Find the ones nearest you
How stretched Illinois is
621,229 veterans live in Illinois and 511 accredited representatives of all kinds are listed there — about 1,216 veterans per representative.
That is a statewide ratio, not any one person's caseload, and not every veteran has a claim open. It is here because it is the only workload figure anyone publishes. Veteran counts: VA VetPop2023 State Estimates, FY2023.
The organizations behind these representatives
| Organization | Accredited reps nationally |
In Illinois | Median years accredited | Appointing them |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| African American PTSD Association | 15 | 8 | 17.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| American Legion | 3,712 | 31 | 5.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| American Veterans | 91 | 8 | 7.3 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Catholic War Veterans of the USA | 35 | 6 | 4.7 | Accepts online POA requests |
| Disabled American Veterans | 1,675 | 44 | 5.1 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Fleet Reserve Association | 470 | 1 | 12.9 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs | 113 | 63 | 5.3 | Accepts online POA requests |
| Jewish War Veterans of the USA | 157 | 1 | 8.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Marine Corps League | 169 | 1 | 7.7 | Accepts online POA requests |
| Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | 1,992 | 168 | 4.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Paralyzed Veterans of America | 133 | 4 | 8.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2,297 | 36 | 5.4 | Accepts online POA requests |
Median years accredited is estimated from VA registration number sequence for VSO representatives, whose accreditation dates the VA does not publish; it is exact for attorneys and claims agents.
Cities in Illinois
- Chicago (151)
- Gurnee (20)
- Peoria (18)
- Belleville (16)
- Joliet (15)
- Springfield (13)
- Edwardsville (13)
- Marion (10)
- Rock Island (10)
- Woodstock (10)
- Wheaton (9)
- Quincy (8)
- Bloomington (8)
- Galesburg (7)
- Hazel Crest (7)
- Dekalb (7)
- Rockford (7)
- Decatur (5)
- Danville (5)
- Peru (5)
- Geneva (5)
- Litchfield (4)
- Champaign (4)
- Bourbonnais (4)
- Moline (4)
- Yorkville (4)
- Hines (4)
- Machesney Park (4)
- Carbondale (3)
- Swansea (3)
- Godfrey (3)
- Hillsboro (3)
- Pontiac (3)
- Aledo (3)
- Warrenville (3)
- West Chicago (3)
- Deerfield (3)
- Freeport (3)
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.
2026 base rates, all ratings (veteran alone)
| 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 |
What any of them may charge you
- VSO representatives cannot charge a fee. Ever. Not for filing, not for "document review", not a percentage of back pay (38 CFR 14.636(b)).
- Accredited attorneys and claims agents may charge, but only after the VA has issued an initial decision on the claim (38 USC 5904; 38 CFR 14.636(c)). Anyone charging to file your first claim is either not accredited or not allowed to.
- Nobody who is not on the VA's roster may prepare or prosecute your claim for a fee (38 CFR 14.629), whatever they call themselves.
Check any name on this page against the VA Office of General Counsel accreditation search before you sign a thing, or check a name or a whole list of registration numbers on our roster check. VetAid takes no payment for placement here and endorses nobody.
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 →