File without a mill
File the claim yourself. VA does not charge.
Recut from VA.gov — not from a coaching shop. Intent to file, the C-file, 21-526EZ, then the exam. An accredited VSO is free help. A mill that wants a cut of back pay is optional and not required.
01 · Intent to file
Lock the date
An intent to file (VA Form 21-0966) sets a potential effective date. You then have one year to finish the claim. If you start 21-526EZ online with a verified Login.gov or ID.me account, VA often treats that start as the intent — you do not always need a separate form. Paper and DIC still might. Confirm on VA.gov. One active intent at a time, per benefit type.
02 · C-file and code sheet
Read the file they already have
Request your claims file and the claim exams with VA Form 20-10206. Do it online. Ask for the C-file and the exams so you get the rating decision and the code sheet — the rater’s map of diagnostic codes. Read that before you pay anyone to tell you what VA already wrote down.
03 · The claim form
File 21-526EZ yourself
VA.gov. Login.gov or ID.me. Disability compensation. Attach what you have: STRs, private records, a buddy statement on 21-10210, your own 21-4138. You do not have to submit evidence — VA can still schedule an exam — but empty claims move slower. VA does not charge to file. An accredited VSO is free help. Confirm them on the OGC list before they touch a form.
04 · C&P is free
Show up to the exam
If VA needs more, they schedule a claim exam. A VA clinician or a contractor (VES, QTC, OptumServe, Loyal Source) may do it. Tests they order are at no cost to you. Missing the exam can delay the claim or get it decided on a thin file. If you miss it for good cause, call 800-827-1000. A private DBQ is optional. VA will not pay you back for one.
What mills sell that VA already defined
Secondary. DBQ. Buddy statement. TDIU. None of those are products.
Secondary is not a paid letter
A secondary claim is a new disability linked to one you already have service-connected — 38 CFR 3.310. That is a regulation, not a product. You still file. You still need a diagnosis. A private nexus letter is optional evidence. VA does not require you to buy one.
A DBQ is a form, not a product
Disability Benefits Questionnaires are public PDFs on VA.gov. Your own clinician can fill one. VA will not reimburse that bill. The claim exam VA schedules is free. Do not confuse a downloaded form with a mill package.
Buddy statements are free
VA Form 21-10210 is a lay or witness statement. Someone who served with you, or lives with the symptoms, writes what they saw. It is not an independent medical opinion and it does not need a letterhead from a shop.
TDIU and SMC are VA.gov claims
Unemployability (TDIU) is a rating path when you cannot hold substantially gainful work — usually 60% one condition, or 70% combined with one at 40%. Form 21-8940. SMC is extra pay for specific losses. Both are on VA.gov. Neither is an upsell.
Read these first
Desk recuts. Same four fights.
Secondary is not a paid letter.
Original still. Official door. No mill copy.
Ask for the C-file and the code sheet.
Original still. Official door. No mill copy.
A DBQ is a form, not a product.
Original still. Official door. No mill copy.
The claim exam is free. Show up.
Original still. Official door. No mill copy.
The questions after formation
Short answers. Then the .gov page.
Does VA charge to file a claim?
No. VA.gov is free. Accredited VSOs are free. Anyone who wants a cut of back pay or a ‘unlock fee’ is optional and not required. Confirm accreditation on VA’s own list.
What is an intent to file?
It locks a potential effective date while you gather evidence. You have one year to finish the claim. Starting 21-526EZ online with a verified Login.gov or ID.me account often does this without a separate 21-0966. One active intent at a time, per benefit type.
Do I need to buy a nexus letter for a secondary claim?
No. A secondary claim is a new disability linked to one you already have service-connected — 38 CFR 3.310. You still file. You still need a diagnosis. A private independent medical opinion is optional evidence. VA does not require you to buy one and does not reimburse it.
What is a DBQ, and does VA pay for a private one?
A Disability Benefits Questionnaire is a form a clinician fills in. Public PDFs are on VA.gov. Your own provider can complete one. VA will not pay or reimburse that bill. The claim exam VA schedules is free.
Is the C&P exam free? What if I miss it?
Yes. Tests they order are at no cost to you. A VA clinician or a contractor may do it. Missing the exam can delay the claim or get it decided on a thin file. If you had good cause, call 800-827-1000 and ask them to reschedule.