The United States Department of Veterans Affairs provides a wide selection of monetary and non-monetary benefits to men and women honorably discharged from any branch of the United States Armed Services. A veteran or a veteran's representative typically makes a benefits discontinuation request after a life change such as the veteran's death, reentrance into the military or incarceration. All requests to stop veteran's benefits must go through the VA, which requires verbal and written notification along with paperwork to support the reason for the request.
Step 1
Contact the Department of Veterans Affairs (See the "Toll Free Numbers for Contacting the VA" link). Choose and call the toll-free number associated with your specific situation and then follow the phone prompts to reach a VA Telephone Assistance Service representative.
Step 2
Explain your situation to the representative and then write down any instructions or information provided by the representative. During the call, confirm with the representative that you have all of the required documents to support your request. In addition, the representative should provide you with a fax number and/or mailing address for a written notification/supporting document(s) submission and an estimated timeframe for the discontinuation of benefits (estimated benefits end-date).
Step 3
Write your request for discontinuation of benefits based on the instructions provided by the representative.
Step 4
Fax or mail your written request along with your supporting paperwork.
Step 5
Call the VA to confirm receipt of your paperwork.
Warnings
- Always inform the VA immediately of any changes in a Veteran's life (yours or the Veteran you represent) that can affect benefits. Not doing so can result in overpayment of monetary benefits and/or penalties.
Tips
- Wait at least three business days (fax) or 10 business days (mail) from the date of submission to confirm that the VA received the paperwork. That should be enough time for the VA to begin processing your request.
References
Tips
- Wait at least three business days (fax) or 10 business days (mail) from the date of submission to confirm that the VA received the paperwork. That should be enough time for the VA to begin processing your request.
Warnings
- Always inform the VA immediately of any changes in a Veteran's life (yours or the Veteran you represent) that can affect benefits. Not doing so can result in overpayment of monetary benefits and/or penalties.
Writer Bio
Based in Southern Pennsylvania, Irene A. Blake has been writing on a wide range of topics for over a decade. Her work has appeared in projects by The National Network for Artist Placement, the-phone-book Limited and GateHouse Media. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Shippensburg University.