V ETERANS
LASFAA
2014 Fall Conference
BENEFI TS
ADMI NI STRATI ON
VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION
VA TODAY
VA Regional Processing Office (U.S. Dept. of Veteran Affairs)
Send Certification to:
VA Regional Processing Office (22)
P.O. Box 8888
Muskogee, OK 74402-8888
Fax# (918) 781-7863
VA Work Study Program (918) 781-7878
Fax# (918) 781-7785
School Official Hotline-1 (855) 225-1159
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VA TODAY
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
4.3 Million Claims
34 K average pending claims
15 day turn around on original
5 day turn around on supplemental
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WHO AM I ??
Louisiana / Mississippi Edu Svc Center (U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
Mr. David M. Lewis, Education Liaison Representative
Email (david.m.lewis@va.gov)
Phone# (504) 619-4437
Mail Address:
David M Lewis ELR
Department of Veterans Affairs
Education Service Center (22)
1250 Poydras Street Suite 200
New Orleans, LA 70113
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WHO AM I ??
Louisiana / Mississippi Edu Svc Center (U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
228 active facilities (FY15)
Total of 65 compliance Surveys Assigned to Louisiana (FY14)
(20 to ELR and 45 assigned to Muskogee /Remote) ($83,000. in school overpayments ,
$15,000 underpayments to Veterans)
LA-SAA ; 40 compliance surveys assigned ($126.400. in school overpayments ,
$14,500 in underpayments to veterans)
92 active facilities (FY15)
ELR-No compliance assigned this year for Mississippi (FY14)
MS –SAA ; 40 compliance surveys assigned ($28,500. in school overpayments )
8 Training events (first Flight Training for both states), 3 Conferences, 2 Webinars
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YELLOW RIBBON PROGRAM
The Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program (Yellow Ribbon
Program) is a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act
of 2008.
This program allows institutions of higher learning (degree granting
institutions) in the United States to voluntarily enter into an agreement with
VA to fund tuition expenses that exceed either the annual maximum cap for
private institutions or the resident tuition and fees for a public institution.
The institution can contribute up to 50% of those expenses and VA will match
the same amount as the institution.
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YELLOW RIBBON PROGRAM
• Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) may elect to participate in the Yellow
Ribbon Program to make additional funds available to assist students with
unmet needs. This includes public schools, private schools and at
branches of schools located outside of the U.S.
• Institutions can contribute a specified dollar amount toward those
expenses, and VA will match the same amount as the institution – not to
exceed 50% of the total unmet needs.
• Yellow Ribbon is not available to Non College Degree (NCD) only facilities.
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YELLOW RIBBON PROGRAM
Effective August 1, 2011, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® began paying:
• All public school in-state tuition and fees, or
• Up to the annual cap per academic year for private schools; or public
schools charging non-residence tuition & fees and foreign schools.
Note: Yellow Ribbon funds do not count toward the new annual cap.
• Effective August 1, 2011, the annual cap was $17,500
• Effective August 1, 2012, the annual cap was $18,077.50
• Effective August 1, 2013, the annual cap is $19,198.31
• Effective August 1, 2014, the annual cap will be $20,235.02
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YELLOW RIBBON PROGRAM
• Since August 1, 2011, schools must report the actual net cost for in-state
tuition and fees (T&F) after the application of any waiver of, or reduction
in, tuition and fees, and any scholarship, or other Federal, State,
institutional or employer-based aid or assistance (excluding Title IV aid)
that is provided directly to the institution and specifically designated for
the sole purpose of defraying tuition and fees. The key in determining the
actual net cost for T&F’s is excluding aid that is specifically designated for
the sole purpose of tuition and fees.
• The difference, or a portion thereof, between the actual costs for tuition
and fees and the amount of Post-9/11 GI Bill® funds can be met through
matching contributions under the Yellow Ribbon Program for eligible
students
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YELLOW RIBBON PROGRAM
Who is eligible:
• Individuals entitled to the 100% benefit rate (based on service
requirements)
• Spouses and children using Transfer of Entitlement (ToE) benefits when
entitled to the 100% benefit rate
Who is NOT eligible:
• Individuals on active duty
• ToE spouses when the transferor is on active duty
• Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship recipients
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YELLOW RIBBON – THE CONTRACT
The IHL Must Agree to:
• Provide contributions to eligible individuals who apply for the Yellow Ribbon
Program on a first-come / first-served basis, regardless of the rate at which the
individual is pursuing training in any given academic year.
• Provide contributions during the current academic year and all subsequent
academic years in which the IHL is participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program
provided the student maintains satisfactory progress, conduct, and attendance.
• Make contributions toward the program on behalf of the individual in the form of
a grant, scholarship, etc.;
• State the dollar amount that will be contributed for each participant during the
academic year;
• State the maximum number of individuals for whom contributions will be made in
any given academic year.
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How To Submit the CONTRACT
• There will continue to be a yearly opportunity for the schools
to modify, terminate, or begin their Yellow Ribbon agreement.
For the academic school year 2015 – 2016, it’s March 14, 2015
to May 15, 2015. The list of participants was posted on the
website in early June.
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How To Submit the CONTRACT
1. Via e-mail to Yellow.Ribbon@va.gov (Please attach a scanned copy of the signed
form)
2. Via fax to 202-275-2636 with a cover sheet displaying Attn: Yellow Ribbon Team
3. Via postal mail to the following address:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Attn: Yellow Ribbon Program (223C)
810 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20420
If sent via e-mail or fax, retain proof of submission (e-mail or fax transmittal). If sent
via mail return receipt requested, retain proof of receipt.
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TUITION AND FEES CAPS
Changes as of August 1, 2011
Tuition and Fee Changes:
 No individual state cap rates (as previously used)
 Public School in-state tuition and fees are fully reimbursable
 The Yellow Ribbon Program can be used to cover the unmet charges (e.g. out-of-state charges at public schools)
 Private school costs are capped at $ $20,235.02 annually
(example: from August 1, 2014 through July 31, 2015)
 The Yellow Ribbon Program still exists for costs above the
cap rates
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TUITION AND FEES ~ Fees
FEES: The mandatory charges (other than tuition, room, and board) applied by
the school for pursuit of an approved program of education.
What fees can be included ?
• Mandatory fees that all students in that program must pay:
• Student Service Fee; Technology fees; lab fees, mandatory graduation
fees; health insurance premiums (if not waived) etc.
• What fees CANNOT be included ?
• Application Fees; *Books; Sales Taxes; fees for food/lodging, any penalty
fees (including overload fees) etc.
• *If the cost of books is imbedded in your T&F and cannot be broken out
they can be included.
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TUITION AND FEES ~ Tuition
TUITION: The actual established cost for tuition that similarly circumstanced
non-veterans enrolled in the program are required to pay.
What should be deducted from the amount reported ?
• With the exception of Title IV funds (e.g. federal student loans, Pell grants
etc.) you should deduct:
• 1. All Federal Funds (such as ROTC, MYCAA, HPSP, GETA)
• 2. State and federal tuition assistance (TA) &
• 3. All school tuition discounts and scholarships, grants, aid or assistance
that must be used solely for toward T&F
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TUITION AND FEES ~ Tuition
DISCLAIMER – The lists of waivers, scholarships, aid and assistance on the
previous slides are not all inclusive. Each state, employer, scholarship
organization has aid programs that must be evaluated. If a payment
meets the following criteria, then it must be deducted from the net
charges for tuition and fees reported to VA:
•
•
The payment is made directly to the school
The payment is designated specifically and solely for a student’s tuition
and fees
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TUITION AND FEES ~ Out of State Tuition
Out of State Tuition: If a school waives the out of state charges for veterans,
the school may deduct that from the out of state charges.
Example: Tuition=$8000 total, $5000 if which is the out of state charge.
• If the school waives the $5000 out of state charge for veterans, the school
will certify $3000 in-state T&F to VA.
• NOTE: This does not change previous advisories regarding other waivers,
scholarships, or other reductions that do not differentiate between in
state and out of state portions of charges. Those still must be deducted
from the total net charges certified to VA.
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TRANSFER OF ENTITLEMENTS (ToE)
• What is it?
 A component of the Post-9/11 GI Bill
 Allows the service member to transfer unused Post-9/11
GI Bill benefits to children and spouse
• Who authorizes transfer of benefits?
 Secretary of Defense (when the Coast Guard is operating
as a service of the Navy)
 Secretaries of Army, Navy, or Air Force
 Secretary of Homeland Security (for Coast Guard)
 PHS/NOAA members are now eligible effective August 1,
(US Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association)
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TRANSFER OF ENTITLEMENTS (ToE)
To be approved to transfer benefits, servicemember
must Be in Armed Forces on or after 08/01/09; and
 Have completed 6 years in the Armed Forces; and
 Agree to serve 4 more years
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TRANSFER OF ENTITLEMENTS (ToE)
An individual approved to transfer benefits may Transfer up to 36 months of benefits
 Transfer to spouse, child, or children in any amount the
transferor has available
 Revoke or modify a transfer request of any unused
benefits unless the transferor’s 15-year eligibly period has
ended.
 Not transfer benefits to a new dependent once the
transferor is no longer a member of the Armed Forces
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TRANSFER OF ENTITLEMENTS (ToE)
Where Does the Process Begin?
Service members apply for transfer of entitlement
through DoD’s Transfer of Education Benefits (TEB) website.
• DoD determines eligibility for TEB, not VA.
• Once eligibility has been approved through the TEB website, eligibility
information will be displayed in Veteran Information Solution (VIS).
Reminder: Service members must apply and be approved through the TEB
website before VA can issue a Certificate of Eligibility to a child or spouse
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TRANSFER OF ENTITLEMENTS (ToE)
Benefit Payments
Children: Always receive the veteran rate, including the monthly
housing allowance & books and supplies stipend, even if
transferor is on active duty
Spouses: Paid the same rate the transferor would receive
• Cannot be paid monthly housing allowance or books
and supplies stipend if the transferor is on active duty
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QUESTIONS ???
www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/
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