VA plans to recoup emergency GI Bill payments

VA plans to recoup emergency GI Bill payments
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Feb 16, 2010 16:40:32 EST

About 122,000 people now have received word from the Veterans Affairs Department that they must start paying back the $3,000 advance payments of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits they received late last year.

A second warning letter will come this week, officials said.

The advance payments were made beginning Oct. 2, when it became clear VA would be late paying living stipends and book allowances to students using the new program for the fall term.

Applications for the emergency payments ceased on Feb. 8, and VA officials said they see no need to offer them for the spring term because there are no similar delays in benefits payouts.

Those who are receiving spring term GI Bill benefits will be given the option of having payments recouped at a rate of $750 a month from the monthly living stipends, which means the advance pay received during the fall term would be repaid in four months. Under that option, deductions would begin April 1.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/02/military_gibill_payback_021610w/