Did you recently go back to school on the new GI Bill? If so, great!

Have you received your first educational benefits check yet? No? Well, you’re not alone.

There’s a way to get your money fast, however. You can get a one-time advance payment of up to $3,000, determined by your course of study, if you haven’t received your monthly payments yet.

There are two ways to get your money:

1) Sign up online at www.advancepay. gibill.va.gov. The payment will come out of the U.S. Treasury within three days (not including weekends) and will be mailed to you.

2) Go to the VA regional office closest to you and pick up your check. You’ll need to bring your course schedule. (Don’t leave any stone unturned here: Also take any acceptance letter, admission notice and anything else that says you’re going to school.) Be sure to take along a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license.

Other info:

If you need a ride to the regional office to get your check, call the “Volunteer Transportation Coordinator” at the closest VA medical center and request transportation.

You have to go to the regional office yourself to get your check.

Take this number with you when you go to cash the check: 1-800-827-2166. Many of these emergency checks are handwritten, and if the banks object to cashing them, that number will put them in contact with a VA customer-service rep who can validate the information on it.

To find your closest regional office, go to www.vba.va.gov and click on the link on the left side. If you don’t have a computer, call the VA at 1-800-827- 1000.

(c) 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.