Lock Your Effective Date: File an Intent to File Today

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Stop losing back pay—plant your flag with an Intent to File today. An Intent to File (VA Form 21-0966) locks your effective date for up to one year while you gather records, get exams, and tighten your story. Action now: log in to VA.gov and start a disability compensation application; once you begin, the system creates the ITF—even if you don’t finish today. Save the confirmation or screenshot so you can prove the date if needed. Prefer paper? You can mail 21-0966, but check VA.gov for the current process. With your date secured, spend the next weeks organizing evidence and then submit the full claim before the one-year deadline to keep that earlier date and maximize any retro pay.

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More Resources

  • Free Templates — ready‑to‑copy letters, logs, and worksheets to support your claim.
  • Guides — step‑by‑step tutorials to build strong evidence and avoid common pitfalls.
  • FAQ — clear answers to the most frequent VA claim questions.

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