How long does it take to get VA benefits after you mail in all the paperwork?

What benefits are you specifically applying for? Health care benefits? Service connected disability benefits?

It really varies by category and I suspect by the specific regional VA.

I am applying for Aid and Attendant Pension. Does anyone know how long the whole process takes just the paperwork alone is time consuming.

If you are able to make contact with the Social Worker associated with your VA facility he/she may be able to help you with the forms, answer questions and facilitate the process. Our application took several weeks but it was recommended by my husband's VA doctor. That may have helped speed up the process.

This process has taken me over a month and I still haven't been able to mail in the paperwork yet because my mom has to have a physical at the doctor's office I had to wait for all the financial statements. But according to VA Angels we could get up to 1,100 dollars a month for my mom's care. I was told that we could use part of that money so I could get paid. Will probably be complete in early August.

We just two weeks ago sent in our application for my mother's claim after working for two years to get all the requirements correct for sending. I believe they told us it could be anywhere from two to six months before we hear back.

Hope its faster then what I have been going though I started. With ssi last year only to find out if my husband could talk I would have had no proulum but he can't so I need guardianship first this has also taken a yr no one seems to be in a hurry but me well I here the va works faster then ss all I can say is good luck if he talks and walks you got it made

guardianship took a yr.? that I don't understand - and exhausted, you took 2 yrs. as well to get all your requirements together - that's exactly why they initiated the intent to file form - they never expected it to take that long to get a claim together - and women of God, yes, that's the amount your mom could get, like I said, didn't realize you had a veterans group you were already talking to, never heard of them, would like to find out more, but that is the max so in order for her to get that, my understanding is that you would have to get it all as pay and you could go ahead and file an intent to file form while you wait but if it's not going to be that much longer might not make that much difference

I am trying ti apply for mom i contacted an agency they said 3 to 6 months but i cant afford what they are asking.

you should never pay anybody

Went on a Va website for help, have dads discharge papers don't know what else i need someone from the website contacted me said their organization was on 60 minutes, we watched it. They said it would take 3 to 6 months. The charge is $1500.00.

no way pay that much - sounds possibly like the organization that was featured at the seminar I went to where I first learned about it that played a video from 60 minutes telling about it but learned it's actually illegal for them to charge you - at least just to file a claim for the benefit; now there may be more involved but not just for filing for the benefit; yes, they're probably right about the time frame, why they've implemented the intent to file form now, so that places you in line at the beginning of the process; good you have the discharge papers but they usually get the actual certified ones, which I doubt you have; having them just confirms he is eligible; have you done that?

Well, we applied for aid and assistance November of 2013 and finally received it this spring of 2015!! Yes the paperwork is tedious, but the monies will be retroactive. Keep copies of EVERYTHING! I met with a VA advocate for my county as well as the social worker from the VA clinic, they were both really helpful in helping to navigate to VA. After we completed the paperwork, it was turned into the social worker and then we played the waiting game. You shouldn't have to pay anyone!

Do not pay anyone to file for benefits for you! The VA specifically says that it illegal for someone to charge a fee. I went to the VFW and a person there was able to help me. I had already gone on- line to the VA website and had gathered all of the necessary forms. I had to obtain copies of my parents marriage license, Dad's discharge papers, Dad's death certificate, Mom's 1099 from SS. The form itself can be printed off of the web site and is about 8 pages long. I filled out everything and the VFW guy checked over everything so he sent it off on my mother's behalf to the regional VFW office where it was copied then sent on to the regional VA office. I filed August 28, 2014 and just yesterday July 20, 2015 I received the letter that Mom would be receiving the full amount allowed. I now have to reply to their letter so that I can become the Fiduciary for my Mother before they will release the funds. Mom will be getting funds retroactive back to my original filing date of Aug. 2014. The 3-5 months waiting time is the time it took for the VA office to start sending me monthly letters stating that they are still working on her claim. I wrote to the in Jan 2015 VA asking them to expedite her claim because she was running out of money. In April of this year they sent back the forms because I had put "n/a" in some of the areas instead of putting a O with a slash through it. I faxed the corrections back to them the same day. In May a lady called to say that it was going to take 30-60 more days until I become the fiduciary then the monies would be paid monthly? Stick with it, don't give up! If you do need to call the VA have your claim number ready. Also, The VA opens EST at 8am est then on the hour the next 3 time zones. If you call mid day you will never get through. If you wait to call later in the day when the AZ office is still opened I always got through. Good luck, hang in there it can be done!

DebsRockyRoad and WomenofGod, DO NOT PAY any organization to help you file a claim. It's illegal. These organizations pretend to file the claim for free, but in doing so will require itemizations of your financial assets. Then they'll recommend investing them in securities or other financial instruments they or an affiliate organization sell.

Or if they want to charge, they're even more unethical.

Contact the VFW, American Legion (I believe there are others), as well as any County Veterans' Affairs offices. The latter will prepare the claims and e-mail to one of the service organizations, which then handles the paperwork and filing of claims.

They also know what they're doing. I wouldn't necessarily think that these so-called outfits that want to charge you would have the knowledge or the concern for veterans that the service organizations do.

And they most certainly don't charge $1500 - that's outrageous.

don't know about everywhere but both where I am and dad was the County (State) Veterans Affairs Offices handled the paperwork and filing directly, at least in the sense they sent the claims to their state office

Debsrockyrd...It is illegal for anyone to charge for VA paperwork. I work in the senior industry. It can take up to 6 months to receive the first check, but that check is retroactive to the date the application was accepted. DO NOT pay ANYONE. It is a scam. Call your Attorney General Office and report them.

Just a side note, there are a lot of financial planners out there that claim they can get the paperwork done and pushed through the system faster than on your own. This is where they "get you" with a fee. They indicate that they can move finances around so that you will qualify for VA...This is where you get charged. They are not charging you per say,for filing the paperwork. What they do is charge you for the "financial planning" part. It's a way for them to fly under the radar and get a fee. To me, it is despicable. They will hold seminars and claim that if you try to file on your own, you will have a difficult time. This is BS. Go onto the VA website ( through the government) and you can download everything you need along with instructions. Make copies of EVERYTHING. Hand deliver it to the VA if possible, otherwise send it registered mail, return receipt. Call and follow up along the way. It is tedious, but it can be done. And run like Hell if someone says they can "move your parents assets around" so they can qualify...... it's illegal.

Bubblehead, thanks for providing the insight and explanation as to how the scam works. I did attend one of these so-called "seminars", having already done the research, but my father was interested so I tagged along to make sure the presenters didn't corral him into any commitments.

Their approach is exactly as you described - they make it seem so complicated that someone really feels the need to hire them.

my husband is va. I was told from my coworker. I have some benefits. when I ask him, he refuse to give any answer. any help or any document I need. please help

Rosa, are you still separated or are you divorced? There were some good answers to your earlier question on getting benefits. Has anything changed since then?

I haven't read all the remarks, but I have been told that you can also ask your state senator/congressman, etc. to help push the application along faster.

It took my husband over three years of struggling to finally be approved for service connected disability due to Parkinson's Disease. The good part of it all was that the reimbursement was retroactive to his application date.

For my mother, it took us two years of paperwork and waiting, more proving, more waiting, more bank account shrinking, and finally all the ducks were in a row. Then it only took another two months after filing. They sent a check for those two months and now the monthly benefit. We had the Mason's volunteer organization help us. They were wonderful and free, but accept donations. It was a very painful hassle to go through...at times we were ready to give up, but now I'm glad we did.

Again, you should never pay anyone for this service! Be careful.

We applied for my father-in-law and mailed it registered mail. The date stamp is Sept. 16. On Friday, Dec. 11 we received a letter in the mail, stating he'd been approved. We had requested his application be expedited because he was 92. Yes, we received the letter Friday and he died two days ago.

Below is copy taken from www.va.gov, just to clarify a misconception regarding paying a VA Attorney or VA Accredited Agent:

An exception applies when an accredited attorney or claims agent receives a fee or salary from a disinterested third party. A third party is disinterested only if the entity or individual would not benefit financially from the successful outcome of the claim.

The above copy means a son or daughter, friend or neighbor can pay for a veteran's application Many find this to be a valuable service when dealing with a crisis and the multiple issues involved when trying to find a safe living environment for a loved one. The attorney or agent can file a fully-developed claim for the veteran and benefits are frequently award much more quickly than someone filing with the informal claim process on their own behalf. Yes, there are services that use free Aid and Attendance application filing as a hook to access moving assets for a commission, i.e. trusts, annuities and estate planning. This is a huge disservice if the vet eventually needs to be on a waiver program for their care. There are ethical firms that just charge a flat fee for the application and may get the benefit awarded significantly faster than pursuing it through a county or state service officer. This could mean less brain damage for whoever's filing the application and more money in the applicants pocket.

I worked with a man from the VFW to file my mother's claim. I had researched before I contacted him and had all of the required paperwork on hand. I signed a form to allow a third party to advocate for me (VFW) and my claim went to my area (Baltimore) office where they check ove my forms and sent them on to my regional VA office. I was told that it would take 4 months before I would hear back. I called the AZ office of VA in April because near the end of the day 3 times zones are closed and the wait on the line is minimal. The lady there brought up my claim only to say that nothing had been done since Sept.! She got the ball rolling.I got my claimed returned to me because I had put N/A instead of 0's for some blanks. I made the corrections and faxed the forms back to them. 3 weeks later in May a another lady called and told me that my mother was qualified for the maximum monthly amount. The first direct deposit started in July. In order to receive the back benefits from the date we first applied we had to meet with a field officer to decide if I was to be the fiduciary for my mother's account. I was advised to set up a separate checking account for VA money only so that when I have to show how the money is spent will be easy, all of the money will be going towards mom's monthly care at the memory care home. Come Jan 2016 everything should be running ok. Total time from submitting Aug. 2014 to Jan. 2016. Does not include the months it took to get copies of discharge papers, marriage license, death certificates, banking information.

Don't pay someone to do the paperwork for you. I completed the forms for my dad and sent the docs to VA. I was told to write the applicants age on the outside of the envelope and the elderly veterans would get priority. I did this and dad received his first Aid and Attendance deposit approx. 3 months later. Go ahead and file even if you don't have all documents yet. The pay will be retroactive from day application was received.

Don't pay someone to do the paperwork for you. I completed the forms for my dad and sent the docs to VA. I was told to write the applicants age on the outside of the envelope and the elderly veterans would get priority. I did this and dad received his first Aid and Attendance deposit approx. 3 months later. Go ahead and file even if you don't have all documents yet. The pay will be retroactive from day application was received.

We applied last May... VA refused because the Doctor didn't properly fill out the form. Denial came about 2 months after we filed. We appealed & I filled it out & had the doctor sign it. They haven't denied it but they haven't approved it either. We only have a confirmation it's be received. Our contact said it could take from 3 to 12 months. I imagine when I hear the VA is broke that they're just holding off in granting approvals.