Revised February 14, 2025
VI.iii.2.B.1.aA/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.bWho 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.cWho 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.dDetermining 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.
2Reviewing an Award for Indebtedness
This topic contains information on
- reviewing awards for indebtedness, and
- debt management.
Revised February 14, 2025
VI.iii.2.B.2.aReviewing 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.bDebt 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.
- 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.
Revised November 19, 2025
VI.iii.2.B.3.aPartial 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.bExample: 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.cAttorney 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.dAEWs 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.fEliminating 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?
|
| 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 |
|
| 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 |
|
| 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.gExample 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 |
|
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 |
|
REMARKS | Negative AEW-Eliminating Overpayment Due to Admin Error |
End of Part VI, Subpart iii, Chapter 2, Section B