How Long Till BAH Kicks In

[Tango Chaser]

Going back to school for some additional votech training. Anyone know how long after classes/enrollment before BAH kicks in?

I'm already being told my book fees won't be paid for 6-8 weeks. WTF? Class will be over by then.

[racing_snake]

Bah typically is paid on the 1st following a month of training or attendance. Kind of gay, since the Montegomery GI Bill used to pay you about a week after the 1st day.

[Chemical Cookie]

I'm interested in this too. Going to school online and applied for the online BAH (around $673.xx) and MGIB to pay for classes. Last thing I need now is to try and pay out of pocket for classes, to be reimbursed at a later date. I'm not one for changing the systems and making them work in my favor but so far the VA hotline turned out to be a cold call. They offer no real clear guidance evern after I asked the same question a couple different ways.

When I applied I was told it would take 26 days to process the paperwork. So far I haven't heard a thing. Makes you wonder...

[FoxTrooth]

Originally Posted by racing_snake

Bah typically is paid on the 1st following a month of training or attendance. Kind of gay, since the Montegomery GI Bill used to pay you about a week after the 1st day.

Yup, BAH will always be one month late if your doing the post 9/11. I am currently doing online college and attended a brick and mortar school before that and this was always the case. The first month will also be a reduced amount if not attending the entire month (say you started on the 7th). If you don't see BAH 1 month after I would contact both school's VA dept and the VA themselves to make sure all the paperwork was handled.

The book stipend has always been recieved at random for me. Always be prepared either way.

[Maverick]

It took a little over a month to start getting my BAH. I did have to make some phone calls though to follow up. They hadn't been receiving confirmation from the school that I had a full schedule of classes therefor the VA hadn't started the paperwork to get me my BAH. Just make sure to call and follow up.

Is there something new to where you can collect BAH while using the MGIB? I was under the impression that you could only collect BAH off of the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

[Maverick]

It took a little over a month to start getting my BAH. I did have to make some phone calls though to follow up. They hadn't been receiving confirmation from the school that I had a full schedule of classes therefor the VA hadn't started the paperwork to get me my BAH. Just make sure to call and follow up.

Is there something new to where you can collect BAH while using the MGIB? I was under the impression that you could only collect BAH off of the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

[DirtNSnow]

When the Post 9/11 GI Bill came online the wait for BAH was ludicrous. The VA now averages a 9 day processing time for new claims. I am attending a school that offers 8 week sessions so I am filing a new claim every 8 weeks, the only problems that I have had recently have been with the school not the VA.

Getting your claim from the school veterans office to the VA is the major battle but if your school is on top of things than you should be receiving your BAH at the end of every month no problem.

Calling the VA will take about 45 min on hold bit they have been very helpful the last few times I have talked to them. If you are in doubt about something your school veterans department has told you or you are not receiving your BAH but your school says it's the VA's fault just call the VA. I wish that I would have when I first started going to school it would have saved me some major heart ache.

[FoxTrooth]

Originally Posted by durandall05

When the Post 9/11 GI Bill came online the wait for BAH was ludicrous. The VA now averages a 9 day processing time for new claims. I am attending a school that offers 8 week sessions so I am filing a new claim every 8 weeks, the only problems that I have had recently have been with the school not the VA.

Getting your claim from the school veterans office to the VA is the major battle but if your school is on top of things than you should be receiving your BAH at the end of every month no problem.

Calling the VA will take about 45 min on hold bit they have been very helpful the last few times I have talked to them. If you are in doubt about something your school veterans department has told you or you are not receiving your BAH but your school says it's the VA's fault just call the VA. I wish that I would have when I first started going to school it would have saved me some major heart ache.

Interesting, I thought you only had to file a new claim initially and when/if you changed schools (Forms 22-1990 and 22-1995 for changing educational institutions). Are they making you file one of these forms each time?

Usually after you file with the school initially they only have to update and verify how many hours you're taking to continue using benefits. This has always been the case for me both online and brick and mortar. I've always just given my course schedule to my school VA dept after my initial file to continue benefits.

[FoxTrooth]

Originally Posted by Maverick

Is there something new to where you can collect BAH while using the MGIB? I was under the impression that you could only collect BAH off of the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

No, I think he mixed the names together. The Montgomery G.I. Bill is not the Post 9/11.

http://gibill.va.gov/resources/benef...son_chart.html

Post 9/11 is only one that pays BAH.

[DirtNSnow]

Originally Posted by FoxTrooth

Interesting, I thought you only had to file a new claim initially and when/if you changed schools (Forms 22-1990 and 22-1995 for changing educational institutions). Are they making you file one of these forms each time?

Usually after you file with the school initially they only have to update and verify how many hours you're taking to continue using benefits. This has always been the case for me both online and brick and mortar. I've always just given my course schedule to my school VA dept after my initial file to continue benefits.

I might be getting the terminology mixed up but the school has to verify your enrollment hours and ensure the courses being taken apply to the degree plan.

So it might not be called a "claim" but the BAH will not come until the VA has verification of the courses that are being taken. Some schools this process is seamless however not every school has a squared away veterans department so it might take more baby sitting from the student to ensure the paper work is submitted on time.

[Chemical Cookie]

Originally Posted by FoxTrooth

No, I think he mixed the names together. The Montgomery G.I. Bill is not the Post 9/11.

http://gibill.va.gov/resources/benef...son_chart.html

Post 9/11 is only one that pays BAH.

I did in fact mix the two names up. My slip up.

I am using the Post 9/11 bill.

[FoxTrooth]

Originally Posted by durandall05

I might be getting the terminology mixed up but the school has to verify your enrollment hours and ensure the courses being taken apply to the degree plan.

So it might not be called a "claim" but the BAH will not come until the VA has verification of the courses that are being taken. Some schools this process is seamless however not every school has a squared away veterans department so it might take more baby sitting from the student to ensure the paper work is submitted on time.

Okay yeah for a second there I thought you were submitting a new claim all together. I always keep regular contact with the schools VA dept to make sure paperwork is good to go. You can never check up on them too many times or too early.

[egm]

It took about 2 months to receive my first check. It took a month to get my letter of approval from the VA, then I had to wait until the end of the next month to get BAH. Payments are on the last day of the month, and you will be back paid for weeks/months that are missed. My check did take a while to get to me, but I received full BAH for the month and a half I was in school.

[Markslams]

Do note to be cognizant of your payments. Once you are in the system the payments are automatically generated. It is unlikely someone will look at your file again until you or your school submits an new enrollment, reports that you have dropped/added classes, or YOU speak up about not receiving a payment.

If a missed payment or lesser amount than you feel you are supposed to receive happens, just write in about it and a claims examiner will have to look over your file and report back. For the most part those letters you get are computer generated as well and based on the claims examiner input. Mistakes can happen in a production based environment.

[Chemical Cookie]

Originally Posted by egm

It took about 2 months to receive my first check. It took a month to get my letter of approval from the VA, then I had to wait until the end of the next month to get BAH. Payments are on the last day of the month, and you will be back paid for weeks/months that are missed. My check did take a while to get to me, but I received full BAH for the month and a half I was in school.

Good to know. I'm about a month into the "paperwork" process so I'm hoping any day now I'll hear something back. Might check with them tomorrow to see what the status is just to CMA.

[Tango Chaser]

Great. Nothing like a 4 week lag time on a 6 week course.

I did receive a letter from the VA saying I will be receiving a prorated BAH while I'm enrolled in an online college course. I didn't think one qualified for BAH with online courses unless you took a minimum of 12 hours. I'm only taking one class.

[logan3110]

Originally Posted by Tango Chaser

Great. Nothing like a 4 week lag time on a 6 week course.

I did receive a letter from the VA saying I will be receiving a prorated BAH while I'm enrolled in an online college course. I didn't think one qualified for BAH with online courses unless you took a minimum of 12 hours. I'm only taking one class.

"NOTE: Servicemembers currently on active duty and veterans (and eligible family members) and those taking courses on a half-time basis do not qualify for the monthly housing stipend."


"Beginning October 1, 2011 Students taking 100% of their courses online will be eligible for a monthly stipend equal to half of the national average stipend, which is $673.50 for 2011."

I don't know what situation this puts you into, and these seem to kind of contradict each other. This is also not from any law or VA regulation. Just a layman's description. My advice: If you do receive money for the housing allowance and are unsure, put it into a high yield savings account until they ask for it back. And they will.... Maybe a few months from now, maybe 30 years from now.

[Tango Chaser]

Don't have a scanner available but here is the exact quote form my VA letter.

"Monthly Housing Allowance

The maximum monthly housing allowance payable under the Post-9/11 GI Bill for your school's zip code and rate of pursuit is $1,563.00

Since you are eligible at the 100% rate you will receive -

$404.06 a month for each full month of training during the certified period begining November 7, 2011 and ending January 1, 2012.

You will receive a prorated amount for any partial months of training."

I read this as the max amount is $1563 but I'll be getting $404 as a lessor amount due to not taking a full course of study. The first page of my letter shows distance learning of 3 credit hours and the tuition they paid. And yes, this appears in direct contradiction from the VA website information on Post-9/11 GI Bill BAH.

[Markslams]

They do not contradict each other.

Originally Posted by logan3110

"NOTE: Servicemembers currently on active duty and veterans (and eligible family members) and those taking courses on a half-time basis do not qualify for the monthly housing stipend."

This rule is a baseline for BAH. This means that if you take half time or less, online or traditional campus, you do not get BAH at all. If you are on AD you do not get BAH.

Originally Posted by logan3110

"Beginning October 1, 2011 Students taking 100% of their courses online will be eligible for a monthly stipend equal to half of the national average stipend, which is $673.50 for 2011.".

It means that if ALL your classes are online you will get this rate. If you take full time load of courses and all but one are online, meaning one is a traditional classroom course at the school you go to, you will receive the full time BAH rate.

Originally Posted by logan3110

My advice: If you do receive money for the housing allowance and are unsure, put it into a high yield savings account until they ask for it back. And they will.... Maybe a few months from now, maybe 30 years from now.

If it turns out that the payment is incorrect due to an administration error and is no fault of the veteran, you may not be held liable. If the record shows that you purposely or meaningfully accepted awards that you knew were incorrect, you might be held at fault.

There is a huge process involved with debt collection and disagreements and should be outlined in information your receive from VA should it arise. You should be notified if there are any instances of overpayment and occured debts.

IF YOU RECIEVE MONEY FROM THE VA AND ARE UNSURE ABOUT IT, CONTACT THE VA IMMEDIATELY.

Like I said before, ANY correspondence from the veteran to the VA must be formally documented and adjudicated in your file, whether calling in, emailing, or sending in a disagreement on a cocktail napkin.

[Markslams]

Originally Posted by Tango Chaser

stuff.

How many hours are you taking?