VA Accreditation Exam Study Guide 2026 |
2027
POA Form - correct answers21-22 (Vet must sign the form. Revokes other
appointments; Vet can revoke POA at any time unless an appeal has been filed before
the BVA; POA ends at death)
Who has the responsibility of accrediting a VSO? - correct answersVeteran Service
Organization
National Cemetery Administration - correct answersunder the VA covers funerals and
burial for veterans
Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - correct answersAn agency in the Department of
Veterans Affairs that provides medical, surgical, and rehabilitative care to veterans of
the armed services.
Veteran's Benefits Administration - correct answersGovernment agency, part of the U.S.
Department of Veteran's Affairs, responsible for payment of all VA gratuitous benefits
What should you do if you have an inquiry regarding an appeal that has been certified to
the BVA? - correct answersCall the BVA in DC directly
Can you call the CAVC to inquire about the individual status of your case? - correct
answersNo because CAVC is not structured to respond to individual case status
inquiries
Veterans Service Center - correct answersLargest division within a VA RO
Education claims are handled where? - correct answersAt the Regional Processing
Offices in four locations around the country.
Intake Processing Center (IPC) - correct answersMail received is processed by team
members to determine:
-if it includes a claim that can be immediately processed
- Whether or not controls should be established
-Uploads scanned documents from the CM Portal into the VBMS eFolder.
IPC undertakes no in-depth development.
,Processes only those claims that can be resolved at once or with minimal review.
Also, responsible for files management.
Veterans Service Representative - correct answersResponsible for determining what
evidence is necessary to decide a claim, undertaking development action to obtaining
necessary evidence and determining when a claim is ready for decision
38 C.F.R. - correct answersPart 3 (Adjudication) and Part 4 (schedule for rating
disabilities) are most used
38 CFR Part 3 - correct answersAdjudication; outlines regulatory guidance that directs
all adjudicative activities, procedures and functions performed by VA
38 CFR Part 4 - correct answersSchedule for Rating Disabilities; outlines regulatory
guidance that serves as the framework for how SC disabilities for VA purposes are
rated and evaluated
The Manual (M21-1) - correct answersprovides procedural guidance for Veterans
Benefits Administration (VBA) and directs how VBA processes Veteran's claims.
What constitutes a claim? - correct answersAs defined by 38 CFR 3.1(p):
"Claim means a written communication requesting a determination of entitlement or
evidencing a belief in entitlement, to a specific benefit under the laws administered by
the Department of Veterans Affairs submitted on an application form prescribed by the
Secretary."
Date of Receipt of a Claim - correct answersAs defined by 38 CFR 3.1(r):
"Date of receipt means the date on which a claim, information or evidence was received
in the Department of Veterans Affairs..."
Claimant - correct answersIn order for VA to have an actionable claim, the claim must
be filed by a claimant.
A claimant is someone who has potential entitlement to VA benefits under the law. An
honorably discharged Veteran is a claimant. A person, who has never served in the
U.S. Military (or one of the other recognized qualifying groups) and is not a dependent
of a Veteran, cannot be a claimant.
Character of Discharge (COD): Determines Eligibility - correct answersA dishonorable
discharge - or a discharge under conditions for which a statutory bar to benefits exists -
for a given period of service renders a claimant ineligible for all VA benefits for any
claim based on that period of service.
, VA Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation
Benefits - correct answers38 CFR 3.151 requires claimants to complete and submit a
form prescribed by the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) when filing
an original claim for disability compensation and/or pension. It MUST have the signature
of the claimant
20-0996, Decision Review Request: Higher-Level Review - correct answersassociated
with a request for higher-level review of a prior decision
21-8940, Veteran's Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability.
- correct answersVA Form 21-8940 is not required to claim individual unemployability
(IU). However, submission of VA Form 21-8940 by the Veteran is required in the course
of development of the IU claim and for the award of TDIU benefits.
Veterans Pension Forms (Initial) - correct answers21P-527 or 21-527EZ.
(DIC), Survivors Pension and accrued benefits forms (Initial) - correct answers-21P-534,
-21P-534a,
-21P-534EZ,
-21P-535, Application for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation by Parent(s)
(Including Accrued Benefits and Death Compensation when Applicable),
-21P-601, Application for Accrued Amounts Due A Deceased Beneficiary, for accrued
benefits only.
burial benefits form - correct answers-21P-530, Application for Burial Benefits
SAH/SHA Forms - correct answers-26-4555, Application in Acquiring Specially Adapted
Housing or Special Home Adaptation Grant, and
-26-4555c, Veteran/Servicemember's Supplemental Application for Assistance in
Acquiring Specially Adapted Housing.
-SAH/SHA can also be claimed on VA Form 21-526EZ.
auto allowance forms - correct answers-21-4502, Application for Automobile or Other
Conveyance and Adaptive Equipment.
-Auto allowance can also be claimed on VA Form 21-526EZ.
SMC Forms (to include housebound/A&A) - correct answers-21-526EZ
-21-2680, Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and
Attendance.
SMC for housebound/A&A for DIC benefits forms - correct answers-21P-534
-21P-534EZ
-21-2680
-21P-535 (Parents DIC only), or
-21-0779, Request for Nursing Home Information in Connection with Claim for Aid and
Attendance (nursing home patients only).
2027
POA Form - correct answers21-22 (Vet must sign the form. Revokes other
appointments; Vet can revoke POA at any time unless an appeal has been filed before
the BVA; POA ends at death)
Who has the responsibility of accrediting a VSO? - correct answersVeteran Service
Organization
National Cemetery Administration - correct answersunder the VA covers funerals and
burial for veterans
Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - correct answersAn agency in the Department of
Veterans Affairs that provides medical, surgical, and rehabilitative care to veterans of
the armed services.
Veteran's Benefits Administration - correct answersGovernment agency, part of the U.S.
Department of Veteran's Affairs, responsible for payment of all VA gratuitous benefits
What should you do if you have an inquiry regarding an appeal that has been certified to
the BVA? - correct answersCall the BVA in DC directly
Can you call the CAVC to inquire about the individual status of your case? - correct
answersNo because CAVC is not structured to respond to individual case status
inquiries
Veterans Service Center - correct answersLargest division within a VA RO
Education claims are handled where? - correct answersAt the Regional Processing
Offices in four locations around the country.
Intake Processing Center (IPC) - correct answersMail received is processed by team
members to determine:
-if it includes a claim that can be immediately processed
- Whether or not controls should be established
-Uploads scanned documents from the CM Portal into the VBMS eFolder.
IPC undertakes no in-depth development.
,Processes only those claims that can be resolved at once or with minimal review.
Also, responsible for files management.
Veterans Service Representative - correct answersResponsible for determining what
evidence is necessary to decide a claim, undertaking development action to obtaining
necessary evidence and determining when a claim is ready for decision
38 C.F.R. - correct answersPart 3 (Adjudication) and Part 4 (schedule for rating
disabilities) are most used
38 CFR Part 3 - correct answersAdjudication; outlines regulatory guidance that directs
all adjudicative activities, procedures and functions performed by VA
38 CFR Part 4 - correct answersSchedule for Rating Disabilities; outlines regulatory
guidance that serves as the framework for how SC disabilities for VA purposes are
rated and evaluated
The Manual (M21-1) - correct answersprovides procedural guidance for Veterans
Benefits Administration (VBA) and directs how VBA processes Veteran's claims.
What constitutes a claim? - correct answersAs defined by 38 CFR 3.1(p):
"Claim means a written communication requesting a determination of entitlement or
evidencing a belief in entitlement, to a specific benefit under the laws administered by
the Department of Veterans Affairs submitted on an application form prescribed by the
Secretary."
Date of Receipt of a Claim - correct answersAs defined by 38 CFR 3.1(r):
"Date of receipt means the date on which a claim, information or evidence was received
in the Department of Veterans Affairs..."
Claimant - correct answersIn order for VA to have an actionable claim, the claim must
be filed by a claimant.
A claimant is someone who has potential entitlement to VA benefits under the law. An
honorably discharged Veteran is a claimant. A person, who has never served in the
U.S. Military (or one of the other recognized qualifying groups) and is not a dependent
of a Veteran, cannot be a claimant.
Character of Discharge (COD): Determines Eligibility - correct answersA dishonorable
discharge - or a discharge under conditions for which a statutory bar to benefits exists -
for a given period of service renders a claimant ineligible for all VA benefits for any
claim based on that period of service.
, VA Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation
Benefits - correct answers38 CFR 3.151 requires claimants to complete and submit a
form prescribed by the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) when filing
an original claim for disability compensation and/or pension. It MUST have the signature
of the claimant
20-0996, Decision Review Request: Higher-Level Review - correct answersassociated
with a request for higher-level review of a prior decision
21-8940, Veteran's Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability.
- correct answersVA Form 21-8940 is not required to claim individual unemployability
(IU). However, submission of VA Form 21-8940 by the Veteran is required in the course
of development of the IU claim and for the award of TDIU benefits.
Veterans Pension Forms (Initial) - correct answers21P-527 or 21-527EZ.
(DIC), Survivors Pension and accrued benefits forms (Initial) - correct answers-21P-534,
-21P-534a,
-21P-534EZ,
-21P-535, Application for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation by Parent(s)
(Including Accrued Benefits and Death Compensation when Applicable),
-21P-601, Application for Accrued Amounts Due A Deceased Beneficiary, for accrued
benefits only.
burial benefits form - correct answers-21P-530, Application for Burial Benefits
SAH/SHA Forms - correct answers-26-4555, Application in Acquiring Specially Adapted
Housing or Special Home Adaptation Grant, and
-26-4555c, Veteran/Servicemember's Supplemental Application for Assistance in
Acquiring Specially Adapted Housing.
-SAH/SHA can also be claimed on VA Form 21-526EZ.
auto allowance forms - correct answers-21-4502, Application for Automobile or Other
Conveyance and Adaptive Equipment.
-Auto allowance can also be claimed on VA Form 21-526EZ.
SMC Forms (to include housebound/A&A) - correct answers-21-526EZ
-21-2680, Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and
Attendance.
SMC for housebound/A&A for DIC benefits forms - correct answers-21P-534
-21P-534EZ
-21-2680
-21P-535 (Parents DIC only), or
-21-0779, Request for Nursing Home Information in Connection with Claim for Aid and
Attendance (nursing home patients only).
