More Ways to Get Emergency GI Bill Payments

Emergency GI Bill payments: How to get yours

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Sep 30, 2009 20:23:26 EDT

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The Veterans Affairs Department has come up with a simplified system to provide emergency payments for students waiting for their Post-9/11 GI Bill claims to be processed.

Beginning Friday, students who need the promised $3,000 payments right away can receive an on-the-spot check by visiting one of the VA's 57 regional offices with a copy of their class schedule and photo identification in hand.

Transportation is available for those who need help getting there by contacting the nearest VA medical center. A combination of government and volunteer vehicles will be used, including vans run by Disabled American Veterans that assist veterans getting to medical appointments.

For those who don't need a check right away, or who cannot make it to the VA, requests for emergency claims may be filed beginning Friday on the VA's Web site. Electronic payment will come in six to 10 days.

The checks will be up to $3,000, VA officials said. In some cases, students may receive smaller amounts if their benefits are based on their having less than three years of active service or if they are not full-time students.

In a statement, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki said VA worked hard to make the process easy.

"VA is adapting to meet the financial needs of our veteran-students who are on campus," he said. "They should be focusing on their studies, not worrying about financial difficulties."

Just how many students may need emergency financial help is unclear. VA has received more than 277,000 GI Bill benefits applications, but as of last week only about 53,000 were specific enrollment certifications for people taking fall classes.

About 27,000 veterans have started receiving benefits, while 25,000 people were waiting for payments, which could be made Thursday.

VA has been processing about 2,500 additional claims every day. It is not clear how many of these newly processed claims will result in Oct. 1 payments.

In the face of complaints about delayed living stipends and book allowances, Shinseki decided Sept. 25 that $3,000 checks would be available for people who had not been paid.

VA advises students seeking money right away to check their bank accounts and mail boxes one final time before hopping into the car to travel to the regional benefits center. GI Bill payments are being paid in batches as the claims are processed.

The $3,000 emergency checks are advance GI bill payments and will be deducted from future benefits. Anyone receiving a check who does not ultimately qualify for the GI Bill will have to repay the money, VA officials said.