Representation & Fees
Everything in one place, our services broken down, the real difference in service, enforceability, what happens if the VA fails to pay, myths versus facts, and plain answers. All governed by 38 CFR §14.636. Representation is paid only from past-due benefits the VA awards, never from your future monthly payments, and every term is in writing before you sign.
I want you to know exactly what representation costs before you sign anything. Our two representation options are contingent, paid only from past-due benefits, and never from your future monthly payments. The Mission 5 Brief is a separate flat fee for veterans who want to file on their own. Read every option on this page, compare it to what others charge, and ask me any question you have. A fee agreement you do not understand is a fee agreement you should not sign.
Our Services, Broken Down
This section lays out exactly what you are hiring us to do, option by option, so nothing is left to a phone call or a handshake. Representation is paid only from past-due benefits we win, at 20% or 30% depending on the option you choose, and the Mission 5 Brief is a separate $750 flat fee. Read every line before you sign. If a term is unclear to you, ask before you sign, not after.
No Fee Unless You Win, And It Applies to Every Recovery
On contingency representation, we are only paid when we win you past-due benefits. No win, no fee, you owe nothing. And understand this from the start: the fee is not a one-time charge. Each condition is its own case, and every appeal that results in back pay is its own recovery. When we fight, win, and it produces a retroactive award, the agreed fee applies to that award, and it applies again the next time we do it. That alignment is intentional: when we fight for a larger award and an earlier effective date, we are fighting for both of us.
Why We Can Charge a Fee at All
Let me be abundantly clear about this, because it is where most veterans get misled. A fee is only lawful because I am federally accredited. I am a VA-accredited claims agent, accreditation #45147, recognized by the VA Office of General Counsel. That accreditation is what gives me the legal authority to represent you for a fee. I am accountable for the accuracy and professional conduct of the representation I provide, and that accountability is the reason a fee is permitted at all.
38 CFR §14.636 is the federal regulation that governs exactly what an accredited agent may charge for and what he may not. We follow it to the letter. Here is the plain-English version of what the law allows and does not allow:
What the Law Allows
- Charging a contingency fee on the past-due benefits we recover for you
- Being paid directly by the VA out of your retroactive award (up to 20%)
- A written, reasonable fee agreement filed with the VA Office of General Counsel
- A separate fee for each award, on each condition, each time we win a recovery
What the Law Does Not Allow
- Charging a fee for an initial claim before the VA issues its first decision
- Any fee at all when there is no favorable outcome and no back pay
- A fee taken from your ongoing monthly compensation going forward
- A verbal, unwritten, or unfiled fee arrangement
This is why our representation focuses on veterans who have already been denied or under-rated, the appeals and rating fights where an accredited agent adds the most value and where a fee is legally permitted. You always know exactly what you agreed to, and the VA has a copy.
The Three Services
We offer three completely separate services, kept distinct on purpose so you know exactly what you are buying, what it costs, and how it is paid. These are not tiers of one agreement, you choose the single option that fits your situation.
Two are contingency representation with no cost up front; they differ by how hard the case is and how the fee gets paid. The third is a flat-fee forensic report for the veteran who wants to fight the claim himself.
Standard Direct-Pay Representation
20% of back pay
No cost up front, nothing out of pocket. The VA withholds our fee and pays us directly under §14.636(h). Best for cleaner, more recent, single-issue denials, routine higher-level reviews, supplemental claims, and rating increases, carried all the way to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
See full details
High-Complexity Representation
30% of back pay
For high-complexity cases, long claim histories, prior Board denials, CUE, complex effective-date and TDIU fights, multi-issue toxic exposure. Still no cost up front. Because the VA pays a rep only up to 20% directly, the VA sends your full retro to you and we invoice you directly for the 30%. Lawful, but never entered into lightly.
See full details
Mission 5 Intelligence Brief
$750 flat
A standalone forensic file review and written road map, not representation. For the veteran with a tough, older case who wants to fight it himself and keep 100% of his back pay. We audit your file, show you every error, and hand you the plan. Available only to veterans who already have a VA decision.
See full detailsThe exact contingency percentage on your case is set in a written agreement by the complexity of the work, always within the maximum the law allows. Federal-court litigation, if it is ever needed, is a separate, pre-agreed arrangement.
Compare the Three Services Side by Side
Every service starts from the same forensic review of your file, that is the foundation every client gets. From there the three diverge sharply in who does the fighting, how far it is carried, and how the fee is paid. The green checks and red marks below show, at a glance, exactly where the services are the same and where they are not.
| Feature / Scope | Option 1Standard Direct-Pay20% contingency | Option 2High-Complexity30% contingency | Option 3Mission 5 Brief$750 flat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Purpose | We execute the approved strategy for you | We execute a complex strategy with greater client collaboration | We provide the intelligence, you execute it |
| Formal Ongoing Representation | Included | Included | Limited engagement, closed after the briefing |
| Shared foundationForensic Foundation | Same forensic foundation | Same forensic foundation | The forensic report is the purchased product |
| Who Prepares & Files | Our office | Our office | The veteran |
| Communication Model | Milestone-based | Higher-engagement and collaborative | One 45-minute briefing |
| Client Participation | Treatment, evidence, statements, examinations, and timely responses | All standard responsibilities plus greater participation at major strategy points | Full responsibility after delivery |
| Written Report Delivered to You | Working analysis drives your strategy | Working analysis drives your strategy | Plain-language plan handed to you |
| Best Suited For | A straightforward denial within the past 12 months with clean, available evidence | Multi-year denials, 5-10+ year C-files, prior BVA appeals, CUEs, complex TDIU | Long-term filers who want to execute the claim on their own |
| Fee | 20% contingency of past-due benefits | 30% contingency of past-due benefits | Flat $750, paid once |
| How the Fee Is Paid | VA-directed withholding from past-due benefits, when applicable | You pay the firm directly under the written agreement | Paid by you at the time of engagement |
| End Point | When the agreed representation concludes | When the agreed representation concludes | After report delivery and briefing |
| Future Work | Governed by the representation agreement | Governed by the representation agreement | Requires a new engagement |
| Full details | Option 1 page | Option 2 page | Option 3 page |
Options 2 and 3 serve the same high-complexity veteran and receive the same depth of forensic review, the difference is the scope of the engagement and how the work is delivered, never the quality of the advocacy. Both non-direct arrangements are filed with the VA Office of General Counsel (022D) within 30 days, as the regulations require. Each service has its own page above, open it for the full breakdown.
What We Do Not Do
We are a VA-accredited disability-claims representation practice. Our work is to analyze the record, identify errors and evidence gaps, develop the appropriate strategy, prepare authorized filings, and protect the veteran’s interests throughout the agreed representation. Knowing where that work starts and stops up front saves you time, keeps your expectations honest, and tells you exactly which parts of the claim stay in your hands.
We are not a medical provider, a routine claim-status service, or a business that promises every veteran a 100% rating. We do not manufacture evidence, script exaggerated symptoms, or file unsupported issues merely to see what happens.
We will tell you where your case is strong, where it is vulnerable, what VA may have gotten wrong, and what must happen next. That honesty applies equally to every service we provide. I am a VA-accredited claims agent, Agent #45147, and I am accountable for the accuracy and professional conduct of the representation I provide.
We Do Not Pull Claim Statuses
Our meetings are for strategy, not status checks. The VA gives you tools to track your claim in real time, VA.gov, the VA: Health and Benefits app, and My HealtheVet, showing exactly where it sits and whether an exam was ordered. We will not spend a strategy session reading you a screen you can pull up on your phone. Contact us when you have new medical evidence, a completed statement, or a case-development question, not for an update we cannot act on.
We Do Not Write Nexus Letters
We are not your doctors. A nexus letter has to come from a qualified medical provider who can speak to your diagnosis, your treatment history, and the link between your condition and your service. What we do is tell you exactly what that letter must say to carry legal weight under 38 C.F.R. Part 3, the standard, the language, and the evidence it has to line up with. A nexus opinion built on the wrong standard is worth nothing. We make sure yours is built to win.
We Do Not Recommend Doctors or Keep a List
We do not keep a “list of doctors” and we do not recommend specific providers. We have the law. Who treats you stays between you and your own providers, and anyone handing you a doctor and a nexus as a package deal should make you nervous. What we do is show you how to talk to your doctor, what to document, and what findings the rating schedule requires under 38 C.F.R. Part 4. The diagnosis has to be yours, we make it count.
We Do Not Coach You to Game an Exam
There are no magic words, no cheat sheet, no answers to memorize before a C&P examination. Every claim is different, so forget what your buddy told you, his 70% has nothing to do with your case, and following someone else’s playbook can sink a good claim. What we do is review your completed C&P exams, pinpoint what the examiner missed or got wrong, and challenge an inadequate exam under 38 C.F.R. §3.159 so nothing that matters gets left on the record.
We Do Not File Claims Without Evidence
We do not throw paperwork at the VA to see what sticks. Every claim we file is backed by a current diagnosis, a documented nexus, and a history of care showing functional impairment. Without those three, we cannot file, that is the law under 38 C.F.R. Part 3, not us being difficult. If you have not seen a doctor, you have no diagnosis, and there is nothing to file. That part is your responsibility: go get the condition documented, and we will tell you exactly what that record needs.
We Do Not Promise You 100%
Not every veteran is entitled to 100%. Every veteran is entitled to the maximum rating the evidence supports for each condition. If your case supports 70%, we get 70%; if it supports 100%, we get you there, but we will not tell you what you want to hear to sign you up. The combined ratings table under 38 C.F.R. § 4.25 is not additive; a new 30% on top of 90% does not add 30 points. We walk you through the real math in the Mission 5 forensic review.
We Do Not Entertain Medical Theories Without Medical Proof
We do not file claims built on theories, assumptions, or what a YouTube channel told you qualifies. If it is not documented by a licensed provider, it does not exist to the VA. None of it holds up under 38 C.F.R. Part 3, and filing it wastes your time, our time, and your appeal rights. What we do is review your actual record, diagnoses, treatment notes, clinical findings, and find which conditions have a legally and medically supportable pathway. Bring us records, not theories, and we will show you what the law can do.
We Do Not Pressure Veterans to Hire Us
We provide an honest assessment of whether the matter fits our practice. We do not promise a result, bid against another representative, or tell a veteran what we think they want to hear. When the evidence supports a path forward, we explain it. When it does not, we explain that too. If it is strong, we move; if it has holes, we tell you exactly how to fill them, because cycling through representatives looking for a yes is how veterans waste years.
Related Benefits We Help You Understand
A VA disability award may affect benefits involving dependents, health care, education, housing, taxes, and survivors. We help our disability-compensation clients understand the larger significance of their award, what records should be preserved, what family members should know, and when another benefit may require a separate application or specialist.
Matters Outside Our Current Representation Scope
We do not currently prepare or prosecute the following applications as part of our disability-compensation representation. When one of these matters is relevant, we explain the connection and direct the veteran or family toward the appropriate VA office, accredited representative, professional, or program.
- VA home-loan applications
- GI Bill and Chapter 35 applications
- CHAMPVA and TRICARE enrollment
- VR&E applications
- Standalone survivor or DIC representation
- Fiduciary and guardianship proceedings
- Discharge upgrades and military records correction
- CAVC or federal-court litigation
- Social Security claims
- Tax, estate, and financial planning
Outside your representation scope does not mean outside your concern.
Our standard: if your situation involves a VA disability compensation claim, whether it is a new filing, a denied claim, an appeal, or a rating increase, that is exactly what we do. Everything above is best handled by the specialists who focus on it.
How the Fee Is Applied, Per Recovery
This is the part veterans miss, so here it is laid out end to end. Each condition is treated as a separate case. Each one can be decided at a different time and can produce its own back pay. The contingency fee applies to each award, calculated and due when that award is received. Then the cycle can start again on the next issue.
We win a recovery
A favorable decision grants service connection, a higher rating, or an earlier effective date.
The VA calculates back pay
The past-due lump sum owed to you from the effective date forward.
The agreed fee applies to that award
The 20% or 30% is applied to that one recovery, never to your future monthly pay.
Next appeal, it applies again
A new appeal or claim is a new written agreement, and a new recovery earns the fee again.
In plain terms: every time we appeal and it results in back pay, we are entitled to the fee on that recovery. If we win you three separate awards over the life of your claim, the fee applies to each of the three, because each one is a separate case, a separate fight, and a separate result. New appeals and new claims require a new written agreement, so nothing is ever hidden or assumed.
Understanding Back Pay
Retroactive benefits (“back pay”) are the difference between what the VA should have been paying you and what they actually paid you, calculated from your effective date forward. The effective date is set under 38 CFR §3.400 and is often the date of your original claim or Intent to File. Each of these is a separate recovery, and each one the fee attaches to on its own.
Example 1, A denied claim, later won on appeal
A veteran files a claim in January 2023. The VA denies it. We file a supplemental claim and win a 70% rating in January 2025. The effective date is set back to the original claim date (January 2023), so the veteran is owed 24 months of the difference between their old rate and their new 70% rate.
Example 2, An increase that should have come sooner
A veteran rated at 30% for PTSD files for an increase in March 2022 because the condition clearly worsened. The VA drags it out and lowballs the rating. We fight it and win 70% two years later, with the effective date pulled back to that March 2022 filing. That is roughly two years of back pay at the difference between the 30% and 70% rates, paid as one lump sum, a second, separate recovery from the first.
Example 3, TDIU wrongly denied
A veteran who cannot hold steady work applies for TDIU (unemployability) in 2021 and is denied. We prove they were unemployable the entire time and win TDIU in 2024, backdated to that 2021 claim. That is nearly three years of benefits paid at the 100% rate, the kind of effective-date fight that produces the largest awards we see.
Our fee applies to each of those lump-sum retroactive payments, not to the ongoing monthly payments the veteran receives going forward. The stronger the effective date argument, the larger the back pay, which is why fighting for the correct effective date is a core part of what we do.
The Difference in Service
Choosing the right advocate is critical, and most veterans do not know the real differences. Many assume that hiring a law firm guarantees expert representation, or that a free service will give them the deep-dive strategy needed to win. In reality, very few practitioners focus 100% of their energy on veterans disability law. Here is how a Veterans Service Officer, a general-practice attorney, and an accredited claims agent actually compare, line by line.
| Feature / Criteria | Veterans Service Officers(VSOs) | General-PracticeAttorneys | Albert L. Thombs Jr.Accredited VA Claims Agent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Legal Testing | No federal exam, accredited through an organization charter (DAV, VFW, American Legion) | No VA-specific exam, accredited by simply submitting a state bar license | Passed the VA OGC’s federal exam on 38 U.S.C., 38 C.F.R., the M21-1, and CAVC case law |
| Practice Focus | Broad benefits counseling, healthcare, housing, education, and disability | Split across unrelated areas, PI, criminal, family, bankruptcy, SSD | 100% VA disability compensation, no other practice areas, ever |
| Continuing Education | Organization-run training; no federally mandated CLE | State-bar CLE in general law; rarely VA-specific | Mandatory triennial federal VA-law CLE under 38 CFR §14.629 |
| Case Review Depth | Standard form completion and review; limited forensic analysis | Appellate-template filings built for volume | Full forensic C-file deep-dive, the complete Mission 5 audit |
| Handling of Your Work | Hundreds of files per officer; frequent turnover and reassignment | Often delegated to paralegals; the named attorney may never review your file | Albert personally reviews every file, no delegation; 25+ years, fellow Army veteran |
| Types of Services | Form completion and basic hearing representation | Formal representation, briefs and motions, Board and CAVC litigation | Full-spectrum forensic representation across all three service options |
| Cost / Fee Structure | Free | Contingency 20–33%; some charge retainers or hourly | Three transparent options, 20%, 30%, or $750 flat, locked at intake, never renegotiated |
| Additional Costs & Risk | Free, but limited in depth, a real ceiling on complex cases | Third-party medical and expert costs ($1,200+) often passed to you, sometimes hidden | Zero hidden costs, your contract is exactly what you pay, nothing more |
| Best Used When | Initial or simple claims and basic benefits navigation | Litigation at the CAVC beyond the Board | Forensic investigation, sophisticated appeal strategy, and rating-plateau breakthroughs |
The Truth About “General-Practice” Attorneys
A title is not specialized expertise. A license from a state bar does not mean a lawyer knows the intricate details of Title 38, the M21-1 adjudication procedures, or the diagnostic rating criteria. VA disability law is an extraordinarily specialized federal practice, and there are very few law firms in the country truly dedicated solely to veterans. Most operate multi-practice mills where VA appeals are treated as background contingency files.
Here is the part most veterans never hear: an attorney can become VA-accredited simply by submitting state bar credentials, without ever taking a VA test. An accredited claims agent must take and pass the VA Office of General Counsel’s grueling federal examination, proving real mastery of 38 U.S.C., 38 C.F.R., and CAVC case law. So do not get confused: just because someone is an attorney and charges more does not mean you are getting the representation you deserve. We do not take personal injury, divorce, or traffic cases, every hour of our work is dedicated to veterans.
Are Fee Agreements Enforceable?
Short answer, yes. A VA fee agreement is not a promise on a website or a handshake across a desk. It is a written federal filing under 38 CFR §14.636, sent to the VA Office of General Counsel, and it binds both of us to the same terms. Your part is simple: read the agreement you sign, keep your copy somewhere you can find it, and know which option you chose.
Yes, and the enforceability protects you as much as us.
Every fee agreement is a written contract, signed by you, and filed with the VA Office of General Counsel. It is governed by federal law, 38 U.S.C. §5904 and 38 CFR §14.636. That enforceability runs both ways. It locks your fee so it can never be renegotiated upward, it guarantees no fee if we lose, and it forbids hidden costs, while also binding both parties to the exact terms you agreed to. Nothing is verbal. Nothing is assumed. The VA has a copy of everything.
Standard Direct-Pay Agreement
- Legal authority: 38 U.S.C. §5904 and 38 CFR §14.636
- Paid by VA direct withholding under §5904(d)(2)(A), so on Standard Direct-Pay you never write a check
- The percentage is locked at signing, no renegotiation, ever
- Covers only the conditions named in the agreement
- You may revoke anytime; the fee survives only for completed work that resulted in an award
High-Complexity Agreement
- Same authority, plus complexity justified in writing under §14.636(e)
- Non-direct pay: we bill you directly for the 30% after you receive your retro
- You remit the fee within 10 business days of the later of our invoice or the retro cash
- An unpaid balance follows a graduated 15, 30, and 45-day process, never a lien on protected VA benefits
- No hidden costs; the fee is locked and reviewable for reasonableness
Mission 5 Brief Agreement
- Lawful only after a prior VA decision on the issue (38 U.S.C. §5904(c))
- Limited scope: no POA of record, not ongoing representation
- Deliverables: forensic review, a written report, and one 45-minute consult
- The $750 is due before the review begins; you keep 100% of any retro
- Authorization ends automatically on delivery; upgrading requires a separate agreement
How Representation Is Formalized: VA Form 21-22a
When we take your case, representation is made official by signing VA Form 21-22a, which appoints your accredited agent. A written fee agreement accompanies it, specifying the exact contingency percentage, 20% or 30%, and the scope of representation. A copy is filed with the VA Office of General Counsel as the regulations require. (The Mission 5 Brief is the exception: it uses a limited-scope authorization and no 21-22a is filed, because it is not representation.)
Because each condition is a separate case, a new appeal or new claim requires a new written agreement, you always see the terms before anything is signed. You can revoke this appointment at any time by filing a new VA Form 21-22a with a different representative, or by submitting a written request to the VA. There is no lock-in and no cancellation fee.
What If the VA Fails to Pay My Advocate?
This is a fair question, and veterans ask it most about the 30% option. The honest answer depends entirely on which service you are on, because each one is paid a different way, and each one puts the risk in a different place. Here it is, plainly.
Option 1, the VA pays us
On the 20% direct-pay option, the VA withholds our fee from your back pay and pays us directly. You are never in the middle of it. If the VA miscalculates or is slow, that is our problem to take up with the VA, not yours. Your money and our fee are handled by the VA in the same payment action.
Option 2, we bill you directly
On the 30% option, the VA only pays a representative up to 20% directly, so the VA sends your entire retro to you. We then bill you directly for the agreed fee under the written contract, and you remit it within 10 business days of the later of receiving our invoice or the retroactive cash. This arrangement runs on trust and a signed federal contract, and is never entered into lightly.
Option 3, paid up front
The Mission 5 Brief is a flat $750 paid before the work begins. There is no contingency and no back-pay involved, so this question simply does not apply. You keep 100% of whatever you later win by filing on your own.
Straight Talk on the 10-Day Obligation
On Option 2, because the VA sends the full award to you and we bill you directly, the written agreement obligates you to remit our fee within 10 business days of the later of receiving our invoice or the retroactive cash. That is not fine print, it is the whole reason the 30% option can exist at all. If a balance ever goes unpaid, the agreement follows a measured 15, 30, and 45-day process, a reminder, then a formal demand with a proposed payment arrangement, then lawful collection only as a last resort, and it never places a lien on or seizes benefits protected under 38 U.S.C. §5301. A 30% fee is not presumed reasonable the way a fee of 20% or less can be; it must remain reasonable under 38 CFR §14.636(e)-(f), and you keep the right to ask the VA to review it.
The 30% high-complexity service is a separate engagement with its own written agreement. It is not an upgrade from the 20% and not a surcharge on top of it. We tell you this up front, in writing, before anything is signed, not after. If a 30% arrangement is not right for you, the 20% direct-pay option removes the question entirely, because there the VA pays us and you are never in the middle. Complete transparency is the point.
How We Work Together
Fees are only half the picture. The other half is what the working relationship actually feels like, how you reach us, how often you hear from us, and what lands in your hands. Here is the communication and onboarding protocol for each service, side by side.
| Option 1 · 20% Direct-Pay | Option 2 · 30% High-Complexity | Option 3 · Mission 5 Brief | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your First Step | Free file review, then we sign VA Form 21-22a and a written fee agreement, $0 up front. | Free file review, then VA Form 21-22a and a written 30% agreement, $0 up front. | Register, send records, pay the flat $750. Limited authorization, no 21-22a is filed. |
| Primary Channels | Direct phone and email with your advocate. | Direct phone, email, and scheduled strategy calls, a direct line to Albert on complex issues. | One 45-minute strategy call plus your written brief. |
| How Often You Hear From Us | At every VA action and case milestone. | Every milestone, plus proactive check-ins during active development. | A one-time deliverable, no ongoing updates. |
| Client Participation | Milestone-based. We handle routine internal work without requiring you to take part in every step. | Higher-engagement and collaborative, with scheduled strategy sessions and review at major decision points. | A single dedicated 45-minute one-on-one briefing. |
| What Lands in Your Hands | Full representation: every filing, evidence submission, and appeal action your case requires. | Full representation for a high-development case, including the briefs, motions, and evidence packages a complex file demands, carried to the Board. | A 7-section forensic report and a plain-language road map you keep. |
No matter which service you choose, there is no hourly billing, calls, emails, and consultations are never charged. One team knows your file start to finish; you never get passed to a stranger.
Myths & Facts
The VA claims world is full of secondhand advice, half-truths, and things your buddy swore worked for him. Here are the ones that cost veterans the most, and the truth behind each. Read them before you sign anything with anyone, because the myth you believe today is usually the mistake you pay for later.
“I hired a rep, so I can sit back and let them handle everything.”
Your claim is your second job. Even with the best representation, you have to stay engaged, go to your doctor regularly, write honest personal statements, attend your C&P exam and report your worst days (not your best), gather your private records, and respond to the VA promptly. We build the strategy; you have to live the evidence. Under 38 CFR §3.655, even missing an exam can sink a claim.
“Every veteran should be able to get to 100%.”
100% is not an entitlement, it is earned by evidence. Each condition is rated individually under 38 CFR Part 4, and a 100% schedular rating means total occupational and social impairment. Not every case supports it. What we do is win exactly what your evidence supports, and where the schedule falls short, we look at TDIU as the alternative path to a 100% rate.
“My buddy got 70% for the same condition, so I will too.”
Your buddy’s experience is not your experience. At least seven things differ between any two claims: service treatment records, post-service treatment, the strength of the nexus, current severity and range of motion, secondary conditions, examiner quality, and the rating math. Two veterans with the “same” condition can land at very different ratings, for entirely legitimate reasons.
“Winning a new rating always means a bigger check.”
Not always, because VA math is not additive. Under 38 CFR §4.25, ratings combine, they do not add. A veteran at 90% who wins a new 30% condition may still be at 90%, a net increase of $0. That is why we model the combined-ratings math before filing, so you pursue the increases that actually move the needle. See the combined-rating math worked step by step →
“The fee comes out of my monthly disability check.”
Never. The fee applies only to the one-time lump sum of retroactive (past-due) benefits, the money owed back to your effective date. Your ongoing monthly compensation is yours in full, and we never take a percentage of your future payments. And there is no fee at all on an initial claim before the VA’s first decision (38 U.S.C. §5904(c)(1)).
“A rep just wants to keep me dependent on them.”
The opposite. The goal is your independence. This entire website is a breadcrumb trail of self-sufficiency tools, calculators, guides, and the Mission 5 Brief, built so you can fight your own claim when you are able to. Representation is a precision tool for problems that need precision, not a crutch. If you can win it yourself, we would rather hand you the road map.
Our Fee Principles
These are the rules we hold ourselves to on every case, written down so you never have to guess. They come straight from the federal fee regulations and from how we choose to treat veterans. If anything in an agreement you are handed does not match this list, stop and ask before you sign.
Questions About Representation or Fees?
We will explain exactly which of the three services fits your situation and how the fee is applied. No obligation, no pressure.
Questions & Answers
These are the questions I hear most about how representation and fees work. I want you to know exactly what you are signing before you sign it. Every fee agreement is in writing and follows the VA rules for accredited representatives. Your part is to read these answers, ask about anything that is not clear, and keep a copy of your agreement.
What are your three services and what do they cost?
Which service is right for me?
Do I pay anything upfront?
Are your fee agreements actually enforceable?
What if the VA fails to pay my advocate?
Does the contingency fee apply every time, or just once?
Why is one fee 20% and the other 30%, and how is each paid?
Do you charge for a first-time (initial) claim?
What is the difference between a VSO, an attorney, and an accredited agent?
Is the fee taken from my monthly check?
Can I really keep 100% of my back pay with the Mission 5 Brief?
What happens if we lose?
What Compensation and Back Pay Actually Are
Accredited representation fees are a percentage of past-due benefits only, and under 38 CFR §14.636 no fee may be charged for work done before the VA issues its first decision on a claim. These official VA videos explain how compensation and the combined rating work, so you can see exactly what a fee is calculated from. Watch them, then read every option on this page before you sign anything.
How VA Disability Compensation Works
How Your Combined Rating Is Calculated
