How the VA sets the effective date
- New claim. The later of two dates: the day the VA received your claim, or the day the condition started. For most veterans that means the day the claim (or the Intent to File before it) reached the VA.
- Within one year of separation. If the VA gets your claim within one year of the day you left active service, the effective date can go back to the day after you separated.
- Intent to File. If you submitted an Intent to File and completed the claim within a year, the Intent to File date is the effective date. See what an Intent to File is.
- Rating increase. The VA can date an increase back to the earliest date you can show the condition got worse, but only if the VA got your increase claim within one year of that date. Otherwise it is the date the VA received the claim.
- Supplemental Claim or other review. If you ask for a review within one year of the decision, the original effective date is preserved. File later and the date generally moves to the new filing date.
- Presumptive conditions. If a presumptive condition claim is filed within a year of separation, the effective date is when the condition started. After that, it is the later of the claim date or the onset date.
What makes back pay bigger
- Getting an Intent to File on record the day you decide to pursue a claim.
- Filing within one year of separation if you are still in that window.
- Filing reviews within one year of any decision so the original date carries forward.
- Claiming an increase as soon as a condition worsens, with a medical record dated to that time.
What the check looks like
The VA pays back pay as a separate deposit, usually within a few weeks of the decision, though it can take longer when dependents or offsets are involved. It is measured at the rates in effect for each month in the gap, and it is not taxed.
How we help
Effective dates are where veterans lose the most money without knowing it. We check the date on every granted condition in your decision letter against your filing history, and when the date looks wrong we help you ask the VA to correct it.
Have questions about your own situation?
Request a free consultation call. Someone from our team will call you within one business day, talk through where you are, and tell you plainly whether we can help. No cost, no obligation.