Grr @ Ebennies....

grizz13

grizz13

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PEB Forum Veteran
Registered Member
Well I have been out since the end of October, my ebennies claim was closed and reopened for the finalization of ratings on that same day. I have waited patiently for 60 days now. Checked again today, since the claim timeframe they said would have been done on the 16th and it was overdue, it now changed to estimated time 14Jan13 to 14Feb13. So everyone be prepared to wait atleast 4 months after seperation for finalized ratings from the VA...
 
grizz13 said:
Well I have been out since the end of October, my ebennies claim was closed and reopened for the finalization of ratings on that same day. I have waited patiently for 60 days now. Checked again today, since the claim timeframe they said would have been done on the 16th and it was overdue, it now changed to estimated time 14Jan13 to 14Feb13. So everyone be prepared to wait atleast 4 months after seperation for finalized ratings from the VA...
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Mine took 3 1/2 months, but I PDRLed in mid-APR 2012.

No major holidays or major summer vacation times during my time frame.

This could be a partial reason for delays right now.

V/r,
nwlivewire
 
Yeah they got me too. Been out since 28 SEPT. They closed my claim and reopened it to finalize. But the new claim is missing like 8 contentions. was told by the VA 800 number that just because its not on Ebennies doesnt mean it not still there. Anywho, 28 Dec it said prep for notification. Then the next day it moved back to pending decision approval. with a complete date of 11 jan 13. I just need this done before I file taxes cause they taxed my severance and I will be getting over 10% for my MEB condition so I can get my taxes back. I am still waiting on my IRIS to make sure they didn't somehow drop any contentions. This has defiantly been confusing and frustrating. Thought I would be getting my comp by now. One question though. When they do pay me it should include my back pay (OCT, NOV, DEC, JAN) right? Or do they deposit your comp and send you a check for back pay?
 
grizz13 said:
Well I have been out since the end of October, my ebennies claim was closed and reopened for the finalization of ratings on that same day. I have waited patiently for 60 days now. Checked again today, since the claim timeframe they said would have been done on the 16th and it was overdue, it now changed to estimated time 14Jan13 to 14Feb13. So everyone be prepared to wait atleast 4 months after seperation for finalized ratings from the VA...
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Sorry if this question sounds dumb. I'm a few steps behind you in the process. I'm getting ready to go sign for ratings friday. How exactly does this affect you with them not finalizing it by now? Does that mean you havent been able to start collecting your VA pay, and not able to obtain the your 10 point preference letter? Just trying to prepare for the ass end of this ridiculous process.
 
Update: They finalized my ratings on the 27th! No changes, so I still get my 60 DoD / 90 VA.

Tomcat, yes it does affect everything from pay, to 10-point preference, to state benefits. I would have been in a better position for Christmas if I didn't have to pay for registration on one of my vehicles... Some say that some employers will take the 10-point with proposed ratings, but they aren't official until you get that letter in hand.

I have been collecting the DoD retirement pay for 2 months, which is a little less than the VA benefit... It's painful but I'll get the difference back-paid and start collecting my benefits hopefully in January.
 
Wisec84 said:
One question though. When they do pay me it should include my back pay (OCT, NOV, DEC, JAN) right? Or do they deposit your comp and send you a check for back pay?
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Not sure on that, so we are going to see the pay around the same time.
 
Separated 28 September, 0% from the military, 80% from VA. I have had no pay, and have been told by my doctor that I can't even drive, much less work. This is getting tiresome watching e-benefits take forever while my credit card balances get bigger. My wife works, but after 10 years of not working while I was in the military, all she was able to find was Wal-Mart. Minimum wage is nothing when I really need to be applying for IU. Oh, and Social Security told me they won't have anything for me for another 2 months. I started the application for that (and let them know I was military) while I was still in!!! I really wish they would have retired me (they should have), because at least then I would be getting some kind of money! They just changed my ebenefits yesterday to "Pending Decision Approval" after two months of the estimated completion date being overdue (which they changed to Feb 14th). I just want to know what takes them so long to do the award letter? They have already evaluated all of my disabilities, and I didn't appeal that at all. So, what else is there to evaluate? Why can't they just take my proposed rating, make an award letter, and start paying me? My CCs are soon to be maxed and my bank account is dry. I don't know how I'll pay bills in March if I don't get this award letter! Ugh. Sorry for venting, but I just don't understand what takes so long and why they can't give me a rating so that I can start receiving something!
 
Trevis Kelley said:
Separated 28 September, 0% from the military, 80% from VA. I have had no pay, and have been told by my doctor that I can't even drive, much less work. This is getting tiresome watching e-benefits take forever while my credit card balances get bigger. My wife works, but after 10 years of not working while I was in the military, all she was able to find was Wal-Mart. Minimum wage is nothing when I really need to be applying for IU. Oh, and Social Security told me they won't have anything for me for another 2 months. I started the application for that (and let them know I was military) while I was still in!!! I really wish they would have retired me (they should have), because at least then I would be getting some kind of money! They just changed my ebenefits yesterday to "Pending Decision Approval" after two months of the estimated completion date being overdue (which they changed to Feb 14th). I just want to know what takes them so long to do the award letter? They have already evaluated all of my disabilities, and I didn't appeal that at all. So, what else is there to evaluate? Why can't they just take my proposed rating, make an award letter, and start paying me? My CCs are soon to be maxed and my bank account is dry. I don't know how I'll pay bills in March if I don't get this award letter! Ugh. Sorry for venting, but I just don't understand what takes so long and why they can't give me a rating so that I can start receiving something!
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Someone should have told you to call the VA and tell them that you are experiencing financial hardship and if they could expedite you claim, they would've just had you send a copy of a few bills showing that you were getting behind

Also your proposed ratings are just to discharge out the army and then once your out and become a bet the review your claim again to check in see if its possible to give you a high rating..but also you should have appealed your 80% if you feel like its not enough but you can be 80% unemployable and get paid 100% rate

Good Luck
 
My proposed ratings came from the VA with a full explanation of why they are what they are. Why do the process twice? Maybe that's why the VA is backlogged! Mismanagement like that! I spoke to the VA about financial hardship, and you are right, I have to show them bills that I am BEHIND on. I don't have any of those. I would like to buy a house and stop renting while rates and houses are cheap. Getting behind on bills and having that stuff show up on my credit doesn't make that situation possible. The way I see it is I can either rent from someone and use my disability money to pay someone else's mortgage, or I can use it to pay my own mortgage so I will need less later on. I am a minimalist and I see the debt and know that eventually, the government is going to have to start pulling back on benefits. I am going to do everything I can to be as ready as possible to help out as much as I can when that day comes. I loved this country when I joined and I still do. I see everything that it can be! I still want to serve my country. I just need some assistance to get back on my feet again. My wife is going to be going to school so we can increase our income. I am trying to find alternative things I can do to make money. I want to take as little as possible from the government. But, unfortunately, I am stuck in a situation where until I find my way, I am going to need some assistance. I just wish it came in a more timely manner. I can understand Social Security taking a while because they didn't have the 2 years the VA already took to get my proposed rating. But what do they have to do to go from proposed rating to award letter and why? I am just stating that maybe this process should be reviewed or explained better. I was told as I was getting out that the reason for the IDES process is so there would be no gap between military checks and disability checks. So, obviously I was not given accurate information getting out. Also, even if I could work, I couldn't take advantage of my 10 point preference. How does that help vets who are already not getting money? I am not saying that I expecting the transition to be perfect, but I am 4 months into this and I was hoping to be a bit further along in this process than I am. Thank you for all the help and I will be quiet now as I didn't mean to hijack this thread.
 
Trevis Kelley said:
My proposed ratings came from the VA with a full explanation of why they are what they are. Why do the process twice? Maybe that's why the VA is backlogged! Mismanagement like that! I spoke to the VA about financial hardship, and you are right, I have to show them bills that I am BEHIND on. I don't have any of those. I would like to buy a house and stop renting while rates and houses are cheap. Getting behind on bills and having that stuff show up on my credit doesn't make that situation possible. The way I see it is I can either rent from someone and use my disability money to pay someone else's mortgage, or I can use it to pay my own mortgage so I will need less later on. I am a minimalist and I see the debt and know that eventually, the government is going to have to start pulling back on benefits. I am going to do everything I can to be as ready as possible to help out as much as I can when that day comes. I loved this country when I joined and I still do. I see everything that it can be! I still want to serve my country. I just need some assistance to get back on my feet again. My wife is going to be going to school so we can increase our income. I am trying to find alternative things I can do to make money. I want to take as little as possible from the government. But, unfortunately, I am stuck in a situation where until I find my way, I am going to need some assistance. I just wish it came in a more timely manner. I can understand Social Security taking a while because they didn't have the 2 years the VA already took to get my proposed rating. But what do they have to do to go from proposed rating to award letter and why? I am just stating that maybe this process should be reviewed or explained better. I was told as I was getting out that the reason for the IDES process is so there would be no gap between military checks and disability checks. So, obviously I was not given accurate information getting out. Also, even if I could work, I couldn't take advantage of my 10 point preference. How does that help vets who are already not getting money? I am not saying that I expecting the transition to be perfect, but I am 4 months into this and I was hoping to be a bit further along in this process than I am. Thank you for all the help and I will be quiet now as I didn't mean to hijack this thread.
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Sorry about your situation and its situations like yours that has made me start putting money away just in case it take sometime for the VA money to kick in..I don't understand why it takes so long after you are discharged for them to finally complete but every case is different and some people get their checks quick and some don't, but I hope you get back on your feet very soon, and yea this is the perfect time for buying a home specially as a veteran because the rated are very low..

Check out hero2hire website and see if their any jobs available in your state
 
FYI, I am still waiting on a full VA payment. I am thinking I won't get it until next month. I did get a back pay from the VA for November and December on the difference. Hoping something gets figured out soon...
 
grizz13 said:
FYI, I am still waiting on a full VA payment. I am thinking I won't get it until next month. I did get a back pay from the VA for November and December on the difference. Hoping something gets figured out soon...
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So if the VA back-pays you, do you have to repay the Army for the retirement pay?
 
Same here - Out 29 October 12 - 40 DoD retirement and proposed 70% VA - but still awaiting VA finalization - (2 Year timeframe now) Process sent me my proposed ratings on 5 May - I didn't receive until about 30 days later. Either Way, mine was supposedly held up by not having my DD-214 yet and I was required to send it to them....we'll see. I found this out through a contact on an ISIS inquiry.

Still waiting...
Trevis Kelley said:
My proposed ratings came from the VA with a full explanation of why they are what they are. Why do the process twice? Maybe that's why the VA is backlogged! Mismanagement like that! I spoke to the VA about financial hardship, and you are right, I have to show them bills that I am BEHIND on. I don't have any of those. I would like to buy a house and stop renting while rates and houses are cheap. Getting behind on bills and having that stuff show up on my credit doesn't make that situation possible. The way I see it is I can either rent from someone and use my disability money to pay someone else's mortgage, or I can use it to pay my own mortgage so I will need less later on. I am a minimalist and I see the debt and know that eventually, the government is going to have to start pulling back on benefits. I am going to do everything I can to be as ready as possible to help out as much as I can when that day comes. I loved this country when I joined and I still do. I see everything that it can be! I still want to serve my country. I just need some assistance to get back on my feet again. My wife is going to be going to school so we can increase our income. I am trying to find alternative things I can do to make money. I want to take as little as possible from the government. But, unfortunately, I am stuck in a situation where until I find my way, I am going to need some assistance. I just wish it came in a more timely manner. I can understand Social Security taking a while because they didn't have the 2 years the VA already took to get my proposed rating. But what do they have to do to go from proposed rating to award letter and why? I am just stating that maybe this process should be reviewed or explained better. I was told as I was getting out that the reason for the IDES process is so there would be no gap between military checks and disability checks. So, obviously I was not given accurate information getting out. Also, even if I could work, I couldn't take advantage of my 10 point preference. How does that help vets who are already not getting money? I am not saying that I expecting the transition to be perfect, but I am 4 months into this and I was hoping to be a bit further along in this process than I am. Thank you for all the help and I will be quiet now as I didn't mean to hijack this thread.
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-Trevis -
I'm almost exact timeline and situation - (minus the wife) and was into a house buying process, when the halt on verification of income and exclusion of funding fee's caught the mortgage lender - and they put a pause on it - (started in September). Now I'm living in the house on a move in agreement - but no end in site on verification part - and now they're going to have to start over since rates have changed enough ....I could get a better rate - but still - a lot of money and time has been put into this already to the point my 6000 dollar nest egg has now dwindled - while I wait on SSDI and the VA to finish!

-Scott
 
eagleone said:
So if the VA back-pays you, do you have to repay the Army for the retirement pay?
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No, it is the difference between what my 50% retirement pay and the VA pay. I get about 300 more a month from the VA. So the VA back paid me 300 something each month. But the pay got screwed up somehow since my finalized ratings were retro to December 1st. So now the issue is I received pay from the DoD again the same day I got the back pay for the 2 months. Now the VA may not kick in until Feb. and hopefully I get a back pay for Jan. too...
 
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