VA BENEFITS REFERENCE
Recognizing Unaccredited Claims Consultants
Look at what a business actually offers to do, who will do it, and whether that person is authorized. Labels such as consultant, coach, or education service do not answer those questions.
Examine The Service Being Offered
OGC says it evaluates whether someone has expressed interest in a VA claim and whether the offered services have significance beyond obtaining VA benefits. Its examples of claim preparation include advice given in contemplation of filing, gathering supporting evidence for a claimant, and completing forms for submission.
Ask the business to describe its work in writing. Who selects the claim issues, reviews your records, prepares forms, or develops evidence? Whether a service involves claims representation depends on the actual activity, not simply the title printed on an invoice.
Sources: [1].
Check The Individual Providing Help
Ask for the full name and accreditation type of the person responsible for representation. Search OGC's official directory yourself. A company logo, professional-sounding title, or assertion that an application is pending does not establish current VA accreditation.
If the name does not appear, check spelling and filters, then ask OGC to resolve the uncertainty. A missing search result is a reason to investigate; it is not evidence supporting a public accusation about a particular business. Record what was promised and what you verified.
Identify What You Would Be Paying For
OGC states that an attorney or agent may not charge a claimant for preparing and filing an initial VA benefits claim. Only appropriately accredited attorneys and agents may receive permitted representation fees; VSO claim assistance is free.
Request an itemized description of the proposed charges and ask which work each charge covers. A consulting label does not establish that claim-preparation fees are allowed. Medical treatment or an independent clinical service presents a different factual question from preparing a claim; do not assume every paid medical service is prohibited claims representation.
Distinguish Limited Unpaid Help
VA regulations allow a narrow one-claim authorization for an individual who is not otherwise accredited, with the required appointment and signed statement that no compensation will be charged or paid. The individual ordinarily may use that authorization only once, subject to a General Counsel exception.
This provision is not permission to run a paid claims-consulting business without accreditation. Ask anyone relying on an exception to identify it and explain the required documentation. Obtain clarification from VA rather than accepting a broad claim that accreditation rules never apply.
Document Concerns And Use Official Channels
Keep the contract, advertisements, invoices, payment records, and relevant messages. Write a dated account of the services offered and performed. Separate facts you can document from assumptions about motive or legality.
OGC publishes complaint instructions covering accredited representatives and other individuals or organizations assisting with claims. Depending on the concern, those instructions direct people to OGC or the Federal Trade Commission and explain possible referrals. Follow the official route; submitting a complaint does not itself resolve a contract dispute or produce a guaranteed refund.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does filing the claim myself settle the accreditation question?
No. OGC also describes certain advice, evidence gathering, and form preparation before filing as claim preparation. Review what the provider actually does.
Can a fee be valid just because it is called coaching?
The label alone does not establish permission. OGC examines the services being provided and their relationship to preparing, presenting, or pursuing a VA claim.
Official Sources
Last verified 2026-10-25. Source publication or legal effective dates are shown separately where available.
- www.va.gov/ogc/accred_faqs.asp
- www.va.gov/ogc/apps/accreditation/index.asp
- www.va.gov/ogc/accreditation.asp
- www.va.gov/OGC/docs/Accred/TipsonFeeAgreementsforVeteransClaims.pdf
- www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/section-14.636
- www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/section-14.630
- www.va.gov/OGC/docs/Accred/Howtofileacomplaint.pdf
Check The Source. Get Accredited Help.
Use this resource to understand published information. VA and the official decision control individual benefits.