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How the VA claims process actually works
Know every step before you file
Most claim denials happen because veterans didn't know what was coming. Here's the full process — no surprises.
📅File ITF at VA.gov → (free, 2 minutes)
Step 0: File Your Intent to File — RIGHT NOW
Time-SensitiveBefore you do anything else — before you gather records, before you see a doctor, before you even know exactly what you're claiming — file an Intent to File (ITF) at VA.gov. It locks in your effective date.
Your effective date determines when your monthly payments START and how much back pay you receive. Every month you wait costs you money.
Today
Filing date
2 minutes
Takes
12 months
Valid for
The 8 Steps of a VA Disability Claim
Average time: 6–18 months. Knowing each step removes the anxiety of not knowing what's happening to your claim.