VA Form 21-526EZ Guide

Source: VA.gov form summary (last updated May 23, 2025)

• Official name: Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits
• Download: VBA-21-526EZ-ARE.pdf
• Primary use: Start a new VA disability claim, add new primary or secondary conditions, or request an increased rating.
• Keep your effective date: Filing within one year of separation—or pairing the claim with an Intent to File—preserves the earliest payable date.
• Typical processing time: VA’s performance dashboard reports ~4–6 months for fully developed compensation claims in 2025.

• Launching a new disability compensation claim for service connection, including conditions tied to toxic exposures covered under the PACT Act.
• Requesting an increased rating for a service-connected disability when you have up-to-date medical evidence that documents the worsening.
• Adding secondary conditions linked to existing ratings (for example, sleep apnea caused by PTSD medication).
• Filing within 12 months of leaving active duty to lock in the separation-date effective date—consider submitting VA Form 21-0966 if your evidence is still in progress.
• Submitting a Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) claim if you are 90 to 180 days away from separation and have all supporting documentation ready.

• Service history, contact information, and direct-deposit details exactly as they appear in DEERS or ID.me.
• Diagnosis evidence: VA or private medical records, DBQs, or Independent Medical Opinions that clearly spell out current conditions and severity.
• Nexus support tying each condition to service—provider statements, deployment orders, exposure summaries, or lay statements using VA Form 21-10210.
• Consent for private records: VA Forms 21-4142 and 21-4142a if you need the VA to retrieve treatment notes from non-VA facilities.
• A packaging plan: label exhibits, merge multi-page PDFs, and review the Claim Prep Checklist so nothing is missing.

File online (recommended)

Sign in to VA.gov and start the disability application. Upload evidence as separate, clearly titled files and double-check each Issue selection before submitting.

Mail, fax, or in-person delivery

Send the completed form and evidence to the VA Claims Intake Center:

Fax domestic claims to 844-531-7818 (or 248-524-4260 from overseas). You can also submit through an accredited Veterans Service Organization representative or deliver the packet to a VA regional office.

Request faster handling when eligible

Mention homelessness, terminal illness, serious financial hardship, Medal of Honor/POW status, or age 85+ in your cover memo to request an expedite.

• Watch the claim status tool weekly—development letters and exam notices often arrive digitally before the mail copy.
• Be ready for Compensation & Pension exams. Review our C&P Exam Prep guide and bring key medical records or symptom logs.
• Respond to any VA evidence requests within the suspense date; missing a deadline can push the claim into a partial decision.
• If the decision is unfavorable, you have one year to choose a decision review option—start with a Supplemental Claim (VA Form 20-0995) or Higher-Level Review (VA Form 20-0996) based on the evidence you have ready.

• Skipping an Intent to File when evidence is still pending—set one up to preserve your effective date before collecting records.
• Uploading combined PDFs without clear names; label each exhibit (for example, “Sleep Apnea DBQ – Dr. Smith – Jan 2025”).
• Listing multiple Issues under a single narrative. Separate each claimed condition so VA rating staff can route exams correctly.
• Forgetting to include treatment facility details when asking VA to gather private records—missing addresses can stall development.
• Ignoring presumptive rules. If a condition is covered under the PACT Act, cite the exposure and qualifying location right in Section IV.

• New Claim playbook — full walkthrough of the claim lifecycle.
• Claim Prep Checklist — printable evidence checklist tailored to 21-526EZ.
• VA disability calculator — estimate combined ratings and SMC tiers after you file.
• Supplemental Claim guide — next step if you uncover new and relevant evidence after a denial.
• Higher-Level Review guide — when to choose a de novo review instead of refiling.