Your VA benefits, one step at a time

Free, plain-language help for veterans. No logins, no sales pitch, no promises about ratings. Pick the door that fits you.

I'm new to thisYou have never filed, or you filed once and got nothing. Learn the process, what evidence you need, and the deadlines that protect your back pay. I already have a ratingSee what unlocks at each rating, how to go higher the right way, and every state and federal benefit you can claim today.

Where do I start? quiz

Six questions. Routes you to the right path: first claim, review, supplemental, increase, secondary, or unemployability.

Rating & pay calculator

Combine your ratings the way the VA does and see what the next step is worth. 2026 rates.

State benefits by rating

Property tax breaks, plates, park passes, tuition, and more, with the official link for each.

Claim paths flowchart

Click through initial claim, increase, secondary, supplemental, higher-level review, Board appeal, and TDIU.

Tools & forms

Official links for every form you will hear about: 21-0966, 21-526EZ, 20-0995, 20-0996, DBQs, and more.

Get free help

Accredited VSOs help for free. How to find one, how fees work, and how to spot a claim shark.

Please read first

We are not the VA. This site is not made by, paid for, or connected to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Free help exists. VA-accredited Veterans Service Organizations (DAV, VFW, American Legion, and your county or state veterans office) help for free. How to find one.
No promises. Nobody can promise a rating or an amount. Only the VA decides.
Education only. Nothing here is legal, medical, or financial advice. I am not VA-accredited yet and cannot represent anyone or file for anyone.
Nothing is tracked. The calculator and quiz run on your device. Nothing you tap is sent anywhere unless you choose to join the interest list.

Three ideas that run this whole site

Save your date first

An Intent to File (VA Form 21-0966) locks in your start date for one year. Back pay runs from that date, not from the day you finish the paperwork. Deadlines explained.

Every condition needs three legs

A current diagnosis, proof of how bad it is, and a doctor's statement that links it to your service (the nexus). Missing one leg is the most common reason claims lose. The three-leg gate.

A rating is a key, not a finish line

Ratings unlock health care, education for your kids, property tax breaks, hiring preference, and more. Most veterans never claim half of it. The rating ladder.