An Intent to File (ITF) under 38 CFR § 3.155 is a date-lock, not a claim. The VA records the day it arrives. If a complete VA Form 21-526EZ is then filed within one year, the effective date snaps back to the ITF date — preserving every month of back pay while you build the claim. Free, takes minutes, and on a 70% rating at 2026 rates can be worth roughly $10,000 over six months.
An Intent to File is a formal notification to the VA that a claim for disability compensation, pension, or survivors benefits is coming. Under 38 CFR § 3.155, when an ITF is submitted, the VA records the date it was received. If the completed claim is filed within one year of that date, the effective date for benefits is set to the date of the ITF — not the date the full claim arrived.
This is significant because VA disability compensation is paid from the effective date forward. Every month between the ITF date and the would-be claim-filing date is an additional month of back pay. For veterans with higher ratings, the difference is tens of thousands of dollars.
Building a strong VA disability claim takes time — medical records, nexus letters, personal and lay statements, scheduling exams. Without an ITF, the effective date is the day the VA receives the completed claim. Every week of preparation is a week of lost benefits.
A veteran files an ITF on January 15, 2026. They spend six months gathering evidence and submit the completed claim on July 10, 2026. The claim is granted at 70% on October 1, 2026.
Without the ITF: effective date is July 10, 2026.
With the ITF: effective date is January 15, 2026 — six additional months of back pay at the 70% single-veteran rate, roughly $10,000.
Under 38 CFR § 3.155(b), an Intent to File is valid for exactly one year from the date the VA receives it. If the completed claim is not submitted within that window, the ITF expires and the effective-date protection is lost. A new ITF would have to be filed to start a new window.
The deadline is strict. No extension, no grace period. ITF received March 1, 2026 → completed claim must be received by March 1, 2027. A claim received March 2, 2027 forfeits the ITF — the effective date becomes March 2, 2027.
To preserve the ITF date, a complete VA Form 21-526EZ(Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits) must be submitted within the one-year window. A second ITF does not satisfy the requirement. The form must identify at least one claimed condition and include the veteran's identifying information.
Three accepted methods for VA disability compensation:
Log in to VA.gov, navigate to disability claims, and start a new claim. When the application process begins, an ITF is automatically generated if one is not already active. The confirmation appears in the claims and appeals section.
Call the VA and tell the representative you want to file an Intent to File for disability compensation. The rep creates the ITF and provides a confirmation number. Always verify the ITF appears on VA.gov within 24-48 hours — phone-filed ITFs occasionally fail to post.
A VSO or accredited representative can submit the ITF on the veteran's behalf. Confirm the exact date of submission and retain documentation.
Note: VA Form 21-0966 is only accepted for pension and survivors benefits, not for disability compensation. For disability compensation, use one of the three methods above.
Once received, the ITF appears on VA.gov in the claims and appeals section, showing the filing date and the one-year expiration date. Save a screenshot or PDF for personal records.
From there, the one-year clock runs. Use it: gather supporting evidence, attend medical appointments, document conditions in continuity, and build the strongest possible claim. An ITF is not a claim — it does not start adjudication, trigger a C&P exam, or open an end product (EP).
Only one active ITF per benefit type at a time. A second ITF for the same benefit type does not reset the clock — the original window stays in effect. Separate ITFs for different benefit types (one for disability compensation, one for pension) are permitted.
There is no reason to delay. File the ITF as soon as a claim is even being considered. Every day without an ITF is a day of potential lost back pay.
Set a calendar reminder at least 30 days before the one-year window closes. If a perfectly-built claim is not ready, file what is available rather than lose the effective date entirely.
Always confirm the ITF appears on VA.gov. If it does not show within 48 hours of a phone filing, call back and re-file.
An ITF is a date-lock only. It does not start the claim process, trigger a C&P exam, or open an EP. The completed VA Form 21-526EZ does that.
A formal notification to the VA under 38 CFR § 3.155 that you plan to file a claim for disability compensation, pension, or survivors benefits. The VA records the receipt date. If a completed claim is filed within one year, the effective date is set back to the ITF date — not the date the completed claim arrives.
VA disability compensation is paid from the effective date forward. Every month between the ITF date and the would-be completed-claim date is an extra month of back pay. For a 70% rating at 2026 single-veteran rates, six months of effective-date protection is roughly $10,000 in additional back pay.
Exactly one year from the date the VA receives it. There is no extension and no grace period. If the ITF was received on March 1, 2026, the completed claim must be received on or before March 1, 2027. A claim received on March 2, 2027 forfeits the ITF protection — the effective date becomes March 2, 2027.
Three accepted methods for disability compensation: (1) Online at VA.gov — when you start a new disability claim, the system automatically opens an ITF if one is not already active. (2) By phone to 1-800-827-1000 — the rep creates the ITF and provides a confirmation. (3) Through an accredited representative or VSO. VA Form 21-0966 is only accepted for pension and survivors benefits, not disability compensation.
One active ITF per benefit type. A second ITF for the same benefit type does not reset the clock — the original one-year window stays in effect. Separate ITFs for different benefit types (e.g., one for disability compensation and one for pension) are permitted.
A complete VA Form 21-526EZ (Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits) submitted within the one-year window. The form must identify at least one claimed condition and include veteran identifying information. A second ITF does not count as a completed claim.
No. An ITF is a date-lock, not a claim. It does not start adjudication, trigger a C&P exam, or open an end product (EP). It only reserves the effective date.