VA attorney representation is tied to specific claims or appeals, not to you as a person indefinitely. When you appoint an attorney, you (or they) file VA Form 21-22a, Appointment of Individual as Claimant's Representative, and that appointment applies to the specific issues on file at that time. Once those issues are finally decided — meaning there are no pending appeals, no outstanding Notices of Disagreement, no Board remands still in motion, and no further action required — the representation for that matter is effectively complete. Most attorneys do not take further action because there is nothing left to do; they are not required to formally withdraw, and you are not required to formally fire them, unless either of you wants that on record.
If you want a clean, documented end to the relationship, you can submit a written statement revoking representation under 38 CFR 14.631. This is optional, not mandatory, when a case is simply finished rather than contested. Sending it can be useful if you want VA's system to reflect clearly that no one is currently acting on your behalf, especially before you file anything new.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
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Analyze my claim free →Fee agreements for VA-accredited attorneys are also claim-specific. Under 38 CFR 14.636, attorneys may charge a fee only from past-due benefits awarded on the issues they represented, and that fee agreement must be filed with VA for review. If your case is fully resolved and fees already paid or waived, there is nothing further owed, and the agreement has run its course.
The practical issue arises only if you plan to file a new claim later, for a new condition, secondary condition, or increased rating. Representation does not automatically carry forward to future claims; you would need to decide whether to reappoint the same attorney with a new 21-22a, switch to a different attorney, use a Veterans Service Organization instead, or proceed on your own. None of these choices requires formally severing ties with your current attorney first, since their authority already ends with the resolved issues.
If you want certainty, the concrete next step is to send a short written statement to both your attorney and the VA stating that representation is concluded for the finalized claim, and keep a copy for your records before deciding how to handle any future filings.
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