Veterans Dying Waiting for VA Disability Benefits
The process of applying for--and eventually receiving--Veterans disability benefits that one is eligible for can be lengthy, but for many Veterans the wait was fatally too long. According to a New York Daily News report, about 53 Veterans die every day waiting for their benefits to kick in. Advocates blame [...]
Investigators Uncover Mishandling of VA Disability Benefits Claims
According to a recent FOX News article, the VA's efforts to reduce the huge backlog of Veterans disability claims as resulted in errors in disability payments made to thousands of Veterans. The VA reportedly issued disability payments to Veterans without verifying they were eligible. One official warned at a House [...]
Living Benefit Annuities
There are variable annuities on the market that offer “living benefits”, which are being marketed to seniors. They may sound appealing, but are these types of annuities really worth looking into? According to the AARP, living benefit annuities are primarily peddled by insurance agents, financial planners and stockbrokers. Living benefit [...]
VA Working Hard to Reduce Backlog of Veterans Disability Claims
The Department of Veterans Affairs is working hard to dwindle down the backlog of Veterans disability claims, even reportedly assuring Congress that the backlog was being reduced in an accurate and timely manner. According to FOX News, the backlog of claims, which had reportedly reached over 600,000 in March 2013, [...]
Types of BVA Appeals
When you receive a letter of denial from Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), you can file either a DRO (decision review officer) appeal, or a BVA (Board of Veterans Appeals) appeal. A BVA appeals takes much longer than a DRO appeal. With a DRO appeal, the VA will ask you [...]
Annuities – An Overview
Annuities are contracts between yourself and an insurance company, to whom you agree to make periodic payments or a lump sum payment. In return, you receive period payments from the insurance company starting either immediately or at a specified date. Annuities are either fixed, variable and indexed. With fixed annuities, [...]
Do Your Debts Go Away When You Die?
The answer to that question is, no. Outstanding debts will still need to be paid even after your death, but who is liable for paying the debts depends on the types you left behind. Persons who have joint ownership of property with a deceased debtor, or persons who co-sign on [...]
What to Do if You Are Denied Veterans Benefits
If you recently applied for Veterans' disability benefits and were denied, you have the right to an appeal. Your first step is file an appeal with the VA regional office who sent you the denial letter, and make sure to do it within one year of the date on the [...]