Find the ones nearest you
How stretched Iowa is
181,635 veterans live in Iowa and 192 accredited representatives of all kinds are listed there — about 946 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 Iowa | Median years accredited | Appointing them |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Legion | 3,712 | 153 | 5.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Disabled American Veterans | 1,675 | 111 | 5.1 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs | 134 | 85 | 4.9 | Accepts online POA requests |
| Marine Corps League | 169 | 1 | 7.7 | Accepts online POA requests |
| Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs | 356 | 1 | 5.3 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | 1,992 | 148 | 4.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Paralyzed Veterans of America | 133 | 1 | 8.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2,297 | 119 | 5.4 | Accepts online POA requests |
| Veterans' Voice of America | 118 | 22 | 8.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Vietnam Veterans of America | 222 | 38 | 8.2 | 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.
Cities in Iowa
- Des Moines (24)
- Iowa City (10)
- Dubuque (9)
- Council Bluffs (6)
- Cedar Rapids (5)
- Davenport (4)
- Adel (4)
- Waterloo (4)
- Glenwood (3)
- Indianola (3)
- Johnston (3)
- Clinton (3)
- Sioux City (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.
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