Find the ones nearest you
Accredited in Freeport, IL
| Name | Phone | Type | Organization | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tina Paggi | 815-233-5092 | VSO representative | Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs | 2013 (est.) | 26996 |
| Kristine Spivey | 815-616-8334 | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | 2022 (est.) | 53312 |
| Jacob Wagner | (815) 233-7282 | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | 2025 (est.) | 60433 |
Within 25 miles
| Name | Phone | Type | Organization | City | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Arreguin | 815-255-9181 | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | Oregon | 2026 (est.) | 61080 |
| William Coleman | 815-255-9181 | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | Oregon | 2025 (est.) | 59164 |
| Wayne Leonard | —no phone published | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | Mount Carroll | 2019 (est.) | 46581 |
| Ronda Riffe-Rathje | 815-902-1013 | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | Mount Carroll | 2025 (est.) | 58436 |
The organizations behind these representatives
| Organization | Accredited reps nationally |
In Illinois | Median years accredited | Appointing them |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs | 113 | 63 | 5.3 | Accepts online POA requests |
| Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | 1,992 | 168 | 4.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
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.
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.
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.
Elsewhere in Illinois
All accredited representatives in Illinois · Search by ZIP code
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