--- title: "Part VI, Subpart iii, Chapter 2, Section B Fiscal Authorization (FISA)" document: "M-21-1" section: "Part VI, Subpart iii, Chapter 2, Section B" canonical: "https://veteranai.co/va-regulations/m21-1/vi.iii.2.b-fiscal-authorization-fisa" source: "https://www.knowva.ebenefits.va.gov/system/templates/selfservice/va_ssnew/help/customer/locale/en-US/portal/554400000001018/content/554400000179497/M21-1-Part-VI-Subpart-iii-Chapter-2-Section-B-The-Finance-Activity-at-the-Regional-Office-RO" updated: "2026-09-07T14:37:23.925629Z" --- February 14, 2025 ### VI.iii.2.B.1.a. A/R and the Finance Activity An accounts receivable (A/R) is created when an award adjustment that creates an overpayment in a beneficiary’s account is authorized.Any A/R created as a result of an award adjustment is instantaneously reflected in the award system and is readily accessible for debt management and collection purposes.If an award adjustment alone cannot remove or create a debt, a fiscal transaction will be needed.Fiscal transactions are completed by the finance activity _prior_ to the authorization of an award, and are used in the following types of cases: * attorney fee cases when the user is unable to utilize the automated process through Veterans Benefits Management System – Awards (VBMS-A) * award adjustments based on audit error worksheets (AEWs) showing an _amount previously paid by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)_ , and * reversing debts in which the collection status is _Due Process_. **References:** For more information on * processing the types of cases that still require the finance activity, see M21-1, Part VI, Subpart iii, 2.B.3 * receivable types, see [M24-3, Chapter 1, Part 5, Appendix A](), and * where to view receivables in VBMS, see the _VBMS Core User Guide_. ### VI.iii.2.B.1.b. Who Is Responsible for the Accuracy of Award Adjustments Senior Veterans Service Representatives (VSRs) and Certified VSRs that authorize awards are ultimately responsible for ensuring that an adjustment of benefits to a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) beneficiary is accurate. ### VI.iii.2.B.1.c. Who Is Responsible for Determining Whether a Debt Exists Claims processors are responsible for determining whether a debt exists in a beneficiary's account every time they process an award of compensation or pension._**Reference**_ : For more information on how to locate A/R balances, see M21-1, Part VI, Subpart iii, 2.B.2.a. ### VI.iii.2.B.1.d. Determining Whether to Notify the Finance Activity After a claims processor determines a debt exists in a beneficiary’s account, the case _must_ be reviewed to determine whether the finance activity should be notified.The collection status in the Enterprise Management of Payments Workload and Reporting for VA (eMPWR-VA) must be _Collectible_ prior to authorization in order to ensure an award action reduces or removes an existing debt.Follow local regional office (RO) procedures to contact the finance activity for fiscal transactions when award action alone does not remove existing debts that are in _Collectible_ status. **Reference:** For more information on viewing receivables in eMPWR-VA, see the _eMPWR-VA User Guide_. ## 2. Reviewing an Award for Indebtedness This topic contains information on * reviewing awards for indebtedness, and * debt management. February 14, 2025 ### VI.iii.2.B.2.a. Reviewing Awards for Indebtedness When an award is processed, the system automatically checks for the existence of a debt or an A/R in the beneficiary’s compensation or pension record.**Important:** A/R balances are displayed on the * CURRENT AND HISTORICAL AWARD INFORMATION page in VBMS, and/or * award print generated in VBMS-A. **Reference:** For more information on receivable types, see [M24-3, Chapter 1, Part 5, Appendix A](). ### VI.iii.2.B.2.b. Debt Management The finance activity of each RO manages issues of indebtedness.The Debt Management Center, located in St. Paul, Minnesota, is responsible for * VA’s debt collection, and * processing requests for waiver of an overpayment. **Note:** If VBMS does not show an A/R exists, and a claims processor believes there should be one, the finance activity must be notified. 3. Handling Cases That Require Special Processing This topic describes how to handle cases that require special processing, including * partial withholding of retroactive benefits * example of a partial withholding of retroactive benefits * attorney fee withholding * AEWs involving DFAS payment * eliminating an overpayment resulting from * correction of an administrative error, and * administrative error when processing an AEW, and * example of an overpayment resulting from administrative error when processing an AEW. November 19, 2025 ### VI.iii.2.B.3.a. Partial Withholding of Retroactive Benefits Occasionally, a partial withholding of retroactive benefits is appropriate but cannot be accomplished through input of any of the collection codes. A two-step award action is necessary in this situation, as shown in the example in M21-1, Part VI, Subpart iii, 2.B.3.b. ### VI.iii.2.B.3.b. Example: Partial Withholding of Retroactive Benefits ** _Situation_** : * An award adjustment that discontinued pension effective January 1, 2020, * was processed in June 2020, and * created a $2,500 overpayment. * An award is subsequently processed in September 2020 that reinstates benefits effective January 1, 2020, but at a lower rate. The new award entitles the payee to a $900 retroactive payment. * A review of the claims folder indicates that only $300 of the retroactive payment represents benefits due the beneficiary during the period the overpayment was created (January 1, 2020, to June 2020). * A waiver request is pending. **Actions:** * Process an award covering the overlapping periods (January 1, 2020, to June 2020). * Process a second award covering the remaining period during which benefits are owed. ### VI.iii.2.B.3.c. Attorney Fee Withholding All awards involving the payment of attorney fees must be processed in accordance with the instructions outlined in [M21-5, Chapter 8, Section B]().For the limited number of attorney fee cases that require fiscal transactions by the finance officer, do _**not**_ authorize an award involving attorney fees until _after_ the finance activity confirms that the withholding for attorney fees has been successfully coded. ### VI.iii.2.B.3.d. AEWs Involving DFAS Payment An AEW showing an amount previously paid by DFAS is generated for cases involving Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC)/Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP).Referral to the finance activity is required on these AEWs to avoid overpayment. Provide the finance activity the following information: * Veteran's name and claim number * amount previously paid by DFAS, and * name of authorizer to inform once the receivable amount is established in the system. The finance activity establishes the amount previously paid by DFAS as a collectible receivable in eMPWR-VA. This action ensures automatic deduction of the receivable from the generated retroactive payment amount.**Important:** The authorizer _must_ authorize the award _within one to two days_ of the date the finance activity established the collectible receivable.**References:** For more information on * processing AEWs, see [M21-1, Part VI, Subpart ii, 4.E]() * CRDP, see [M21-1, Part VI, Subpart ii, 4.A.6](), and * CRSC, see [M21-1, Part VI, Subpart ii, 4.A.7](). ### VI.iii.2.B.3.e. Eliminating an Overpayment Resulting From Correction of an Administrative Error If correction of an administrative error will create an overpayment, follow the instructions in the table below to eliminate the overpayment in the award system following completion and approval of the administrative decision referenced in [M21-1, Part VI, Subpart i, 2.B.3]()._**Exception**_ : Disregard the instructions in the table below and follow the instructions in M21-1, Part VI, Subpart iii, 2.B.3.f, if the overpayment is the result of an administrative error related to an AEW.| **Step**| **Action** 1| Select RECORD DECISIONS. 2| Select the AWARD ADJUSTMENTS tab. 3| Select the OTHER ADJUSTMENTS tab, then select ADD. 4| Select _Add to Gross Rate_ from the ADJUSTMENT REASON drop-down menu. 5| Complete the ADJUSTMENT AMOUNT and the FROM DATE fields, then click on the ACCEPT button. 6| Select DONE. 7| Generate the award. _ _ ### VI.iii.2.B.3.f. Eliminating an Overpayment Resulting From Administrative Error When Processing an AEW Follow the steps in the table below to eliminate an overpayment in the award system resulting from administrative error when processing an AEW. | **Step**| **Action** 1| Select RECORD DECISIONS. 2| Select the AWARD ADJUSTMENTS tab. 3| Select the LUMP SUM RETIRED PAY tab. 4| Enter the amount shown in the _Due From VA_ column of the AEW in the ADJUSTMENT AMT field of the AMOUNT PREVIOUSLY PAID BY DFAS (APPBD) table. 5| Enter the beginning date of the adjustment in the FROM DATE field. 6| Enter the ending date of the adjustment in the TO DATE field.**Note:** If the AEW includes consecutive months with the same amounts, the date entered in the TO DATE field is the first of the month after the last consecutive month. 7| Are there additional adjustments? * If _yes_ ,__ select ADD and repeat Steps 4 – 6. * If _no_ , go to the next step. 8| Select DONE. 9| From the RECORD DECISIONS page, select PRIORS. 10| Select the award line to be adjusted in the PRIOR AWARD PAYMENTS TO BE CONSIDERED table and select EDIT.**Note:** If the corresponding award line is not available for editing, select the award line with a date preceding the one that needs to be edited, select ADD, and change the date to match the start date of the required adjustment. 11| Replace the amount shown in the AWARD NET field with the difference between the amounts shown in the _VA Award_ column of the AEW and the APPBD adjustment amount entered in Step 4. 12| Select the appropriate percentage from the DIS LEVEL drop-down menu. 13| * Select _Retired Pay Adjustment_ and _Reduction Due to Administrative Error_ from the AVAILABLE REASONS under the AWARD REASONS DETAIL section. * Select ADD. 14| Select ACCEPT. 15| Repeat Steps 10 – 14 until all the award lines shown on the PRIOR AWARD PAYMENTS screen impacted by the negative _Due From VA_ amounts on the AEW are adjusted. 16| * Select ADD to enter an award line in the PRIOR AWARD PAYMENTS screen that matches the TO DATE entered in Step 6 of this table. * Enter the amount previously paid on that effective date in the AWARD NET field. 17| Enter the following in the REMARKS section:_Negative AEW-Eliminating Overpayment Due to Admin Error_. 18| Select DONE. 19| Generate the award. **Notes:** * The net effect of the award should be $0.00 before adjusting for any positive _Due From VA_ amounts on the AEW. * Negative and positive _Due From VA_ amounts should be processed simultaneously under one award action, as described in [M21-1, Part VI, Subpart iii, 2.A.2.a](). **References:** For more information on * determining whether the overpayment on an AEW is due to an administrative error, see [M21-1, Part VI, Subpart ii, 4.E.1.k](), and * processing awards in VBMS-A, see the _VBMS-A User Guide_. ### VI.iii.2.B.3.g. Example of Eliminating an Overpayment Resulting From Administrative Error When Processing an AEW ** _Scenario_** : An AEW was issued in the case of a Veteran evaluated at 60-percent service-connected, receiving $1,215.86 in monthly compensation. The AEW showed a negative amount of $736.03 in the _Due From VA_ column for the months of July 2019 and August 2019. The overpayment was determined to be due to administrative error.**Result:** The RO follows the process outlined in the table below to generate an award in VBMS-A and eliminate the overpayment. | **Stage**| **Description** 1| Edits the LUMP SUM RETIRED PAY tab, making the below entries in the APPBD table.| **Field**| **Value/Entry** ADJUSTMENT AMT| _$736.03_ FROM DATE| _07/01/2019_ TO DATE| _09/01/2016_ 2| Accesses the PRIOR AWARD PAYMENTS page to edit the 07/01/2019 award line, by making the below entries in the PRIOR AWARDS PAYMENT WORKSHEET.| **Field**| **Value/Entry** DIS LEVEL| _60%_ AWARD NET| _$479.83_(the _VA Award_ amount of $1,215.86 less the APPBD adjustment amount of $736.03) AVAILABLE REASONS| * _Retired Pay Adjustment_ , and * _Reduction Due to Administrative Error_ 3| Adds to the PRIOR AWARD PAYMENTS page a 09/01/2019 award line, supported by the system entries outlined in the table below.| **Field**| **Value/Entry** EFFECTIVE| _09/01/2019_ DIS LEVEL| _60%_ AWARD NET| _$1,215.86_(original payment amount) AVAILABLE REASONS| * _Retired Pay Adjustment_ , and * _Reduction Due to Administrative Error_ REMARKS| _Negative AEW-Eliminating Overpayment Due to Admin Error_