VA Disability: How Much Back Pay Will I Receive? (2024)

What is VA Disability Back Pay?

VA Disability back pay is the money owed to a veteran going back to the effective day of their claim through till the date they were granted benefits. Generally speaking, the longer the VA takes to decide your claim, the more back pay it will owe if your claim is granted.

What is an Effective Date?

An effective date is the date the VA uses to begin payments. The VA grants effective dates based on either the date it received the Veteran’s claim or the date that entitlement arose.

Two common misconceptions about VA back pay are that the VA will pay veterans back to the day of the injury or event in service, or back to the date of discharge. The VA does not consider the date of the event or injury for veterans who apply for benefits after they have separated from service. Further, the VA will only grant benefits back to the date of separation for service members who apply for benefits within one year of separation.

How Much Back Pay Will You Receive?

The amount of back pay a veteran receives depends on the effective date of their claim, and the disability rating they are granted from the VA. The effective date is the date the payments should begin. The other factor, the disability rating determines how much money was owed. Generally, the higher the rating, the more back pay the VA owes.

To calculate a veteran’s back pay over multiple years, the VA looks at its historical compensation rate tables. The VA disability compensation rates change each year to adjust to the Cost of Living Adjustment set by the Social Security Administration.

Veterans are paid the compensation amounts respective to each year. There is no limit to the amount of back pay a veteran can receive.

Receiving VA Disability Back Pay

VA back pay is paid to a veteran all at once in one lump sum following the grant of benefits. The VA maintains that veterans should receive back pay within 15 days of the decision granting the retroactive benefits either through direct deposit or a check. However, it is not uncommon for it to take longer than 15 days.

Give yourself the best chance at getting your VA claim approved by working with an advocate who knows what type of evidence the VA is looking for and how best to present it.

You can schedule a consultation with an experienced advocate at the Veterans Help Group right now! Just call 855-855-8992 or click hereto fill out our contact form.