Find the ones nearest you
Accredited in Ithaca, NY
| Name | Phone | Type | Organization | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Clairborne | 607-274-5920 | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion | 2020 (est.) | 48807 |
| Ignacio Lopez | 607-274-5920 | VSO representative | New York State Department of Veterans' Services | 2025 (est.) | 59992 |
| James Hardwick | 607-254-1272 | Attorney | — | 2023 | 54271 |
Within 25 miles
| Name | Phone | Type | Organization | City | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grace Ayala-Middaugh | 607-687-8228 | VSO representative | New York State Department of Veterans' Services, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | Owego | 2022 (est.) | 52265 |
| Carl Bush | 315-727-7285 | VSO representative | American Legion | Cortland | 2024 (est.) | 57602 |
| Dewayne Butler | 607-535-2091 | VSO representative | New York State Department of Veterans' Services, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | Montour Falls | 2023 (est.) | 55135 |
| Kristine Gardner | 607-535-2091 also listed: 202-861-2700 | VSO representative | New York State Department of Veterans' Services, American Legion | Montour Falls | 2019 (est.) | 48096 |
| Jason Gilliland | 607-535-8187 | VSO representative | American Legion, New York State Department of Veterans' Services | Montour Falls | 2026 (est.) | 61390 |
| Crystal Kawski | 607-535-2091 | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion | Montour Falls | 2024 (est.) | 57564 |
| Thomas Tedesco | 202-861-2700switchboard | VSO representative | New York State Department of Veterans' Services, American Legion | Cortland | 2020 (est.) | 49054 |
The organizations behind these representatives
| Organization | Accredited reps nationally |
In New York | Median years accredited | Appointing them |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Legion | 3,712 | 172 | 5.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | 1,992 | 32 | 4.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| New York State Department of Veterans' Services | 240 | 199 | 3.8 | 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 New York is
662,406 veterans live in New York and 703 accredited representatives of all kinds are listed there — about 942 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 New York
All accredited representatives in New York · Search by ZIP code
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