Find the ones nearest you
Accredited in Woodstock, IL
| Name | Phone | Type | Organization | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fernando Ceron | 815-334-4229shared line | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | 2025 (est.) | 59157 |
| Melissa Downey | (217) 512-4033 | VSO representative | Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs | 2018 (est.) | 45729 |
| Tara Guy | 815-334-4229shared line | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2024 (est.) | 56613 |
| Nathaniel Johnson | 815-334-4000 | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | 2016 (est.) | 39164 |
| Jennifer Kunke | 815-334-2003 | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | 2026 (est.) | 61094 |
| Sarah Langlois | 815-334-4229shared line | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | 2026 (est.) | 61045 |
| Anna Marchese | 815-334-4229shared line | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2023 (est.) | 54250 |
| Denise Schlottman | 815-334-4229shared line | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | 2026 (est.) | 61093 |
| Nai Keema Ward | 815-334-4229shared line | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | 2026 (est.) | 61095 |
| Dolores Wigman | 815-403-3601 | Attorney | — | 2022 | 52223 |
Within 25 miles
| Name | Phone | Type | Organization | City | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Carville | (815) 323-7300 | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | Belvidere | 2018 (est.) | 44845 |
| Francis Delatorre | 217-785-4114shared line | VSO representative | Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs | Elgin | 2014 (est.) | 30568 |
| Jeremy Bergstrom | 815-608-6468 | Attorney | — | Caledonia | 2012 | 23821 |
| Kenneth Piercey | —no phone published | Attorney | — | Barrington | 2015 | 36195 |
| Melissa Wick | 815-338-9600 | Attorney | — | McHenry | 2010 | 18360 |
| Thomas Pizur | 847-487-1212 | Claims agent | — | Wauconda | 2012 | 23622 |
The organizations behind these representatives
| Organization | Accredited reps nationally |
In Illinois | Median years accredited | Appointing them |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disabled American Veterans | 1,675 | 44 | 5.1 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| 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 |
| 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.
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
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 →