Single No Dependent ???? Why?

J

jamesw71

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
Hello,

I retired from the Airforce Nov 2010. I have been receiving my retirement check from DFAS no problems.

My VA rep submitted my claim for compensation for service connected disability February 23, 2012.

My claim was completed Aug 30, 2013.

I received a 50% disability and I am receiving retired pay as an E6 from the Airforce with 20 years of service.

For some reason the VA in their letter is stating I have to provide proof my wife was legally divorce prior to our getting married and I have to provide a copy of my stepdaughters birth certificate???

They have stated I am being considered as single no dependents because, according to their records, two separate claims were submitted, one said I was single(Feb 19), the other said I was married(Feb 29). This is what I was told when I called the number on the notification letter with my ratings decision.

I asked what dates they were showing and was told I submitted an application on 19 February 2012 and another on 29 February 2012. According to the rep who submitted my documentation and my own records I was in the VA center in Pontiac, Illinois on 22 and 23 February...so how can the VA have a claim dated 19 February and the Pontiac rep has it in his log he sent it out on the 23rd?

Now both VA reps are telling me I have to submit divorce decrees for all of my wife's previous marriages and proof my stepdaughter is my dependent? I guess it doesn't matter we have been married for 10 years. I was told the VA didn't have access to my military records. I stated I submitted my DD214 which shows me as married with dependents....isn't that why we submit this documentation in the first place.

If the VA needs this documentation why wasn't it requested when I submitted my initial claim? Now all my backpay is being held up in addition to this?

Not only did it take an outrageous amount of time for the claim to be processed but now we have these stupid games going on!!!!

I laugh when I see on the news how our elected leaders are wondering why it is veterans are having such a high suicide rate.....they should look at the process of getting care and compensation and the crap we have to put up with. Stupidity such as the VA not accepting a DD214 for marriage and dependency issues is what causes a lot of the grief. It's a stupid policy.

The government didn't require divorce documentation when my wife and I got married, and my stepdaughters birth certificate was used to certify dependency 10 years ago, which is what is on my DD214. There were no issues when the goverment granted me a top secret clearance...why should there be an issue with the VA granting with dependent rate compensation?
 
Last edited:
jamesw71 said:
Hello,

I retired from the Airforce Nov 2010. I have been receiving my retirement check from DFAS no problems.

My VA rep submitted my claim for compensation for service connected disability February 23, 2012.

My claim was completed Aug 30, 2013.

I received a 50% disability and I am receiving retired pay as an E6 from the Airforce with 20 years of service.

For some reason the VA in their letter is stating I have to provide proof my wife was legally divorce prior to our getting married and I have to provide a copy of my stepdaughters birth certificate???

They have stated I am being considered as single no dependents because, according to their records, two separate claims were submitted, one said I was single(Feb 19), the other said I was married(Feb 29). This is what I was told when I called the number on the notification letter with my ratings decision.

I asked what dates they were showing and was told I submitted an application on 19 February 2012 and another on 29 February 2012. According to the rep who submitted my documentation and my own records I was in the VA center in Pontiac, Illinois on 22 and 23 February...so how can the VA have a claim dated 19 February and the Pontiac rep has it in his log he sent it out on the 23rd?

Now both VA reps are telling me I have to submit divorce decrees for all of my wife's previous marriages and proof my stepdaughter is my dependent? I guess it doesn't matter we have been married for 10 years. I was told the VA didn't have access to my military records. I stated I submitted my DD214 which shows me as married with dependents....isn't that why we submit this documentation in the first place.

If the VA needs this documentation why wasn't it requested when I submitted my initial claim? Now all my backpay is being held up in addition to this?

Not only did it take an outrageous amount of time for the claim to be processed but now we have these stupid games going on!!!!

I laugh when I see on the news how our elected leaders are wondering why it is veterans are having such a high suicide rate.....they should look at the process of getting care and compensation and the crap we have to put up with. Stupidity such as the VA not accepting a DD214 for marriage and dependency issues is what causes a lot of the grief. It's a stupid policy.

The government didn't require divorce documentation when my wife and I got married, and my stepdaughters birth certificate was used to certify dependency 10 years ago, which is what is on my DD214. There were no issues when the goverment granted me a top secret clearance...why should there be an issue with the VA granting with dependent rate compensation?
Click to expand...
http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/vba-21-686c-are.pdf
 
Also, you need to ensure that your family is correctly input in DEERS while you are trying to correct the issue with the VA.
 
Thank you for the responses.

DEERS information is fine. If the VA accepted my DEERs information there would be no problem.

The only problem I'm having appears to be is they are claiming I filed single no dependents a week before I actually filed as married.

Not sure how this can be. I already filled out the dependents form and it was only submitted once on the 23rd of January. So how can they claim another form was filed on the 19th saying I was single when I was never in the office that week?
 
jamesw71 said:
Thank you for the responses.

DEERS information is fine. If the VA accepted my DEERs information there would be no problem.

The only problem I'm having appears to be is they are claiming I filed single no dependents a week before I actually filed as married.

Not sure how this can be. I already filled out the dependents form and it was only submitted once on the 23rd of January. So how can they claim another form was filed on the 19th saying I was single when I was never in the office that week?
Click to expand...

Welcome to the PEB Forum! :)

Congratulations on your military disability retirement from the USAF. :cool:

Nonetheless, never default acceptance to potential injustice and always remain positively proactive throughout all interactions with the DoVA since favorable dividends of military disability compensation benefits could potentially result now rather than later or never! ;)

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."

Best Wishes!
 
jamesw71 said:
Thank you for the responses.

DEERS information is fine. If the VA accepted my DEERs information there would be no problem.

The only problem I'm having appears to be is they are claiming I filed single no dependents a week before I actually filed as married.

Not sure how this can be. I already filled out the dependents form and it was only submitted once on the 23rd of January. So how can they claim another form was filed on the 19th saying I was single when I was never in the office that week?
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The VA does not always hire the most intelligent of people, and people do make mistakes. Being that the correct paperwork was submitted and once it is entered in the system correctly, you will receive a backpay in the difference of your VA benefits.
 
VA doesn't rely on DEERS for dependency info that's why you have to fill out the paperwork
 
I feel your pain. I have been married since 2009, retired from the Army April, 2013. Once VA kicked in, I was getting paper checks in the mail at single rate. So not only did they not get my direct deposit stuff, but my marital status was wrong. I filed a dependency claim on ebenefits in July and still not fixed. I actually called yesterday because since then I was approved CRSC and my Wife and I are expecting our first child in Janurary, so I was wondering how to get all of them tied together.
The VA rep said it could take minimum 8 months from July just for the married status change lol. Not sure why or how it takes that long, especially when I transitioned from the Army as married.

Just a shit system they have in place.
 
Redstripe101 said:
I feel your pain. I have been married since 2009, retired from the Army April, 2013. Once VA kicked in, I was getting paper checks in the mail at single rate. So not only did they not get my direct deposit stuff, but my marital status was wrong. I filed a dependency claim on ebenefits in July and still not fixed. I actually called yesterday because since then I was approved CRSC and my Wife and I are expecting our first child in Janurary, so I was wondering how to get all of them tied together.
The VA rep said it could take minimum 8 months from July just for the married status change lol. Not sure why or how it takes that long, especially when I transitioned from the Army as married.

Just a shit system they have in place.
Click to expand...

Indeed, this is great news! Congratulations to you both! :)

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."

Best Wishes!
 
Redstripe101 said:
I feel your pain. I have been married since 2009, retired from the Army April, 2013. Once VA kicked in, I was getting paper checks in the mail at single rate. So not only did they not get my direct deposit stuff, but my marital status was wrong. I filed a dependency claim on ebenefits in July and still not fixed. I actually called yesterday because since then I was approved CRSC and my Wife and I are expecting our first child in Janurary, so I was wondering how to get all of them tied together.
The VA rep said it could take minimum 8 months from July just for the married status change lol. Not sure why or how it takes that long, especially when I transitioned from the Army as married.

Just a shit system they have in place.
Click to expand...

Army and VA doesn't work as one, 2 different systems that's why you have to fill out the dependency form and direct deposit form through your MSC before you leave AD, when you got your proposed ratings you would see that your estimated pay is at single rate and unless you fill out the dependency form you will get paid that single rate when your ratings finalized
 
Combat Eng said:
Army and VA doesn't work as one, 2 different systems that's why you have to fill out the dependency form and direct deposit form through your MSC before you leave AD, when you got your proposed ratings you would see that your estimated pay is at single rate and unless you fill out the dependency form you will get paid that single rate when your ratings finalized
Click to expand...
right, I filled out the Financial Data sheet on more than one occasion for my peblo kept misplacing it or claiming i didn't fill one out. These are the sheets that the VA base their direct deposit and marital/dependency issues. Like I said, I was even receiving my VA compensation checks in paper form via mail. That issue is fixed, probably because it allows you to do it yourself on ebenefits.

The dependency issue I filled a claim for in July, and was told that it wouldn't be approved until atleast March.
 
With your initial appointment with your MSC (they are supposed to give it to you) you should have filled that form out and supplied it to them when you hand in your DD-214.
 
grizz13 said:
With your initial appointment with your MSC (they are supposed to give it to you) you should have filled that form out and supplied it to them when you hand in your DD-214.
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I turned the form in numerous times to my peblo, not msc. I only saw an msc the first week I was told I was being put through IDES.

but that isn't here nor there.

I filed a dependency claim in July 2013. Since then, I have received an approval letter for CRSC and I am also expecting my first child in January. So I called the VA to see if the "approx. date of completion" that is stated on ebenefits could be trusted, which apparently it's not. I was told it would be March by the time my issue if fixed for being married.

Just seems unrealistic to take 8 months to confirm/deny a persons marital status. Was just wondering if anyone knew how to speed it up, like possibly joining a VSO since they have close relations with regional offices.
 
Redstripe101 said:
right, I filled out the Financial Data sheet on more than one occasion for my peblo kept misplacing it or claiming i didn't fill one out. These are the sheets that the VA base their direct deposit and marital/dependency issues. Like I said, I was even receiving my VA compensation checks in paper form via mail. That issue is fixed, probably because it allows you to do it yourself on ebenefits.

The dependency issue I filled a claim for in July, and was told that it wouldn't be approved until atleast March.
Click to expand...

Should've completed it through your MSC at your VA exam, when you go over your proposed rating, my PEBLO only explained my 199, and then sent me to my MSC to explain my proposed ratings

Best to do it with the MSC and hand them that paperwork along with the DD214 so they can submit it at once

Hopefully SM's will learn this part through this forum because completing the form while on AD means not waiting period

Winston-Salem has the biggest backlog of all RO's so I see why they wait is that long
 
Redstripe101 said:
I turned the form in numerous times to my peblo, not msc. I only saw an msc the first week I was told I was being put through IDES.

but that isn't here nor there.

I filed a dependency claim in July 2013. Since then, I have received an approval letter for CRSC and I am also expecting my first child in January. So I called the VA to see if the "approx. date of completion" that is stated on ebenefits could be trusted, which apparently it's not. I was told it would be March by the time my issue if fixed for being married.

Just seems unrealistic to take 8 months to confirm/deny a persons marital status. Was just wondering if anyone knew how to speed it up, like possibly joining a VSO since they have close relations with regional offices.
Click to expand...

Only way you can speed it up is if you are going through a financial hardship
 
Redstripe101 said:
Just seems unrealistic to take 8 months to confirm/deny a persons marital status. Was just wondering if anyone knew how to speed it up, like possibly joining a VSO since they have close relations with regional offices.
Click to expand...
That may be your best option for the moment, I see no other way to speed it up.
 
VSO can't speed it up but can help you fill out the paperwork for financial hardship
 
Oh, yeah forgot about that. Thanks Combat Eng!
 
Well I filed dependency paperwork a "second" time in February and have been waiting and I guess will continue to wait for this broken system to verify my marital status and dependents.

Both entities work for the same government...you would think someone up the chain would make the no-brainer decision to accept dependency paperwork submitted at retirement and in DEERS for the VA.

Better yet since it took them 2 years to process my original claim you would think they could have done the dependency paperwork WAY back then and had it finished by the time the got around to making a decision in my case.

How hard can it be to take a copy of my marriage paperwork, birth certificates etc and say...yep he's married with dependents alright.
 
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