Skip to main content
Menu

Browse by question

VA effective dates and award timing

Locate current and historical VA effective-date guidance and related award-adjustment references.

An effective-date question depends on the claim's history and the rules that apply to it. Start with the current reference, and use the historical reference only when the time period makes it relevant. These pages are not a back-pay calculator.

Choose a starting point

  • M21-1 V.ii.4.A

    Current effective-date guidance

    Start with the main effective-dates reference.

    Official section: Effective Dates

  • M21-1 V.ii.4.B

    Historical effective-date guidance

    This section is explicitly historical; do not treat it as the current rule for every claim.

    Official section: Historical Guidance on the Assignment of Effective Dates

  • M21-1 X.ii.2.B

    Later-received service records

    Find the separate revision guidance for supplemental service records.

    Official section: Revision Based on Receipt of Supplemental Service Records

This is a curated selection, not every rule that might apply. References awaiting source or editorial review are omitted.

Browse all three manuals →

Review your own claim records

Start a free Claim Readiness Review to check one claim document for what it supports and what may be missing. Or create a free account to explore Claim Raven.

Start free Claim Readiness ReviewCreate a free account

The review cannot guarantee a VA decision or replace an accredited representative. You decide what to file.

Start with your question

You do not need to know a manual citation. Pick a topic to find a curated starting point.

The M21 manuals are VA staff guidance, not a substitute for statutes, regulations, or binding court decisions. Claim Raven is independent of VA. Read the original source and important limits on each reference page.