VA Benefits Help Guide Editorial Team
Veteran benefits researchers & writers
Our editorial team researches and explains VA policy in plain English. Articles are reviewed for accuracy against current VA regulations (38 CFR), VA.gov resources, and public M21-1 guidance. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice.
Articles
What to Do If Your VA Disability Claim Is Denied
A denial letter isn't the end of the road. Here's a clear decision framework for what to do first, second, and third after a VA disability claim gets denied.
Complete List of VA Presumptive Conditions
Presumptive conditions don't require you to prove exposure caused your illness — just that you served in the right place at the right time. Here's the complete list across every exposure category.
How Much Does 100% VA Disability Pay in 2026?
What does a 100% VA disability rating actually pay in 2026? Here's the base rate, how dependents change it, and the additional benefits that come with a full rating.
Can You Work While Receiving VA Disability Benefits?
Worried that getting a job will cost you your VA disability compensation? Here's how employment actually interacts with a standard disability rating versus TDIU.
PACT Act Eligibility: Who Qualifies for New VA Benefits?
The PACT Act expanded VA benefits for millions of veterans exposed to toxic substances. Here's exactly who qualifies, which service periods and locations count, and how to check your own eligibility.
Complete List of VA Benefits Veterans May Qualify For
From disability compensation to home loans to education benefits, here's the complete, plain-English list of VA benefits veterans may qualify for — and how eligibility actually works.
VA Flat Feet (Pes Planus) Rating Guide
Flat feet are rated 0% to 50% under DC 5276, with bilateral involvement rating higher than a single affected foot at the same severity level. Here's exactly what each level requires and the evidence that documents it clearly.
VA Rhinitis Rating Guide: Allergic and Bacterial
How the VA rates allergic and bacterial rhinitis based on nasal passage obstruction and the presence of polyps, and the specific documentation that separates a 10% rating from a 30%.
VA Sinusitis Rating Guide: Chronic Sinusitis Explained
Chronic sinusitis is rated 0% to 50% based on the frequency of incapacitating and non-incapacitating episodes per year. Here's exactly what counts as each type of episode and the documentation that separates one rating level from the next.
VA IBS Rating Guide: Mild, Moderate, Severe
IBS is rated under DC 7319 from 0% to 30% based on symptom frequency and severity. Here's exactly how each level is judged and the specific documentation that separates one rating from the next.
VA Back Pain Rating Guide: General Spine Formula
VA back ratings use the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine, built almost entirely around forward flexion measurements. Here's exactly how the formula works, why flare-ups matter under DeLuca, and the secondary claim most veterans forget to file.
VA Knee Pain Rating Guide: ROM, Instability, and Separate Ratings
VA knee ratings combine range-of-motion findings with a separately evaluated instability rating, and most veterans never realize both can apply to the exact same knee at once. Here's how to make sure your claim captures the full picture.
VA Mental Health Rating System: The General Formula Explained
Every VA mental health condition — PTSD, anxiety, depression, and more — is rated under the exact same General Rating Formula. Here's exactly how that single formula works, and why the specific diagnosis matters less than you'd expect.
VA Hearing Loss Rating: How the Math Actually Works
VA hearing loss ratings are notoriously stingy, and most claims land at 0% even when hearing has genuinely changed. Here's exactly why the formula produces that outcome so often, and when the 'exceptional pattern' exception actually helps.
VA Tinnitus Rating: Why It's Capped at 10%
Tinnitus is one of the most-claimed VA conditions of all, yet it's capped at a single 10% rating regardless of severity. Here's exactly why that cap exists, and how to maximize the related conditions that actually can add more.
VA Sleep Apnea Rating Criteria: 0%, 30%, 50%, 100%
How the VA rates obstructive sleep apnea under diagnostic code 6847 — the role of CPAP, hypersomnolence, and exactly what the 100% threshold requires.
VA Migraine Rating Criteria: 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%
How the VA rates migraines under DC 8100 — exactly what counts as a 'prostrating attack,' how frequency documentation works, and what the top 50% rating actually requires beyond just frequent attacks.
VA PTSD Rating Criteria: 0%, 30%, 50%, 70%, 100%
A complete breakdown of VA PTSD rating criteria under the General Mental Disorders formula, with the specific symptoms and functional impairment level that drive each rating from 0% through 100%.
Agent Orange Presumptive Conditions: 2026 List
The full, current list of presumptive conditions for Agent Orange exposure, including the PACT Act additions like hypertension, plus every qualifying service location and period.
Gulf War Presumptive Conditions: The Complete List
Gulf War veterans qualify for presumptive service connection for a broad list of conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and undiagnosed illnesses that don't even require a formal diagnosis to claim.
How to Maximize Your GI Bill Benefits
Twelve concrete tactics for getting the most value out of your Post-9/11 GI Bill — stacking with VR&E, Yellow Ribbon, transferring to dependents, MHA optimization, and more.
Montgomery GI Bill vs Post-9/11 GI Bill: Which Should You Use?
Side-by-side comparison of the Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30) and the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) — coverage, housing, dependents, and the rare cases where MGIB still wins.
Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) Explained
Comprehensive plain-English guide to the Post-9/11 GI Bill — tuition coverage, monthly housing allowance, books stipend, Yellow Ribbon Program, and transferring benefits to dependents.
TDIU Income Limits Explained
TDIU eligibility hinges on the federal poverty threshold for marginal employment. Here's the current number, exactly what counts toward it, and how to avoid triggering an unwanted review.
Common VA Loan Mistakes Veterans Make (and How to Avoid Them)
The most common — and most costly — mistakes veterans make when using the VA home loan benefit, with concrete tips for avoiding each one.
Can TDIU Be Permanent?
TDIU can be designated Permanent and Total, which removes future review exams and unlocks Chapter 35 education benefits and CHAMPVA for your family — here's exactly how to request it and what evidence supports the designation.
VA Loan Funding Fee Explained: Rates, Exemptions, and How to Avoid It
The complete plain-English guide to the VA loan funding fee — current rates, who's exempt, how to avoid it, and how to request a refund.
Can I Work While on TDIU?
TDIU prohibits substantially gainful employment, but marginal employment and sheltered work environments are still allowed. Here's exactly where the line sits, and how to stay on the right side of it.
VA Loan vs Conventional Loan: A Side-by-Side Comparison
A side-by-side comparison of VA loans vs conventional loans — down payment, PMI, rates, fees, appraisals, and the breakeven math.
VA Back Pay Calculator: How to Estimate Yours Correctly
Use this step-by-step guide to calculate your VA back pay correctly — including your effective date, annual rate changes, dependent status, and how Special Monthly Compensation factors in.
How to Use a VA Loan for the First Time: Step-by-Step
A practical, step-by-step guide for first-time VA loan buyers — from COE to closing — including what to ask lenders and how to avoid common pitfalls.
VA Back Pay Timeline: When You'll Actually Get Paid
Once your VA claim is approved, back pay typically lands within 15 to 45 days. Here's what determines the exact timing.
VA Home Loan Benefits Explained: Every Advantage in Plain English
A complete plain-English guide to VA home loan benefits — zero down payment, no PMI, lower rates, funding fee waivers, and how to use the benefit more than once.
Why Was My VA Claim Denied? The 7 Most Common Reasons
Most VA claim denials trace back to a small number of fixable issues. Here are the 7 most common reasons and how to address each.
VA DBQ Guide: Disability Benefits Questionnaires
What a DBQ is, how the VA uses it during C&P exams to determine your rating, and how veterans can prepare in advance using the publicly available templates.
VA Migraines Secondary to PTSD
How to file VA migraines as secondary to service-connected PTSD — the medical link, what a strong nexus letter needs to say, and how the rating ladder works.
VA Back Pain Secondary Conditions
Conditions commonly secondary to a service-connected back injury — radiculopathy, opposite knee and hip pain, erectile dysfunction, and depression — and how to document each one.
VA Insomnia Claim Guide
How VA insomnia claims work, the path through mental health rating criteria, how it differs from sleep apnea, and when a standalone claim actually makes sense.
VA Rhinitis Claim Guide
How VA rhinitis claims work, PACT Act presumptive coverage, and the rating ladder under DC 6522 (allergic) and DC 6523 (bacterial).
VA Sinusitis Claim Guide
How VA chronic sinusitis claims work, the PACT Act presumptive pathway, ratings under DC 6510–6514, and the evidence that separates a 10% rating from a 50%.
VA Flat Feet (Pes Planus) Claim Guide
How the VA rates flat feet (pes planus), the entrance-exam evidence that decides most claims, and the secondary conditions that often come with it.
VA IBS Claim Guide
How to file a VA IBS claim, the Gulf War presumptive pathway, direct service connection for non-Gulf War veterans, and how the VA rates irritable bowel syndrome.
The Complete VA Mental Health Claims Guide
A complete umbrella guide to VA mental health claims — every diagnosis covered, how the single rating formula actually works, the evidence that moves the needle, and how secondary conditions fit in.
VA Depression Claims: Service Connection, Ratings, and Evidence
Plain-English guide to filing a VA depression claim — service connection paths, rating criteria, and how depression often shows up secondary to other conditions.
VA Anxiety Claims: How to Get Service-Connected and Rated
Step-by-step guide to filing a VA anxiety claim — service connection, evidence, rating levels, and tips to avoid common denials.
PTSD VA Rating Explained: 0%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100%
How the VA assigns PTSD ratings under the General Rating Formula — what 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100% really mean in plain English, with examples and tips.
Agent Orange Presumptive Conditions List
The full, current Agent Orange presumptive condition list, every qualifying service location, and exactly what to do if you were denied before these expansions took effect.
The VA PACT Act Guide
A complete plain-English guide to the PACT Act — exactly what it changed, who benefits, and how to claim under the expanded rules whether you're filing new or re-filing an old denial.
Burn Pit Claims Guide (PACT Act)
How to file a burn pit claim under the PACT Act — every qualifying location, the full presumptive condition list, and exactly how to build a claim without needing to prove direct exposure to a specific pit.