VA forms & next steps
Find the next step for your VA claim.
Answer a few questions about your situation. Get a checklist of what to do, the relevant VA form, and instructions for sending it. Keep your latest decision letter nearby if you have one.
For disability compensation. Educational guidance, not legal advice or representation. No guaranteed outcomes. Already know the form? Browse all forms.
Should I file a new claim, ask for an increase, or request review?
| Situation | Process to check | Main form |
|---|---|---|
| VA has not decided this condition before | New claim, or a secondary claim for a linked condition | 21-526EZ |
| A condition VA recognizes as connected to service has worsened | Increase | 21-526EZ |
| VA already decided the issue, and you have evidence it has not considered that helps answer the claim, or a qualifying change in law | Supplemental Claim | 20-0995 |
| You believe the decision is wrong based on evidence VA already had; check whether that decision allows HLR | Higher-Level Review | 20-0996 |
| Review by a Veterans Law Judge | Board Appeal | 10182 |
Check your letter to see which reviews you can request and when each is due. Do not request more than one review at the same time for the same issue. Different issues may use different processes.
Sources: VA claim types · VA review options · VA review-rights notice (PDF)
HLR: what happens on the call, and what am I trying to accomplish?
The HLR informal conference is an optional phone call. You explain errors in the earlier decision to the higher-level reviewer, using evidence VA already had. A Board hearing is a separate process where you speak to a Veterans Law Judge.
- Before the call: have your decision letter and a short list of what you think is wrong. For each point, note the document, date, and page VA already had that support it.
- During the call: explain what VA got wrong and point to the record that shows it. For example, identify a test result VA already had, rather than a symptom that got worse after the decision. New evidence is not considered in HLR.
- Your goal: make each disputed point easy to check. For example, give the date and page of a report already in the file and explain how it relates to the reason VA gave.
The decision may stay the same, change in your favor, or return for correction of a duty-to-assist error, meaning VA missed a required step in helping gather evidence and must fix it. That return is not itself an award. Read the next decision notice for the outcome and review rights.
Walk through preparation, the call, and what happens afterward. Looking for a hearing with a judge? See the separate Board hearing walkthrough.
Source: VA Higher-Level Review and informal conference guidance
Do I always need an Intent to File first?
No. It does not replace a review request or extend HLR or Board Appeal deadlines. An Intent to File tells VA you plan to apply. It can establish a potential benefit start date (effective date) for benefits covered by these rules, but does not guarantee a payment or award.
VA says starting certain online applications while signed in with a verified account can establish an Intent to File automatically, including disability claims and disability Supplemental Claims. A separate Form 21-0966 may not be needed. Generally, you then have 1 year to complete the claim.
Starting this VetOps guide does not notify VA or protect an effective date.
Sources: VA Intent to File instructions · VA review deadlines
Browse all forms
A supporting statement does not replace the main claim or review form. Confirm the latest version and filing instructions on VA.gov.
Before you file
Unsure which form to use or when it is due?
Benefits Action Plan includes applications beyond claims: health enrollment, family coverage, home adaptations and retirement benefits.
Bring your decision notice to an accredited representative. Ask which part of the decision needs a response, what evidence you can send, and when VA must receive it.