Locking Your Effective Date: The 10‑Minute Playbook to Maximize Back Pay

If you want the money you earned, the date you file matters as much as whether you win. In this episode Gary breaks down, in straightforward terms, how the VA sets an effective date, what an Intent to File (VA Form 21-0966) actually does, when a date of claim becomes fixed, and the filing choices that can cost you large chunks of retroactive benefits. You’ll get step-by-step guidance on which forms to use (21-0966, 21-526EZ), how fully-developed claims affect timing, what happens when you reopen or submit new evidence, and three common mistakes that erase back pay. The goal: one clear action you can do today to preserve the earliest payable date. No fluff, just the tactical playbook Gary would give you at the kitchen table.