The purpose of the new VA intent to file process is to protect the earliest possible date for any award of benefits or increased benefits resulting from your claim. It allows additional time, 1 year from the intent to file date, for a claimant to collect all of the information needed to support your claim and file the completed claim with the VA.
This filing process covers the benefit categories of compensation, pension, survivor’s pension and dependency and indemnity compensation. The submissions are on the new “VA form 21-0966, Intent to File a Claim for Compensation and/or Pension, or Survivors Pension and/or DIC.” This is an easy form to complete and requires little information. In Section I, you select the type of benefit you intend to file under. Section 2 is the Claimant’s Identification information: Name, Social Security Number, Veteran’s Name, Veteran’s Social Security Number, Veteran’s Date of Birth, Veteran’s Sex, VA File Number, Current Mailing Address, Telephone Number, and Email address. Section 3 is the declaration of intent and includes: Claimant’s signature, Date of Signing, and Name of Attorney, Agent or Veterans Service Organization who have the Veteran’s Power of Attorney, POA.
The VA Form 21-0966 can be filed with a VSO (Veterans Service Organization), Electronically (eBenefits), by Phoning the VA Call Center (800-827-1000), the VA Regional Office Public Contact Desk, Mailing, or Faxing. Always keep a copy of your filings.
Benefits can be awarded retroactively to the date of your medical diagnosis or treatment as long as the intent to file is filed within 1 year of the diagnosis or treatment and the required completed claim filing is filed within 1 year of the intent to file claim. The completed claim filing will be submitted using one of the following VA Forms: 21-526EZ “Compensation”, or 21-527EZ “Pension”, or 21-534EZ “Survivors DIC, Death Pension, and/or Accrued Benefits”.
At any given time, the VA will only recognize a single intent to file claim per general benefit category. You could have multiple VA 21-0966 filed claims but each claim would need to be for a different category, such as compensation and survivors benefits. Multiple filings at one time for the same benefit category would be rejected and only the first submitted VA 21-0966 would be approved. Once you file the completed claim, the VA 21-0966 will no longer be active for that benefit category. However, the date of the VA 21-0966 will apply for your completed claim and benefits if approved will be retroactive to the VA 21-0966 filing date. If needed, you will then be free to file a new intent to file claim for this category.