Claim-guidance sources

BDD: public filing instructions

Public instructions

BDD window, examination availability, channel-specific records, self-assessment and alternative pre-discharge filing

Timing is not a complete eligibility test. Online retrieval does not promise that records will be available on a particular date.

BDD: filing while overseas

Public instructions

Official overseas BDD locations, exam availability and contact routes

Office access and location instructions should be rechecked before travel. VetCore sends no messages or documents.

File a disability compensation claim

Public instructions

Official compensation application and submission methods; preparation and filing confirmation First and increased compensation application, evidence choices, supported methods and confirmation; program-specific BDD and previously decided issues require the separate guidance.

Do not generalize its compensation mailing address to other benefits or review requests.

Evidence for a disability claim

Public instructions

Initial, secondary, presumptive and increased-rating evidence explanations

Broad BDD records wording conflicts with the dedicated BDD page; use the reviewed channel-specific resolution.

Fully Developed Claims program

Public instructions

Optional FDC process, applicant-supplied non-federal records and VA development

No individual processing-speed promise; further development can move a claim to the standard process.

Standard disability claims

Public instructions

VA federal and non-federal records-development instructions

Private-record requests may require authorization and identification; VA does not pay private-provider fees.

C&P examinations and records reviews

Public instructions

Purpose, scheduling, accommodations, ACE, evidence submission and the decision maker

Exam attendance is not treatment or approval. Actual scheduling notices control appointment instructions.

Additional forms for a disability claim

Public instructions

Supporting forms overview

Its older categorical 21-0781 instruction conflicts with the current specific form page and PDF; do not encode a universal requirement.

Disability compensation eligibility

Public instructions

Plain-language service-connection, presumptive-service and qualifying-service overview

The page is an overview, not an individual eligibility determination.

What your claim status means

Public instructions

The eight public disability-claim status labels, returns to evidence gathering, and the separate five-label model for other claim types.

Request military service records

Public instructions

DD214, military records and branch/date/type-dependent requests NARA/eVetRecs, SF-180 location chart, next-of-kin evidence, milConnect distinctions and VA obtaining records for an application.

The SF180 destination depends on its custodian table. A personal records request is not a disability application.

Review and download VA medical records

Public instructions

Current My HealtheVet on VA.gov record access My HealtheVet medical-record review, download and print, enrolled-patient requirements and private file protection.

External VA record access may require sign-in; all VetCore guidance remains public and no records are collected.

Request clinical and medical treatment records

Public instructions

NARA clinical-record facility/year requirements, NA13042 and scoped request destination

A clinical-record request goes to the records custodian, not a VA claim-intake address.

Locate military health records

Public instructions

Outpatient versus inpatient records and branch/separation-date custodian chart

Some mental-health records are separately maintained. Do not assume every hospital record is part of routine STRs.

Guard and Reserve duty distinctions

Public instructions

Only the eligibility note distinguishing inactive-duty-training injury, heart attack and stroke; corroborated by 21-526EZ instructions

Older page contains legacy filing links and broad evidence wording. Do not reuse those links or interpret its overview as a complete rule for every duty period.

How VA disability ratings work

Public instructions

Service-connected severity, combined ratings and final rounding explanation

Educational calculations do not establish a service connection, payment or award.

VA Form 21-526EZ

Official form

First/new disability compensation and later worsening when the initial/increase application is appropriate Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

Previously decided issues need review instructions; a new theory does not automatically create a new initial claim.

VA Form 21-4142

Official form

Authorize VA to obtain relevant treatment records that need consent Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

Conditional: use for a relevant private-records request or separately protected Vet Center records. Ordinary VA medical-center records do not require this release; records already supplied or to be obtained by the applicant need not be requested again.

VA Form 21-4142a

Official form

Identify records providers, addresses, conditions and treatment dates Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

Conditional: provider list accompanying a relevant authorized records request, including protected Vet Center records when applicable; the authorization itself is VA Form 21-4142.

VA Form 21-10210

Official form

Provide first-hand information about an event, observation or condition’s effects

Optional: a truthful signed statement may be submitted in another accepted format; this form provides a structured option.

VA Form 21-0781

Official form

Provide information about in-service traumatic events relevant to a claimed mental health condition

Optional, or respond when VA asks for further information. A separate PDF is unnecessary when equivalent optional questions were answered in the new-condition online compensation application.

Separation Health Assessment: Part A

Official form

Service-member identification and self-assessment, current version v26_3

BDD self-assessment is distinct from the examiner’s clinical assessment. Current M21 allows an unsigned self-assessment; completeness still matters.

How to complete the Separation Health Assessment

Public instructions

Official completion guidance linked from the BDD page

This guidance PDF has no identified publication/revision date. It is not represented as independently matched to every field in the June 2026 self-assessment.

M21-1 X.i.6.A: Introduction to Pre-Discharge Claims

Internal VA procedures

Pre-discharge claim types and previously denied issues

M21 is internal VA procedure, not legislation, an individual eligibility decision or a guaranteed outcome. Article-wide Updated date is separate from each topic Change Date.

M21-1 X.i.6.B: BDD and Initial Processing

Internal VA procedures

BDD requirements, missing records/self-assessment, later conditions, VA-caused exam delays and electronic filing

M21 is internal VA procedure, not legislation, an individual eligibility decision or a guaranteed outcome. Article-wide Updated date is separate from each topic Change Date.

M21-1 X.i.6.C: BDD and BDD-Excluded Claims

Internal VA procedures

Exam correction, later-added conditions, service verification, separation changes and decisions

M21 is internal VA procedure, not legislation, an individual eligibility decision or a guaranteed outcome. Article-wide Updated date is separate from each topic Change Date.

M21-1 III.ii.2.A: General Information on Service Records

Internal VA procedures

Routine STRs, separately maintained clinical/mental-health records and custodian-dependent requests

M21 is internal VA procedure, not legislation, an individual eligibility decision or a guaranteed outcome. Article-wide Updated date is separate from each topic Change Date.

M21-1 III.ii.1.A: Requesting Evidence From Federal Record Custodians

Internal VA procedures

Federal-record development, separately protected Vet Center records and VA-held versus missing private community-care records

M21 is internal VA procedure, not legislation, an individual eligibility decision or a guaranteed outcome. Article-wide Updated date is separate from each topic Change Date.

M21-1, Part X, Subpart ii, Chapter 2, Section A - Revision Based on Specific Types of Submissions, Including Supplemental Claims

Internal VA procedures

Relevant ITF, Supplemental, form, evidence, evaluation, examination or partial-decision guidance and headings compared. No assertion of full M21 coverage or professional legal review.

M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, Chapter 2, Section B - Supplemental Claims

Internal VA procedures

Relevant ITF, Supplemental, form, evidence, evaluation, examination or partial-decision guidance and headings compared. No assertion of full M21 coverage or professional legal review.

M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, Chapter 2, Section A - Intent to File (ITF)

Internal VA procedures

Relevant ITF, Supplemental, form, evidence, evaluation, examination or partial-decision guidance and headings compared. No assertion of full M21 coverage or professional legal review.

M21-1, Part V, Subpart ii, Chapter 3, Section B - Making Partial Rating Decisions

Internal VA procedures

Relevant ITF, Supplemental, form, evidence, evaluation, examination or partial-decision guidance and headings compared. No assertion of full M21 coverage or professional legal review.

M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, Chapter 2, Section C - Claims for Increase

Internal VA procedures

Later worsening since the prior decision, appropriate increase application, and the distinction from a review of the prior evaluation. Selected benefit claims are not converted to an increase solely because they concern an evaluation.

Supplemental Claims

Public instructions

New and relevant evidence, identifying records for VA to obtain, law-change instructions, disability-only online filing, next steps, and six individual benefit submission disclosures.

Higher-Level Reviews

Public instructions

Existing-record review, ordinary filing timing, optional informal conference, prior duty-to-assist errors, subsequent choices, and seven individual benefit submission disclosures.

Board Appeals

Public instructions

The three Board docket choices and evidence periods, ordinary timing and contested exceptions, official submission methods, docket confirmation, and subsequent choices.

Your intent to file a VA claim

Public instructions

Current identity-verified online automatic intent-to-file instructions, separate intent forms, benefit-type distinctions, and public timing guidance.

After you request a decision review

Public instructions

Waiting, switching or withdrawing a pending administrative review, changing Board docket choices, and the optional Board holding-period waiver.

Contested claims

Public instructions

Special contested-claim procedure and the generally applicable 60-day Board request period; this is not the ordinary one-year modernized review procedure.

After a Board Appeal decision

Public instructions

A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence and an appeal to the Court are distinct potential options; Court filing belongs with the Court.

Get help from a VA accredited representative or VSO

Public instructions

Accredited Veterans Service Organization help is free; accredited attorneys and agents may charge permitted fees. Checking, contacting, and appointing a representative are separate actions. Accreditation verification, service availability, VSO services always free, individual fee distinction, appointment forms and benefit-scoped submission destinations.

38 CFR 3.155 — How to file a claim

Regulation

Introductory Supplemental exclusion remains displayed; read with MVA 2021 and Hoffman 2026.

38 CFR 3.160 — Status of claims

Regulation

Substantially complete Supplemental application versus finality; finally adjudicated heading is paragraph (d), not (a).

38 CFR 3.2500 — Review of decisions

Regulation

Administrative election, continuous pursuit, and effective dates; court-review bar text requires MVA qualification.

38 CFR 3.2501 — Supplemental claims

Regulation

New and relevant definition, duty to assist, and readjudication; ITF exclusion wording requires judicial qualification.

38 CFR 3.2601 — Higher-level review

Regulation

Existing-record review and request completeness; no new evidence.

38 CFR 20.302 — Board hearing evidence rules

Regulation

Hearing and 90-day evidence window; withdrawn and missed hearings have distinct triggers.

38 CFR 20.303 — Evidence submission without a hearing

Regulation

Evidence with appeal and within 90 days of receipt.

38 CFR 3.114 — Change of law

Regulation

Liberalizing-law effective-date exceptions depend on eligibility facts and law date; no automatic retroactive-award promise.

38 CFR 3.156 — New evidence

Regulation

Relevant official service department records can require reconsideration subject to the conditions/exceptions in paragraph (c). Not any new private record.

Military-Veterans Advocacy v. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 7 F.4th 1110 (2021)

Court decision

ITF discussion pp. 58–62; concurrent federal court/Supplemental pp. 53–58. No full paid citator review.

Hoffman v. Collins, No. 24-7834 (August 24, 2026)

Court decision

Majority pp. 1–18 read; narrow continuously-pursued ITF association holding. Separate concurrence is not a majority holding.

Hoffman public case summary, No. 24-7834

Court decision

Latest displayed entry September 15, 2026 Judgment; no later mandate, stay, reconsideration, or appeal shown in this public summary at retrieval. Not a paid full-docket/citator review.

VA Form 21-0966 · Intent to File a Claim for Compensation and/or Pension, or Survivors Pension and/or D.I.C.

Public instructions

Official May 2026 revision downloaded and relevant instructions and fields read from extracted text. No visual inspection of this form page is claimed. Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included.

VA Form 20-0995 · Decision Review Request: Supplemental Claim

Public instructions

Official May 2024 revision downloaded and relevant instructions and fields read from extracted text. The issue-field page was also rendered and visually inspected.

VA Form 20-0996 · Decision Review Request: Higher-Level Review

Public instructions

Official March 2024 revision downloaded and relevant instructions and fields read from extracted text. No visual inspection of this form page is claimed.

VA Form 10182 · Decision Review Request: Board Appeal (Notice of Disagreement)

Public instructions

Official June 2026 revision downloaded and relevant instructions and fields read from extracted text. The issue-field page was also rendered and visually inspected.

VA decision reviews and appeals

Public instructions

Primary public overview compared through the web tool: Supplemental, Higher-Level Review and Board alternatives; distinct clinical-treatment, caregiver, contested, insurance and fiduciary matters; legacy and status instructions. Supplemental, Higher-Level Review and Board are alternatives; legacy, contested, health-care, caregiver, insurance and fiduciary matters can need distinct instructions.

Manage a legacy VA appeal

Public instructions

Existing legacy appeals for decisions dated before February 19, 2019; no new legacy appeals accepted; eligible statement/supplemental-statement-of-case opt-in instructions and irreversible move to modernized review.

Board hearings with a Veterans Law Judge

Public instructions

Optional hearing, scheduling and preparation, submitting evidence, rescheduling versus withdrawing the hearing, Board contact scope, and the stale form-field reference compared with the current June 2026 PDF.

How To Appeal a Board of Veterans' Appeals Decision

Public instructions

Court appeal from a final Board decision, ordinary Court receipt period, October 1, 2026 ACMS change for represented new cases, separate self-represented filing methods, and filing-fee or financial-hardship instructions.

VA Form 10-10ez — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 10-10ezr — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 21-22 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 21-22a — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 20-10206 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 10-5345a — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 22-1990 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 28-1900 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 26-1880 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 21p-527ez — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 21p-534ez — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 21p-530ez — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 10-10CG — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 10-10d — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 10-7959C — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 22-5490 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 22-1990e — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 28-0588 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 26-1817 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 26-4555 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 21-2680 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 21-0779 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 21P-535 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 21P-601 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form VA40-10007 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 21P-534a — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form VA40-1330 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form VA40-0247 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 21-686c — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 21-674 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 10-3542 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

VA Form 29-4125 — selected PDF fields

Official form PDF

Selected fields read from the directly linked official PDF. Individual field page locations are included. Retrieved PDF, printed revision and selected purpose/submission instructions compared. The separate practical field guide covers selected fields only; no complete field, legal or clinical review.

Not every field, certification, eligibility rule or authenticated online screen was reviewed.

Apply for VA health care

Public instructions

Enrollment information, nonmandatory income disclosure at application, supported methods, signed-paper destination and follow-up instructions.

VA health care eligibility

Public instructions

Service and discharge requirements, exceptions, exposure expansion and priority-group distinction; no eligibility calculator.

Apply for VA education benefits

Public instructions

Program-specific application choices; education applications differ from family, transferred and Chapter 31 applications.

Compare VA education eligibility

Public instructions

Program differences and caution about elections and multiple qualifying service periods. No individual entitlement calculation.

After a VA education application

Public instructions

Decision letter, school certifying official and published processing average, not an individual promise.

Where to mail education applications

Public instructions

Education mailing selection follows school location, or home address before choosing a school; not a universal VA address.

Verify school enrollment

Public instructions

Program-specific monthly enrollment verification, listed methods and student-reported attendance changes.

Apply for Veteran Readiness and Employment

Public instructions

Veteran and service-member application differences, VR&E intake, counselor evaluation and rehabilitation plan.

Request a home-loan Certificate of Eligibility

Public instructions

Service-specific supporting documents, surviving-spouse exception, online/lender/regional-loan-center requests and lender distinction.

Apply for Veterans Pension

Public instructions

Financial and service information, conditional medical evidence, online/upload/mail/in-person methods and qualified filing-date guidance.

Veterans Pension requirements

Public instructions

Wartime service, age/disability, discharge and income/net-worth requirements; no financial entitlement calculation.

Pension Aid and Attendance and Housebound allowance

Public instructions

Pension context, examiner-completed 21-2680, conditional nursing-home form and scoped pension mailing address.

Family and caregiver benefits

Public instructions

Directory scope: distinct health, education, caregiver and survivor programs; not automatic eligibility from family status.

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation

Public instructions

Survivor-specific requirements and forms; casualty assistance, pension intake, optional filing-date instructions and follow-up.

Survivors Pension

Public instructions

Survivor, wartime and financial requirements; applicable application and pension intake; no eligibility or payment calculator.

Accrued benefits and substitution

Public instructions

Relationship-based application choice, expense reimbursement, substitution distinction and one-year ordinary/five-year specified lump-sum timing.

CHAMPVA health coverage

Public instructions

CHAMPVA application and other-insurance requirements, Spring City eligibility intake and caregiver automatic-enrollment distinction.

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance

Public instructions

DEA requirements, education election differences, program-dependent time limits, 22-5490 and school certification.

Fry Scholarship

Public instructions

Distinct Fry eligibility, dependent versus spouse DIC interaction, DEA election and current application methods.

Transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits

Public instructions

DOD transfer prerequisite, dependent own-account rule, under-18 PDF route and program-specific time limits.

General caregiver support

Public instructions

Local caregiver team, general support enrollment and available training; separate from PCAFC stipend eligibility.

Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers

Public instructions

Joint application, no medical records with initial application, signature authority, intake, evaluation and program contacts.

Request rides to VA appointments

Public instructions

Local appointment transport, facility-specific request deadline, VetRide/phone alternatives and special-mode provider requirements.

Veterans Transportation Program

Public instructions

Facility availability and VA-authorized appointments; rides differ from reimbursement and highly rural grants to organizations.

File travel reimbursement claims

Public instructions

Eligibility, advance approval for specified expenses, separate direct deposit, receipts, ordinary 30-day instruction and care-facility paper submission.

Apply for an adapted housing grant

Public instructions

SAH/SHA online, 26-4555 paper application, Claims Intake address and decision letter.

Adapted housing grant requirements

Public instructions

Qualifying disability and ownership distinctions for SAH, SHA and TRA. FY2026 amounts remain on the page; not reproduced as current FY2027 limits.

Military records requests with Standard Form 180

Public instructions

Record-specific address selection, copies rather than originals, signature, request status and emergency instructions.

Standard Form 180

Public instructions

Official SF-180 form directory reports June 2026 revision; request addresses must follow the record-location chart.

Request VA medical records from a facility

Public instructions

Release of Information team or 10-5345a, facility-specific destination and follow-up timing; separate from VBA files.

Request VA benefit records

Public instructions

Current VA personal-record request destination. Submission instructions preserved from separately reviewed 20-10206 PDF; form-page JavaScript shell does not establish interpretation. Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA burial and memorial benefits

Public instructions

Separate cemetery planning, burial scheduling, expense reimbursement and memorial items; no single application covers them all.

Veterans burial allowance and transportation benefits

Public instructions

Applicant and death circumstances, ordinary two-year rule and listed exceptions, conditional evidence, surviving-spouse automatic payment and scoped pension intake.

Pre-need burial eligibility

Public instructions

VA national-cemetery planning before death; not Arlington or a reservation of a specific gravesite. Current 40-10007 and scoped NCA intake.

After a pre-need burial request

Public instructions

Decision letter, family recordkeeping, time-of-need eligibility review and follow-up contact.

Schedule a burial for a Veteran or family member

Public instructions

National-cemetery scheduling, fax or email service documents followed by a confirmation call; records help, active-duty and state/tribal differences.

Veterans headstones and markers

Public instructions

Applicant and cemetery requirements, supporting service copies, 40-1330 and scoped NCA methods. The linked form supplies design, delivery and installation instructions.

Presidential Memorial Certificates

Public instructions

Eligible requester, service and death copies, automatic certificate at national-cemetery burial, additional requests and four-month inquiry instruction.

VA dental care eligibility

Public instructions

Dental eligibility classes, enrollment and limited post-discharge application circumstances. Optional purchased dental insurance is distinct from eligibility for VA dental care.

VA life insurance options

Public instructions

Program directory only; separate current program instructions determine eligibility, premiums, application and claims.

Veterans Affairs Life Insurance

Public instructions

Service-connected eligibility, age-specific rules, paid premiums, two-year full-coverage waiting period, application and post-January-2026 S-DVI transition warning.

Veterans’ Group Life Insurance

Public instructions

Service-event eligibility, ordinary one-year-and-120-day application period, 240-day health-evidence distinction, OSGLI methods and premiums. Temporary premium holiday does not make the program permanently free.

Claim VA individual life insurance proceeds

Public instructions

Form page metadata and linked December 2024 PDF reviewed for individual-policy beneficiary, estate, supporting evidence and scoped Insurance Center submission. Not an SGLI or VGLI claim form. Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

Find a job with Veterans’ Employment and Training Service

Public instructions

American Job Centers, CareerOneStop, transition and military-spouse job-search links. Program or employer eligibility is separate; no placement guarantee.

State Veterans affairs offices

Public instructions

Official office directory and current redirect from the former department.va.gov office page. State benefit rules and individual program applications require the relevant state authority.

Veterans Crisis Line

Public instructions

Free 24/7 call, text and chat contacts for Veterans, service members and people concerned about them. No VA enrollment prerequisite; crisis-line privacy rules apply.

VA housing-crisis assistance

Public instructions

Free 24/7 National Call Center for Homeless Veterans, local VA connection and distinct permanent-supportive, rapid-rehousing and transitional programs. Provider grants are not individual application guarantees.

Manage dependents for compensation, pension and DIC

Public instructions

Compensation rating threshold, relationship and school distinctions, 21-686c/21-674/21P-509, benefit-specific updates, conditional evidence and scoped compensation intake.

VA Form 10-10CG: Apply for the family caregiver assistance program

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 10-10d: Apply for CHAMPVA coverage

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 10-10EZ: Apply for VA health care

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 10-10EZR: Update VA health care information

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 10-3542: Request reimbursement of travel expenses

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 10-5345a: Request your VA health information

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 10-7959C: Report other health insurance for CHAMPVA

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 10182: Request a Board Appeal

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 20-0995: Request a Supplemental Claim

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 20-0996: Request a Higher-Level Review

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 21-0779: Provide nursing-home information

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 21-0966: Intent to file a claim

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 21-22: Appoint a veterans service organization

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 21-22a: Appoint an individual representative

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 21-2680: Document Aid and Attendance or Housebound needs

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 21-674: Request approval of school attendance

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 21-686c: Add or remove applicable dependents

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 21P-527EZ: Apply for Veterans Pension

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 21P-530EZ: Apply for burial benefits

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 21P-534a: Apply for survivor benefits after an active-duty death

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 21P-534EZ: Apply for DIC, Survivors Pension or accrued benefits

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 21P-535: Apply for Parents’ DIC

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 21P-601: Apply for applicable accrued benefits

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 22-1990: Apply for education benefits

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 22-1990e: Apply to use transferred GI Bill benefits

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 22-5490: Apply for DEA or Fry education benefits

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 26-1817: Request a surviving-spouse home-loan COE

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 26-1880: Request a home-loan Certificate of Eligibility

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 26-4555: Apply for adapted-housing benefits

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 28-0588: Read the active-duty VR&E eligibility notice

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form 28-1900: Apply for Veteran Readiness and Employment

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form VA40-0247: Request a Presidential Memorial Certificate

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form VA40-10007: Request pre-need burial eligibility

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

VA Form VA40-1330: Request a government headstone or marker

Public instructions

Form number, official title and linked official page/PDF. Program-specific instructions and separate PDF evidence support use and submission; a successful fetch does not verify every field.

38 CFR 4.25 — Combined ratings table

Regulation

Published combination examples, descending order, whole table values, final conversion, and the 86 + 80 regulatory table cell compared. The arithmetic helper also matched 684 distinct corrected fixture combinations.

38 CFR 4.26 — Bilateral factor

Regulation

Current primary text compared for declared paired upper/lower extremities, one combined group, ten percent added, the published 70-percent example, compensable-pair applicability, and favorable exclusions. Paired skeletal muscles are not supported in the standalone proposal.

2023 interim rule — Exceptions to applying the bilateral factor

Regulation

Published 93 + 10/10 and 92 + 20/10 anomalies, half-up whole-number rounding of the factored group, and addition of §4.26(d) compared. Its narrower 90-to-100 discussion is read with the later final rule.

2023 final rule — Bilateral-factor favorable exclusions

Regulation

Clarification that favorable exclusions are not confined to the 90-to-100 boundary. The 80-to-90 regression in VetCore is derived arithmetic, not a published VA worked example.

M21-1, Part V, Subpart iv, Chapter 1, Section C - Coded Conclusion

Internal VA procedures

Rendered topic 4 and exact headings read: ordinary combined entries, paired applicability, single-code bilateral examples, favorable exclusions, and rounding. No full article review is claimed. The proposal excludes single-code bilateral evaluations and paired skeletal muscles.

Current Veteran Readiness and Employment eligibility

Public instructions

Current basic period of eligibility instructions distinguish discharge before January 1, 2013 from discharge on or after that date. This comparison flags historical general text in the December 2000 notice; it does not decide individual eligibility.

VA: increased claims for an awarded condition

Public instructions

Increased claim requires up-to-date medical evidence that an already service-connected condition worsened; distinct new secondary conditions and review of a prior decision.

VA: CHAMPVA for Primary Family Caregivers

Public instructions

PCAFC Primary Family Caregiver enrollment when no other health insurance; no separate 10-10d; contact Caregiver Support Coordinator.

VA: accrued benefits and pending claims

Public instructions

Relationship-dependent forms, one-year ordinary accrued filing period, special five-year withheld lump-sum category, supporting proof and substitution.

38 CFR 3.1010: substitution after a claimant’s death

Legal rules

Priority eligibility; one-year request; written and deemed requests; eligibility proof; additional evidence and no expansion of issues; remaining procedural time. No personalized deadlines.

38 CFR 3.1000: accrued benefits

Legal rules

Ordinary accrued eligibility order, evidence in VA possession at death and one-year application requirement; not all special unpaid-benefit categories.

VA Form 21P-0847: request substitution

Public instructions

Current November 2024 form revision and separately linked online substitution request.

VA Form 21P-0847: current PDF instructions

Public instructions

November 2024 two-page form; one-year request; deceased and substitute claimant details, relationship, signature, and Pension Intake mailing address.

VA: find and appoint an accredited representative

Public instructions

Contact availability; VSO organization name; 21-22 versus 21-22a; signatures by both parties; current QuickSubmit, scoped mail and in-person channels; new appointment replaces old.

VA: accredited-representative questions

Public instructions

Individual accreditation, recognized organizations, free VSO representation, attorney/agent fees after initial decision with appointment and fee agreement.