Estimate your VA disability back pay based on your effective date, decision date, rating percentage, and dependents. Some veterans receive retroactive lump sum payments of $50,000 to $100,000 or more. Back pay covers every month between your effective date and the VA decision date.
When the VA approves a disability claim, they assign an effective date - the date your disability began for compensation purposes. You receive a lump sum payment for every month between the effective date and the decision date. If your Intent to File was submitted 10 months before the decision, you receive 10 months of back pay at your rated percentage.
An Intent to File protects your effective date for up to 365 days while you gather evidence. Without an ITF, your effective date is typically the date you submit your complete claim. This difference can be worth thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. File your ITF as early as possible - it costs nothing and has no obligation.
Your back pay amount depends on your rating percentage, the number of months between effective date and decision, whether you have dependents, and any previous ratings you held. Higher ratings mean more back pay per month. Longer processing times mean more months of accumulated back pay.
Protect your effective date today by filing an Intent to File.