Listen carefully

The short sale of our godforsaken house in California is supposed to close in two days, and we're still not quite sure how HAP is going to work. Whomever is entitled to HAP benefits and is already working with a counselor, make sure you understand EXACTLY what your options are and what the potential benefit limitations may be. In our case, which is almost a done deal, we ended up entirely changing direction on HAP Monday, based on new information from our counselor. The implementation guidelines are still what I'll call "fluid."
For example, the initial rule on PCS move beneficiaries was their mortgage payments had to be current as of the date they departed from their prior duty station. Monday it was hinted to me that the payments have to be current-current, not just current up to when you left. If that's the case now, a lot of people will be scrambling for money to catch up payments in order to qualify for assistance, although the whole friggin point of assistance is that you're in a new place, collecting BAH for this location or living on post, and have no money to pay a mortgage on a house you no longer live in near a duty station to which you are no longer assigned. So the whole "current-current" rule on the mortgage at the prior duty station puts an insane, virtually impossible criteria for the service members to meet, and is utterly retarded.
Plus, like I mentioned in my last post, the benefit calculation is NOT what I'm pretty sure we all thought it was. The difference is staggering. Really, like a kick in the gut. Finding out we're still on the hook for money we don't have in order to close the sale... sickening.
If you read the interim final rule on the HAP program, PCS members have the 90 percent maximum benefit threshold. BUT... read down a little farther and you see that if the house goes through a short sale and you're still liable for the remaining balance, THEN the benefit threshold becomes 95 percent. I also heard if you go through a short sale, HAP will pay off the ENTIRE remaining shortage. Which is it? And how does one find out for sure which offer is going to be best for their given situation?
Seriously: I'm a Certified Defense Financial Manager, a Certified Internal Auditor, and an accountant. If I can't figure it out, and I've been specifically educated and certified to understand and audit government financial transactions for compliance with federal rules and statutes, what chance does anyone else have?