The VA's online claim status tool (available through VA.gov) displays a simplified progress tracker with five general steps: Claim received, Initial review, Evidence gathering review and decision, Preparation for notification, and Complete. This tracker is meant to give veterans a general sense of where their claim sits in the process, but the stages are broad categories, not a precise timeline, and claims can move backward and forward between stages, especially between 'Evidence gathering, review, and decision' and 'Preparation for notification,' as a rating is finalized, double-checked, or revised before the decision letter is generated.
The label 'Claim For Authorization Review' is not a universal term tied to every claim; it reflects an internal administrative step where the claim or its proposed rating decision is being reviewed and authorized before a final decision is issued. This can happen for quality control purposes, to verify effective dates, confirm the correct diagnostic codes, or make sure the rating aligns with the evidence of record. Seeing this status does not mean something is wrong with the claim, and it does not necessarily indicate a reduction, denial, or change from the rating already referenced in a benefit letter the veteran may have seen online before the official decision was mailed.
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 →For Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) claims specifically, it is common for a rating decision to be essentially finalized shortly before separation, then go through additional internal review and authorization steps before the official notification letter is generated and mailed. Seeing a preliminary decision or percentage in the online portal before the formal decision letter arrives is not unusual, but the authorization/review stage exists precisely to confirm that preliminary information before it becomes final.
If the claim remains in this status for what feels like an unusually long time, or if the veteran wants clarification, they can contact the VA at 1-800-827-1000, use the secure message feature on VA.gov, or check with a Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative for a status update. Once the decision is finalized, the veteran will receive an official decision letter (and can also view it under the Documents section of VA.gov), which will confirm the effective date, combined rating, and any individual diagnostic codes and percentages awarded.
The concrete next step is to wait for the official decision letter to be posted under the Documents tab on VA.gov or mailed, and if the claim status does not change within a few weeks, follow up with the VA or a VSO to confirm there are no outstanding evidence requests holding it up.
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