My story - applying for my parents

[rsworden]

July 31, we mailed our application for A&A Pension for my parents. Lots of supporting documents in that envelope! We mailed it "return receipt requested" of course.

My dad was in the Navy in WWII. Both parents have Alzheimers' Disease and moved to a care facility in October. We've requested the benefits be retroactive to then, since we've heard that's sometimes done.

We tried to work with one of those help-you-through-the-process companies and got roadblocked. I'll post more about that when I have more time.

I'll update this topic as we work through the process.

[djjones]

rs,

I applied for my mom and the return receipt was dated June 28th. We haven't heard a single thing yet. My dad was in the Navy during the Korean war.

Mom is currently in a skilled nursing facility. I really want to bring her home but we can't afford the care so I'm hoping this can make a difference. I'll be following your post since we applied at close to each other. I followed the steps on the VeteranAid website (God bless you Debbie)!

djjones

[vetadmin]

Thank you for your kind words, and I will gladly accept the blessing.

It is not uncommon that you would not have heard anything yet being under 60 days.  If you haven't received anything by 90 days, you need to call and inquire about the status.

Keep us posted, and glad we could help.

[rsworden]

July 31 - mailed the packet

August 15 - received a confirmation letter

August 25 - Received a call to my cell phone from the VA fellow processing our application. He asked for a couple of answers about their marital status, and about their income and clarification of their care facility costs. He said other than that our app was very complete and it looked like we had done our homework. He said he would now submit it to the Rating Board, and that they were working through them fairly quickly, maybe about a month.

[vetadmin]

Let's hope you get a fast decision along with good news soon!

[rsworden]

Sept 12 - Received letter of approval, for the full benefit for both parents, effective August 1. Direct deposit has not happened yet. Nothing in the letter about our request for benefits retroactive to when they entered the facility. Maybe that is processed separately?

So - six weeks from mailing to approval!

[vetadmin]

Well congratulations are indeed in order, and perhaps a record being set for processing!

Thanks for sharing the great news.

If your dad has any mental capacity issues, you will have to go the Fiduciary route on the back pay, but the biggest hurdle has been made.  You should see the first deposit Oct 1st.

[rsworden]

Direct deposit did not start because although I provided all the banking info, I failed to enclose a cancelled check.  After a couple of IRIS messages, I ended up calling in (oddly enough, to the Education benefits center), and an agent took the DD info over the phone with no further proof required, and entered it into the system. Turns out that the routing number that Wells Fargo provides for DD is not what they wanted - they wanted the routing number on their actual checks. We'll see if it takes... First DD should probably be on Oct. 1. if it all works.

Have not seen a check yet for August, the first effective month.

[vetadmin]

The cancelled check is part of what they need, so let's hope this takes care of everything, and you are good to go from this point forward.

[rsworden]

We received the first check on September 30, exactly two months from when we mailed the application.

It says "for Sep", but our effective date is in early August, so I'm hoping we'll get a pro-rated check for August too.

[vetadmin]

The VA always holds back one month's pension amount.