Q: I have been getting the new GI Bill housing payments, until recently. I came back from winter break and have been enrolled in full-time classes, but I haven't received my check for the month of February. My rent is up and I am worried, help!

A: The check you should have received in February is actually for January. You are always a month behind in getting paid. Because the check should have been for the first month of a new term, I would first contact your school's VA Representative and ask if he/she submitted the required paperwork for your new term and when it was submitted. If the paperwork is correct, then the VA probably has not gotten to your application yet. They have been running 8-10 weeks behind in processing applications.

I have a couple of questions:

• Are you sure you still have Army benefits left on your GI Bill?
• Was there a change to your enrollment from last term? If you are taking only online classes this term, you will not get a housing allowance.

The other condition that would prevent you from getting a housing allowance is if your rate of pursuit is half-time or less, but you said you are enrolled full-time, so that should be an issue. However, because you had been receiving your monthly Army benefits last term and now you are not, I would contact the VA and inquire why your payments stopped. You can contact them in three ways:

• call 1-888-442-4551
• use their Ask A Question Website or
• contact one of their Regional or State offices