Yes. The VA generally cannot discuss a veteran's claim details with anyone else, including an adult child, unless the veteran has completed VA Form 21-0845, "Authorization to Disclose Personal Information to a Third Party." This form lets a veteran name a specific person (or persons) who may receive information about the claim, and it can be limited to specific topics or made broad enough to cover general claim status, evidence requests, and decisions. It is different from a power of attorney or from appointing a Veterans Service Organization (VSO) as a representative under VA Form 21-22 or 21-22a; those forms let someone act on the veteran's behalf, while 21-0845 simply allows VA staff to talk to the named person about the veteran's file.
To set this up, the veteran fills out 21-0845, listing the family member's name and relationship, and signs it. It can be submitted online through the VA website, mailed, faxed, or brought to a VA regional office, and it can also often be handled during a call once the veteran verbally authorizes VA to send the form or process it, though a signed form is what actually goes on file permanently. Once it is processed, VA representatives should be able to speak with the authorized person about the claim without the veteran needing to be on the line, and they should also be able to speak with both people together on a call, since the authorization exists independently of whether the veteran is present.
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 |
Does your rating decision hold up under a real audit?
Upload your decision letter and C&P exams — VetAid's analyzer reads the full file, checks every examiner statement word-for-word against your records, and shows which arguments for a higher rating actually hold. Free, and we never take a cut of your back pay.
Analyze my claim free →A few practical notes: the authorization does not expire on a fixed schedule but can be revoked or updated by the veteran at any time, so if family circumstances change, a new form should be filed. It also does not transfer any decision-making authority, so the family member cannot submit evidence, file appeals, or make elections on the veteran's behalf under this form alone — for that, a power of attorney or VSO/agent/attorney representation would be needed. If the goal is only to hear and understand the same information the veteran receives, the 21-0845 is the correct and simplest tool, and many VA regional offices and the VA National Call Center can walk a caller through completing it over the phone.
The concrete next step is to download VA Form 21-0845 from va.gov, have the veteran complete and sign it naming the family member, and submit it to VA before the next scheduled call so the authorization is on file in advance.
Need a deeper analysis?
Our AI checks your situation against outcome data from 1,900,000+ Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) decisions (1992–2025).
Analyze Your Claim Free