Quick answer: Open VA OGC's Accreditation Search, enter your city, state, or zip code, choose "Claims Agents," and pick someone who shows up as currently accredited. Accreditation is federal, so an agent across the country can represent you just as well as one down the street. Never pay anyone who is not in the search results.

Updated October 7, 2026. Independent guide, not affiliated with VA. Not legal advice.

Start with VA's official search tool

VA's Office of General Counsel runs an Accreditation Search that lists every individual currently accredited to represent claimants, plus every organization VA recognizes for claims assistance. It is the single most trustworthy starting point, because only currently accredited people appear in it.

Why the search matters: the claim shark problem

Only accredited attorneys, accredited claims agents, and VSO representatives may lawfully provide representation on VA benefit claims. This comes from chapter 59 of title 38, United States Code, implemented in 38 CFR 14.626 through 14.637. An unaccredited company that charges you for claim help is operating outside the law, no matter how polished its website looks.

If someone wants your money for claim help but their name is not in the OGC search, walk away. That one habit protects you from almost every scam in this space.

VA even publishes a "How to Select a Representative" fact sheet on its Accreditation, Discipline, and Fees page. If you were mistreated by a helper, you can report unaccredited conduct to the FTC or an accredited person's conduct to VA's accreditation program.

In person or remote: both are real options

VA accreditation is federal. There is no state license to worry about, so an accredited agent in Texas can represent a veteran in Virginia with full authority. Many established agents work entirely by phone, email, and video call, and their clients never meet them face to face.

That said, some veterans prefer sitting across a desk from someone. Both preferences are fine. Use the search by your city or zip for local names, and judge every candidate the same way: verified accreditation, clear fees in writing, and plain answers to your questions.

Questions to ask before you hire anyone

• Are you currently accredited? Then verify the answer yourself in the OGC search. Legitimate agents expect this.
• How and when do you charge? Get specifics, not "we will figure it out later."
• When does your fee clock start? Fees are not allowed before notice of VA's initial decision on your claim.
• What will you actually do on my claim? Evidence gathering, filings, deadlines, appeals. Vague answers are a warning.
• Who does the work? You want the accredited person, not a salesperson handing you to a call center.
• How will you keep me updated? A cadence you can count on beats promises of constant contact.

Red flags: walk away if you see these

• Guarantees a rating or an outcome. No one can promise what VA will decide. Guarantees are a classic scam tell.
• Demands payment before the initial decision notice. Fees before that point are not allowed.
• Is not in the OGC search. The search is the line between legal representation and a claim shark.
• Pressures you to sign today. Real agents let you read the fee agreement and think.
• Bundles claim help with financial products. VA says accreditation may not be used to market financial products.
• Asks for your VA.gov login credentials. Your representative gets access through VA's own systems, never your password.

What fair fees look like

Knowing the fee rules helps you spot the unfair ones. Agents generally may not charge for work on your initial claim. Fees come into play when a claim is denied or underrated and goes to appeal. Many agents work on contingency tied to the back pay they win you, and when VA pays the agent directly from past-due benefits, that payment is capped at 20 percent. Every fee agreement must meet the standards in 38 CFR 14.636. If a fee quote sounds nothing like this, ask why.

Free help is real too

If money is tight, you are not out of options. Representatives of VA-recognized veteran service organizations, like the DAV, American Legion, and VFW, help with claims at no cost and never charge fees. The same OGC search tool has a separate search for recognized VSOs, so you can find one near you.