VA claim guides and articles
Plain-English guides to VA disability claims: filing, ratings, appeals, PACT Act presumptives, secondary conditions, C&P exams and back pay.
Benefit guides
- VA C-File: What's in Your Claims File and How to Request It
Your C-file is VA's claims file: the service records, C&P exams, evidence and decisions behind your VA claims. Request it with VA Form 20-10206 online, by mail or by fax. First-time filers don't need it; it helps most after a denial or before seeking a higher rating. - VA Buddy Statement (Form 21-10210): What to Write and How to Submit
A buddy statement is a signed account from someone who saw your injury, symptoms or changes. VA calls it lay evidence and weighs it with your records. It can go on VA Form 21-10210 or plain paper, and you or your representative send it to VA. - VA Claim Denied? Supplemental Claim, HLR or Board Appeal
If VA denied your claim, you can file a Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence (VA Form 20-0995), ask for a Higher-Level Review of the same evidence (20-0996), or appeal to the Board (10182). File within one year of the decision letter to keep your original effective date. - PACT Act Presumptive Conditions: Full List, Locations and Dates
The PACT Act, signed August 10, 2022, made 20+ burn pit and toxic exposure conditions presumptive, added hypertension and MGUS to the Agent Orange list, and added new Agent Orange and radiation locations. If your service and diagnosis match VA's lists, you don't have to prove the link. - VA Mental Health Ratings: 30, 50, 70 and 100 Percent Explained
What separates a 30% from a 70% VA mental health rating, the exact criteria VA applies, and the evidence that supports each level. - VA Tinnitus and Hearing Loss Claims: Ratings and Evidence
Tinnitus is rated at a flat 10%. Learn how VA rates hearing loss, what audiograms it accepts, and how to link both to military noise exposure. - VA Sleep Apnea Claim: Ratings, Secondary Connection and Evidence
How VA rates sleep apnea, why the 50% CPAP rating matters, and how to win a secondary claim tied to PTSD, rhinitis, weight gain or asthma. - 2026 VA Disability Rates: Monthly Pay Chart by Rating
In 2026, VA disability pay for a veteran with no dependents runs from $180.42 a month at 10% to $3,938.58 at 100%. These rates took effect December 1, 2025, after a 2.8% cost-of-living increase. At 30% and above, a spouse, children, or parents raise the amount. - How to File a VA Disability Claim: 7 Steps (2026)
To file a VA disability claim, start with an Intent to File, list your conditions, and gather medical, service, and lay evidence. Then submit VA Form 21-526EZ on VA.gov, by mail, in person, or with a free accredited VSO, and go to any C&P exam VA schedules. - VA TDIU: Getting Paid at 100% Without a 100% Rating
Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability pays at the 100% rate when service-connected conditions prevent substantially gainful employment. - Nexus Letter for a VA Claim: What It Needs to Be Strong
A nexus letter is a clinician's signed opinion that your condition is at least as likely as not (50% or more) linked to service or to a service-connected condition. The strongest letters name the records reviewed, state the opinion plainly, and explain the medical reasoning. - VA Intent to File: How It Works and the 1-Year Deadline
A VA Intent to File sets a potential start date for disability, pension, or DIC benefits. Submit it online, by phone at 800-827-1000, or by mail with VA Form 21-0966. You then have one year to file your complete claim and keep that date. - VA Back Pay: How It's Calculated, With 2026 Examples
VA back pay covers the months from your effective date until regular payments begin. Your effective date is usually your Intent to File date or claim date, or the day after discharge if VA got your claim within a year of separation. Pay starts the first of the next month.
Articles
- Provider E-Signatures for Nexus and Buddy Letters
Send your doctor a secure link to review, edit, and e-sign a nexus letter — no account, no printing, no scanning. - How to Share Your Claim Packet With a VSO in Seconds
Give your veterans service officer secure, permission-based access to your full claim packet with a 6-digit code — no login required on their end. - How to Prepare for Your C&P Exam (Without Exaggerating)
The C&P exam decides your rating percentage. Here is exactly how to prepare, what to say, and the mistakes that cost veterans a level or two. - VA Secondary Conditions: The Claims Most Veterans Miss
Secondary service connection can add 10 to 40 points to your combined rating. Here are the most common primary-to-secondary links VA grants. - How Long Does a VA Claim Take? Timelines by Stage
Realistic VA claim timelines stage by stage, what actually causes delays, and the steps that make your claim move faster. - VA PTSD Claim Evidence Checklist: What to Gather Before You File
A complete checklist of the evidence the VA needs for a PTSD claim, including stressor documentation, buddy statements, and treatment records that support a higher rating. - How VA Combined Ratings Work: VA Math Explained (2026)
VA doesn't add disability ratings. It combines them with the whole person method in 38 CFR 4.25: each rating applies only to what's left after the higher ones, then the total rounds to the nearest 10. So 50%, 30%, and 10% make 68.5, which rounds to 70%.
State benefits
- Florida VA Benefits Guide: Property Tax Relief, Tuition Waivers and Claim Help
Florida veteran benefits include homestead property tax exemptions, tuition waivers, and fee reductions tied to your VA disability rating. Here is what to claim. - Texas VA Benefits Guide: State Programs, Property Tax Exemptions and Claim Help
Texas offers some of the strongest state veteran benefits in the country, including full property tax exemption at 100 percent. Here is what you qualify for.
YourVABenefits is software you run on your own records. It is not part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and does not file claims. You file on VA.gov, or an accredited representative files for you at no charge.