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Dear School Certifying Official,
As we previously shared, the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Education Service is integrating its payment system so all VBA benefits will be paid to one account. The purpose of this bank account consolidation effort is to modernize the GI Bill system, reduce fraud and improper payments, and ensure we pay beneficiaries on time, every time, and without error. Once fully deployed, the platform will improve claims processing and customer service by providing direct, online, one-stop access to GI Bill benefits and information.
Currently, there remain approximately 9,800 beneficiaries (of the nearly 50,000 originally identified) who have not consolidated their bank accounts. Payments will continue to be made to the account originally associated with their VA education benefit until July 1, 2024. Although the original April 20, 2024, deadline for account updates has passed, these individuals will have until July 1, 2024, to update their records and identify the account they wish all VBA benefits to be paid to.
If impacted beneficiaries take no action, VA will make the change on their behalf; in most cases, choosing the non-education benefit payment account for all future payments. Most importantly, no beneficiary will miss a benefits payment of any type.
This is for your awareness only and no action is required. VA continues to encourage and remind beneficiaries they can change their VA direct deposit information or see where these monies will be deposited by contacting the Education Call Center at 888-442-4551.
Kind regards,
Veterans Benefits Administration
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