Veterans' View
Know about using EVRs
by Amy Simmons, Washington County Veterans Services Officer
Veterans Affairs uses the Eligibility Verification Report (EVR) to verify the continued eligibility of recipients of its income-based programs (Pension and Parents’ Dependency and Indemnity Compensation).
EVRs initially were used throughout the year or whenever income information was needed from a beneficiary. Public Law 103-271 gave the Secretary discretion in requiring annual EVRs. As a result of that legislation, annual EVRs for most beneficiaries who have no income or only Social Security income have been eliminated.
Those beneficiaries exempted from the requirement to file an EVR will receive a letter each year informing them that any change in income or dependency status must be reported to VA. Beneficiaries receiving income-based VA benefits who do not receive either the EVR or the letter should contact VA and verify that VA has the correct mailing address for them.
Release of EVRs to claimants is set for the end of December each year. A claimant must be in receipt of income-based benefits by the end of August to be included in the current year review. Awards processed in September or later are included in the next year.
The deadline for return of EVRs is March 1. Failure to return a properly completed EVR when requested to do so by VA will result in suspension and eventual termination of a payee’s income-based benefits.
EVRs should be returned in the envelopes provided to the VA Pension Maintenance Center, P. O. Box, 42000, Philadelphia, PA 19101.The VA Pension Maintenance Center can be reached by toll-free telephone number at 1-877-294-6380.
Contacts of interest:
VA Regional Office, St. Petersburg, P. O. Box 1437, St. Petersburg, FL 33731
1-800-827-1000
Veterans Health Administration toll-free hotline (medical care) 1-877-222-8387
VA Web site: www.va.gov
Florida Department of Veterans Affairs: www.floridavets.org
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