Step by step
- File an Intent to File (online, by phone, or VA Form 21-0966). It sets your potential effective date, so if you're approved within the next year, you can be paid back to that date. Starting the claim online records one automatically.
- Gather evidence: your DD-214, service treatment records, VA and private medical records, and lay ("buddy") statements from people who know how your condition affects you (VA Form 21-10210, or your own statement on 21-4138).
- File VA Form 21-526EZ online at VA.gov (fastest), by mail, in person at a regional office, or through an accredited representative.
- Go to your C&P exam. VA or a contractor will schedule it. It's free, travel is reimbursed, and missing it delays your claim.
- Track your claim on VA.gov under "Check your claim or appeal status."
Still in? File before you get out (BDD)
With Benefits Delivery at Discharge, you file 180 to 90 days before separation and need to be available for exams within 45 days. It's the fastest way to have a rating soon after you get out. With fewer than 90 days left, you can still file a pre-discharge claim, just not through BDD.
PACT Act conditions
If you served in the Gulf War or post-9/11 locations like Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Syria or Djibouti, many cancers and breathing conditions (asthma diagnosed after service, COPD, chronic sinusitis and more) are now presumed service-connected. There's no deadline to file.
Free help, and who to avoid
- Accredited Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) and your county veterans service office help for free. Accredited attorneys and claims agents may charge fees.
- Watch out for unaccredited "consultants" who promise a higher rating or a faster claim for a fee. VA calls them bad actors. Check accreditation on VA.gov, and report them at VSAFE.gov.
2026 VA disability pay (effective Dec. 1, 2025)
| Rating | Monthly (veteran alone) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
| 100% with spouse | $4,158.17 |
How a rating helps when you buy a home
- Any rating of 10% or more waives the VA funding fee, which is thousands at closing. See the 2026 funding fee chart.
- Disability pay is tax-free income that lenders can count and often gross up when you qualify.
- At 100%, California's property tax exemption kicks in, and it's getting much bigger with SB 296.
Sources: VA: How to file · VA: Intent to File · VA: BDD · VA: PACT Act · VA: 2026 rates. Rules and amounts change; always confirm on the official site. Veteran Mortgage Guys is not a government agency or a VSO.
Common questions
What is an Intent to File?
A notice to VA that you plan to file. It saves your potential effective date, and you then have 1 year to file your claim.
How long does a VA disability claim take?
VA's average was about 68 days as of August 2026. Missing your C&P exam or sending incomplete evidence slows it down.
When can I file before I get out?
Through Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD), 180 to 90 days before your separation date.
Do I have to pay someone to help with my claim?
No. Accredited VSOs and county veterans service offices help for free.
See your real numbers
Our free calculator uses 2026 pay tables, BAH by ZIP and VA residual income standards. About 2 minutes, no credit pull.
Educational information only, not a commitment to lend or a loan approval. VA guidelines and lender requirements change; your eligibility and terms depend on your full application, credit, income and VA entitlement.