Submit an intent to file

Use this form if you plan to file a disability or pension claim. If you notify us of your intent to file and we approve your claim, you may be able to get retroactive payments. Retroactive payments are payments for the time between when we processed your intent to file and when we approved your claim. An intent to file sets a potential start date (or effective date) for your benefits.

What to know before you fill out this form

• After you submit your intent to file, you have 1 year to complete and file your claim. After 1 year, the potential effective date for your benefits will expire.
• In some cases, it may take us a few days to process your intent to file after you submit it. We’ll let you know what your potential effective date is after we process your intent to file.

What to know if you’re signing on behalf of someone else

We’ll need to have one of these forms showing that you’re authorized to sign for the person filing the claim:

• VA Form 21-0972 (Alternate Signer Certification)
• VA Form 21-22 (Appointment of Veterans Service Organization as Claimant’s Representative)
• VA Form 21-22a (Appointment of Individual As Claimant’s Representative)

Note: If you’ve already submitted one of these forms, you don’t need to do anything else. If you haven’t, submit one of these forms before you submit an intent to file.

Claims you can file after filling out this form

After you complete this form, we’ll direct you to one or more of these benefit applications for you to complete:

• Disability compensation claim (VA Form 21-526EZ). Note: If you start your disability claim online now, you don’t need to fill out this intent to file form. When you start your disability application or Supplemental Claim online, it notifies us automatically of your intent to file.
• Pension claim (VA Form 21P-527EZ)
• Pension claim for survivors (21P-534EZ)

Start your intent to file