The line we do not cross

We never touch your claim.

The app reads your letter and shows you what it says. It does not act for you, speak for you, or tell you what to do. Here is exactly where that line sits.

What the app does

  • Reads a VA decision letter on your phone and turns it into plain-language cards: what was granted, denied or deferred, at what rating, from what date, and why.
  • Links every number and date to the sentence it came from, so you can check the app against the letter.
  • Shows the two printed dates, tells you which one VA counts a review window from, and counts down the year once you confirm it.
  • Checks the letter against what you say you claimed and sent, and turns each difference into a question to bring to a representative.
  • Shows the rating math step by step, and an estimated monthly amount from VA's public rate table.
  • Explains what VA's exam forms measure, in plain language.
  • Keeps a symptom diary, an encrypted backup and a redacted packet you can hand to a representative.
  • Lists VA's accredited representatives near you, from VA's own public list.

What the app never does

  • It does not file anything. No claims, no reviews, no appeals, no forms, no uploads to VA.
  • It does not give advice. It will not tell you what to claim, which review to file, whether to file, or what to say at an exam. It shows you the line and gives you the question.
  • It never asks for your VA.gov, ID.me or Login.gov login. It has no connection to VA systems and no way to read your claim status.
  • It does not represent you. We are not accredited, and nothing in the app creates a representative or attorney relationship.
  • It does not predict outcomes. No rating predictions, no entitlement predictions, no promises.
  • It does not charge based on your claim. The subscription buys software features. Nothing is tied to a rating, a decision or back pay.
  • It does not send your letter anywhere. Reading happens on the phone. See the Privacy Policy.

Why the line is there

Federal law limits who may prepare, present or prosecute a VA claim for someone else, and it requires those people to be accredited by VA. That rule exists to protect veterans from people who charge for help they are not qualified to give. We built the app to stay on the education side of that line on purpose, and we would rather leave a feature out than cross it.

Where to get help with your claim

VA-accredited Veterans Service Organization representatives help veterans prepare and file claims and reviews at no charge. Many county and state veterans offices do the same. To find one:

  • Open Find help in the app. It carries VA's list of accredited VSO representatives, searchable by state and city, with a phone number for each office.
  • Confirm anyone's current accreditation on VA's search at va.gov/ogc/apps/accreditation before you appoint them, and ask what they charge.
  • Bring the app's redacted packet and question list to the meeting. Ask the representative to read your file in VBMS rather than guessing from the letter.

If you are in crisis, contact the Veterans Crisis Line now: dial 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net. It is confidential and open all day, every day.

If something in the app seems to cross the line

Tell us at support@vaclaimdecoder.com. If a screen sounds like advice, we treat that as a bug.

Not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Not an accredited representative. This app does not prepare, file or represent claims.