill Disability Compensation Disability compensation is a tax-free monthly payment based on an injury or disability that occurred during service. A Veteran completes an application, referred to as a...

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VA Updates: Benefits Best Practice – Tell Your Family

VA Updates: Benefits Best Practice – Tell Your Family

Six million Veterans receive benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). As I described in a previous column, these are earned benefits for military service and not entitlements.  For Veterans, it is essential to explain to your family members what these benefits are, how they are administered, and how they would be affected if you should pass. Based on an all too common real-world situation, this example summarizes why taking the time to speak to your family about your benefits is critical. Scenario One: Veteran Does Not Share Benefit Information with Family Consider a married male Veteran who has not shared his benefit information with his spouse. He qualified for disability compensation for a service-related injury and receives a tax-free payment of $2,500 every month. These funds are incorporated into the family budget, which he and his wife use to pay for living expenses.  The Veteran dies, and his wife begins grieving. During this challenging period,...

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VA Updates: Glad You Asked

VA Updates: Glad You Asked

During Veterans Month, I had the opportunity to brief several companies' Veteran groups about the benefits they earned from their military service. During my presentations, I provided a quick overview of all the benefits and then devoted three-quarters of the hour to answering questions from the attendees. I've found that answering questions enables me to provide more situation specific information and often suggest next steps they can take to receive their benefits. Inevitably, there are more questions than time allows, reinforcing my belief that so much more needs to be done to educate our Veterans on these benefits. Navigating Claims for Increase: Addressing Concerns One question that came up in each session had to do with the possible negative consequences of filing for an increase in benefits. This is often referred to as a "Claim for Increase." This occurs when a Veteran has previously filed for disability compensation and been granted a service connection.  This is...

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VA Updates: Remembering Veterans on Veterans Day

VA Updates: Remembering Veterans on Veterans Day

The purpose of Veterans Day is to honor those who served in the Military. I call or email my Veteran friends, catch up, and thank them for their service. I display the flag and watch any military movie I can find. I also visit the graves of Veteran family or friends at Arlington National Cemetery, even though I know that’s much more the focus of Memorial Day. Veterans Pension Program One group of Veterans I find myself thinking about is elderly Veterans who, because of age or other reasons, aren’t as visible. The reason I bring this up is because an FAQ I often receive is about their possible benefits.   Someone will ask about a distant Uncle who is a Veteran or the Veteran who is a neighbor, less active in the community but still nearby. A common theme is the concern that as the Veteran gets older, he may not have the resources to continue to support himself. The question then becomes – Is there a VA benefit that could help him.  ...

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