Back pay can be one of the largest parts of a VA award. It all comes down to your effective date — here is how that date is set and how to protect it.
Your effective date is the date your benefits are considered to begin. Generally it is the date the VA received your claim — or your Intent to File date, if you filed the full claim within a year of it.
If your claim is granted, the VA owes you a lump sum covering the time between your effective date and the date the award is paid. The longer the claim takes, the larger the back pay, because you are paid retroactively to the effective date.
For a rating increase, the effective date can be up to one year before you filed, if the evidence shows your condition worsened during that period. This is why documenting when symptoms changed matters.
Some presumptive conditions (for example, those added by the PACT Act for toxic exposure) have special effective-date rules that can reach back further. Check VA.gov for the rules that apply to your specific condition.
The simplest way to protect back pay is to submit an Intent to File as soon as you decide to claim, then take the time you need to build a strong claim.
It covers the period from your effective date to when the award is paid, at your assigned rating. A longer processing time means more back pay, since it is retroactive.
Generally the date the VA received your claim, or your Intent to File date if you completed the claim within a year of filing the Intent to File.
Yes. For an increase, the effective date can be up to one year before you filed if the evidence shows the worsening occurred during that time.
Yes. Some presumptive conditions added by the PACT Act have special effective-date rules. Check VA.gov for your specific condition.