GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Program Forum

[anthonyc7599]

I'm pretty sure that the money will be directly deposited into your bank account. They should send you a form that asks for your routing # and act # once you choose to enroll in the new program.

Yeah, I actually went back and looked at the online application form and the asked for all that information there. Nothing left to do now but sit back and see if the process works smoothly.

[AndyB617]

ok so on the first day that i could apply for the new gi bill, i did. they approved my application and sent me that thing in the mail. soooo...does anyone know what i should do next? i mean, it said to take the letter to my school, but is that it?

[Rotor]

ok so on the first day that i could apply for the new gi bill, i did. they approved my application and sent me that thing in the mail. soooo...does anyone know what i should do next? i mean, it said to take the letter to my school, but is that it?

Call/visit your school's Veterans Affairs officer. I'd check first with the law school to see if they have anyone handling VA claims. Otherwise, like Berkeley, they may just use the campus wide rep-- probably in the registrar's office or financial aid.

[AndyB617]

but do they have to fill out any forms or do they contact the VA? am i supposed to give them something?

[helfer snooterbagon]

but do they have to fill out any forms or do they contact the VA? am i supposed to give them something?

You need to show your certificate of eligibility. Here is how it worked at my law school for the past two years (granted this was under the old Chapter 30 GIBill but I imagine the procedure will be similar under the post 9/11 version).

1. You will present your certificate of eligibility to the Veteran's affairs coordinator.

2. Once the drop/add period ends at the school the coordinator will send the info into the VA.

3. It will probably take about 6-8 weeks to get the first check (but it will be retroactive).

4. For subsequent months you will need to verify your enrollment on the last day of the month (it is easy, they have an online version you just click a button) then the payments get dumped in your account after a few days.

I suspect that there may well be delays getting that first check, the good thing is that you will get all the back pay, the bad thing is that you need to cover that money now. However, since the new program pays the tuition directly to the school and the allowances directly to you it may be different.

[AndyB617]

but do they have to fill out any forms or do they contact the VA? am i supposed to give them something?

You need to show your certificate of eligibility. Here is how it worked at my law school for the past two years (granted this was under the old Chapter 30 GIBill but I imagine the procedure will be similar under the post 9/11 version).

1. You will present your certificate of eligibility to the Veteran's affairs coordinator.

2. Once the drop/add period ends at the school the coordinator will send the info into the VA.

3. It will probably take about 6-8 weeks to get the first check (but it will be retroactive).

4. For subsequent months you will need to verify your enrollment on the last day of the month (it is easy, they have an online version you just click a button) then the payments get dumped in your account after a few days.

I suspect that there may well be delays getting that first check, the good thing is that you will get all the back pay, the bad thing is that you need to cover that money now. However, since the new program pays the tuition directly to the school and the allowances directly to you it may be different.

yeah that's what i had to do for the chapter 30 MGIB too but i had heard that the VA only deals with the school and you don't have to verify anything at the end of the month.

[Drew2010]

Just found this:

https://www.nyu.edu/public.affairs/releases/detail/2694

So I guess NYU participates, but I'm not sure about the law school, or how much they contribute. I called and they asked me to send them an e-mail and they'd find out how it works because no one in the office knew for sure.

[LSATfromNC]

Tell me what you guys (and ladies) think, I just retook and went from 159 to 165. Should I try getting in off waitlist with possibly some money or just apply next year?

[illmal]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Rotor]

Tell me what you guys (and ladies) think, I just retook and went from 159 to 165. Should I try getting in off waitlist with possibly some money or just apply next year?

Where are you waitlisted? What schools would you like to apply to next year that you didn't because of your LSAT score? Of the schools where you've been accepted, where would you go this year?

[LSATfromNC]

I had a 159 LSAT, increased to 165. Of the schools I am waitlisted at I would only seriously consider W&L, W&M, and UNC. If I reapply next year, I will shotgun every top 30 school on the eastern half of the US (No offense west coasters).

[Rotor]

I had a 159 LSAT, increased to 165. Of the schools I am waitlisted at I would only seriously consider W&L, W&M, and UNC. If I reapply next year, I will shotgun every top 30 school on the eastern half of the US (No offense west coasters).

In each case, if you get in off the wait list, go. They're all good schools and the bird in the hand is always better, IMO.

The question would be, if you don't get in off the WLs, should you wait? Depends on where you're considering going now, but I'm guessing in that case, yes waiting would be much better.

[AndyB617]

so i just learned that my school will be participating in the YRP for the '09 year with a max tuition of $20K and an unlimited number of vets eligible. my question is this: given that i've already applied and been approved for the new gi bill, do i have to submit any other paperwork to the VA in order to take advantage of the YRP? or is it solely the responsibility of the school to do this?

[dapoetic1]

so i just learned that my school will be participating in the YRP for the '09 year with a max tuition of $20K and an unlimited number of vets eligible. my question is this: given that i've already applied and been approved for the new gi bill, do i have to submit any other paperwork to the VA in order to take advantage of the YRP? or is it solely the responsibility of the school to do this?

GI Bill is your responsibility
YRP is the school's responsibility

They fill out the paperwork to enroll, and they tell the VA how many vets they'll provide funds for. Now if your school has more vets than slots then that may require you to get in all your info to the school and all deposits and paperwork and verification of enrollment. If there's enough slots to cover all the vets then you probably have nothing to do.
You can always call the VA rep for your school and double-check. He/She will have the most accurate info for your school specifically.

[AndyB617]

thank you. i appreciate the infomation.

[LSATfromNC]

This is off topic but applies to veterans. Approx 1.9 million veterans will be receiving a $250 stimulus check in the next few weeks. I believe only those who are receiving some sort of VA compensation will receive the checks.

[AndyB617]

wow. really? soo...did we have to fill out a form for this or something?

[dapoetic1]

This is off topic but applies to veterans. Approx 1.9 million veterans will be receiving a $250 stimulus check in the next few weeks. I believe only those who are receiving some sort of VA compensation will receive the checks.

What's the background on this? Do you have a link to where this info is posted?

[bumblebeetoona]

This is off topic but applies to veterans. Approx 1.9 million veterans will be receiving a $250 stimulus check in the next few weeks. I believe only those who are receiving some sort of VA compensation will receive the checks.

What's the background on this? Do you have a link to where this info is posted?

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has requested the Department of the Treasury to make $250 payments to eligible Veterans as part of President Obama’s recovery plan. The first payments were sent Monday, June 22. All payments will be distributed by June 30.

As part of the recovery plan, VA is making one-time payments of $250 to eligible Veterans and survivors to offset the effects of the current economy. VA estimates $500 million in payments will be made to approximately 1.9 million Veterans and eligible beneficiaries as part of this measure.

To be eligible for the payment, VA beneficiaries must have received VA’s compensation, pension, dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC), or spina bifida benefits at any time between November 2008 and January 2009. Also, beneficiaries must reside within the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

No application is necessary. VA used its existing payment records to determine eligibility for the $250 payment. Beneficiaries will receive their payments the same way they receive their monthly VA benefits -- either by direct deposit or in the mail.

This payment is not countable in determining eligibility for VA pension or Parents’ DIC. The law allows one $250 payment per person. The payment is tax-free. VA beneficiaries who also receive benefits from the Social Security Administration or Railroad Retirement Board will be paid through those agencies, and will therefore not receive the payment from VA.

http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressre ... fm?id=1712

[bumblebeetoona]

wow. really? soo...did we have to fill out a form for this or something?

If you're receiving benefits by direct deposit, you should have received your check automatically. Mine showed up in my account last week, as promised.

[Rotor]

This is off topic but applies to veterans. Approx 1.9 million veterans will be receiving a $250 stimulus check in the next few weeks. I believe only those who are receiving some sort of VA compensation will receive the checks.

What's the background on this? Do you have a link to where this info is posted?

I was curious too. Here's what I found at VA.gov.

http://www.va.gov/recovery/Implementing ... ry_Act.asp

(down the page a bit)

What it doesn't say (that I could find) was exactly who is an "eligible veteran". On a third party site I saw it was only for those not getting the Making Work Pay tax credit. Don't know much about that program either, but I do know my witholding went down as part of it so even if I were out now, I don't think I'd be eligible.

[bumblebeetoona]

This is off topic but applies to veterans. Approx 1.9 million veterans will be receiving a $250 stimulus check in the next few weeks. I believe only those who are receiving some sort of VA compensation will receive the checks.

What's the background on this? Do you have a link to where this info is posted?

I was curious too. Here's what I found at VA.gov.

http://www.va.gov/recovery/Implementing ... ry_Act.asp

(down the page a bit)

What it doesn't say (that I could find) was exactly who is an "eligible veteran". On a third party site I saw it was only for those not getting the Making Work Pay tax credit. Don't know much about that program either, but I do know my witholding went down as part of it so even if I were out now, I don't think I'd be eligible.

Rotor, check out the link I posted above - these are the eligibility requirements:

To be eligible for the payment, VA beneficiaries must have received VA’s compensation, pension, dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC), or spina bifida benefits at any time between November 2008 and January 2009. Also, beneficiaries must reside within the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

2. According to the IRS, if you qualify for both credits your Making Work Pay credit will be reduced. I don't understand the complexities of it, but it appears that those of us receiving both credits will have to pay the $250 back at tax time next year.

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,, ... 22,00.html

[KGZotU]

Man-o-man. I'm applying this cycle and I've got a decent shot at Harvard. I've got 9--or maybe 12?--months of benefits left. Right now I'm asking myself if I can get into Harvard, if they'll be offering the program again, etc., because I stand to gain quite a bit more from a free year at Harvard than a free year at UCSD.

Decisions decisions.

[WassAnch]

Man-o-man. I'm applying this cycle and I've got a decent shot at Harvard. I've got 9--or maybe 12?--months of benefits left. Right now I'm asking myself if I can get into Harvard, if they'll be offering the program again, etc., because I stand to gain quite a bit more from a free year at Harvard than a free year at UCSD.

Decisions decisions.

I think that you can get an additional 12 months of CH 33 benefits if you exhaust your old CH 30 time first. Not sure if that will impact your decision, but it's definitely worth thinking about.

[CyLaw]

Man-o-man. I'm applying this cycle and I've got a decent shot at Harvard. I've got 9--or maybe 12?--months of benefits left. Right now I'm asking myself if I can get into Harvard, if they'll be offering the program again, etc., because I stand to gain quite a bit more from a free year at Harvard than a free year at UCSD.

Decisions decisions.

I think that you can get an additional 12 months of CH 33 benefits if you exhaust your old CH 30 time first. Not sure if that will impact your decision, but it's definitely worth thinking about.

TITCR, talked with the VA the other day about this, and they confirmed that if you exhause you Chapter 30 benefits, then apply for Chapter 33, you get 48 months - (How many months you ACTUALLY used you chapter 30 benefits), up to a maximum of 12 extra months.

So, assume your spring semester is 4 months long, and you have 2 months left of your Chapter 30 benefits. If you convert to Chapter 33 then you get 4 months of Chapter 33 (The 2 months you are entitled, then the additional 2 months they are required to give you by law to ride out the semester). If you hold off on applying for Chapter 33 and use Ch. 30 instead, you get 4 months of chapter 30 for the spring semester. Then you can later get 48 - 38 = 10 months of Ch. 33. (38 months is 36 months you were entitled Ch 30 + 2 extra months under the termination policy stated previously).

Note if you elect to convert to chapter 33, this is irrevocable. Sadly, I did not know these faces before I converted my last 3.5 months of 30 to 33.