Jim explains the importance of keeping personal information updated with the VA

Jim,

A disabled vet I know is really having problems with his ACH deposit this month. He changed bank accounts and his payment is lost they have placed a "tracer" on it. They are now saying 6 weeks if he doesn't pay his rent tomorrow. He will be evicted, he wants me to drive 6 hours each way to Nashville office to see if they will cut him a check on the spot or find his deposit. Do you have any idea before I drive 12 hours if they will help him or turn him away?

Thank you so much!

 

Reply:

 

No, the VA Regional Office won't cut a check in that way. The regional office isn't the place where payments are made from so driving there won't help. They will want to complete the "tracer" process in the way they usually do that and won't consider anything else.

Changing any record at VA is a serious problem. A change of address, a change in the veterans telephone number, changes to banks and even email addresses seem to be beyond the capability of the VA. If we change our mailing address at the VA hospital or clinic we use, that doesn't get transmitted to the regional office...or anywhere else within the VA. We have to go through any number of cumbersome procedures to properly change all our data if and when we need to.

It's unfortunate when these things happen and thousands of similar situations occur every day at VA. I advise veterans to plan their finances far enough in advance to anticipate that something like this will happen and to prepare for it.

Ultimately, we cannot depend on VA to be prompt or to care if a mistake brings a crisis into our lives.

Trying to seek any sort of shortcut from VA may even delay the resolution to your veteran’s dilemma. Sometimes the faster we try to push them to go, the slower the process will become.

I'd suggest that his best bet is to work with his landlord to avoid eviction. He may want to seek help from some local social agencies.

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