M21-1 Manual  /  Part II, Subpart iii, Chapter 2, Section A

Intent to File (ITF)

M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, Chapter 2, Section A

Overview

In This Section

This section contains the following topics:
TopicTopic Name
1General Information on ITF
2Systems Processing of ITFs
3Incomplete ITFs
4ITF Data Accuracy

1. General Information on ITF

Introduction

This topic contains information regarding the identification and processing of ITFs, including
  • communication of an ITF
  • required elements of a communication of an ITF
  • why communication of an ITF is important
  • determining active status of an ITF
  • identification of the benefit sought on the ITF
  • ITFs for multiple benefits
  • duplicate ITFs
  • applying an ITF to multiple claims received on the same day
  • ITFs and withdrawn claims
  • ITFs submitted during active duty
  • examples of benefits ITF does not affect, and
  • acknowledging receipt of a communication of an ITF that includes all required elements.

Change Date

June 14, 2023

II.iii.2.A.1.a. Communication of an ITF

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) stopped accepting informal claims on March 24, 2015. Claimants desiring the benefit of filing an informal claim (as expressed in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.H.1.b) must now communicate to VA an “intent to file” a claim. They may accomplish this byNote: If a claimant expresses an intent to file (ITF) before March 24, 2015, determine whether VA may accept the communication as an informal claim. References: For more information on

II.iii.2.A.1.b. Required Elements of a Communication of an ITF

A claimant’s communication of an ITF is adequate for VA purposes if, in the communication, the claimant
  • provides VA with enough information to identify the Veteran (and the claimant, if the claimant is not the Veteran), and
  • specifies the general benefit sought (compensation and/or pension, or Survivors Pension and/or Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)).
Notes:
  • The initiation of an application for benefits via a VA claims submission service website constitutes an acceptable communication of an ITF.
  • When an ITF is submitted in writing, it must be submitted onVA Form 21-0966, which must be signed by
    • the claimant
    • the claimant’s Veterans service organization (VSO)
    • a VA-recognized power of attorney (POA), or
    • an alternate signer if submitted with VA Form 21-0972, Alternate Signer Certification.
    • As long as VA can identify the claimant via information included on VA Form 21-0966 or other information submitted with the form, the only sections of VA Form 21-0966 a claimant must complete are the sections gathering information on the type of benefit elected and the signature of the claimant or authorized representative. Assume the claimant is the Veteran if the Claimant/Veteran Identification section of the form is blank.
    • If a claimant communicates their ITF by contacting a VA call center, and the claimant does not have a corporate record, a call center employee must complete, sign, and submit VA Form 21-0966 on the claimant's behalf.
    • A claimant may communicate their ITF to a Field Examiner as directed in FPM, Part I, 2.C.3.o.
    References: For more information on

II.iii.2.A.1.c. Why Communication of an ITF Is Important

The communication of an ITF to VA is important because VA may potentially grant entitlement to benefits prior to the date of claim (DOC) if the claimant submits a complete claim within one year of the date VA received the ITF and all other necessary criteria are met. When the complete claim is received within one year of the ITF, the ITF is a DOC placeholder and other applicable effective date rules, such as 38 CFR 3.114 and 38 CFR 3.400, may be applied based on the date of receipt of the ITF. References: For more information on

II.iii.2.A.1.d. Determining Active Status of an ITF

A claimant’s communication of an ITF is “active” for the purpose of assigning an earlier effective date of entitlement (as explained in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.1.c) until the earlier of the following occur:
  • VA receives a substantially complete application for benefits for the same type of benefit identified on the ITF, or
  • the one-year period following VA’s receipt of the communication of the ITF ends.
Important:
  • Once VA associates a specific application for benefits with a communication of an ITF, that communication is no longer active for the purpose of assigning an earlier effective date of entitlement to the same specific benefit for which the claimant might subsequently apply. This limitation applies even if VA receives the subsequent application(s) within one year of the date it received the communication of an ITF.
  • Once VA associates a specific application for benefits with a claimant’s communication of an ITF, the claimant may submit another communication of an ITF that VA will then consider when assigning an effective date of entitlement to benefits for which the claimant might subsequently apply.
References: For more information on

II.iii.2.A.1.e. Identification of the Benefit Sought on the ITF

An ITF is specific to the benefit sought. When the claim received is not for the same type of benefit identified on the ITF, the ITF may not be applied to the claim for purposes of effective date assignment. Example: An ITF identifying pension as the benefit sought cannot be applied to a subsequent claim for compensation. Note: A survivor’s ITF on which either compensation or pension is selected as the benefit sought cannot be applied to a claim for Survivors Pension or DIC. A survivor’s ITF with compensation or pension selected should be handled as an incomplete ITF. References: For more information on
  • identification of the benefit sought on an ITF, see 38 CFR 3.155(b), and
  • handling incomplete ITFs, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.3.

II.iii.2.A.1.f. ITFs for Multiple Benefits

When a single ITF is received that has both compensation and pension boxes checked, two active ITFs are created. Each ITF remains active until
  • a claim for the corresponding benefit is received, or
  • the one-year period for submission of a claim for the corresponding benefit expires.
Note: Various systems and EP issues may impact proper update of the ITF status. Claims processors must verify that the ITF status as reflected on the ITF screen is correct. Reference: For more information on verifying systems accuracy for ITFs, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.4.

II.iii.2.A.1.g. Duplicate ITFs

An ITF remains active for one year or until a claim is received, whichever occurs earlier. A duplicate ITF is an ITF submitted for the same benefit as an ITF which has already been submitted, for which a corresponding claim has not been received. Any subsequent duplicate ITF submitted for the same benefit during the active period will have no effect on benefit entitlement. Reference: For more information on the assignment of effective date following the submission of a duplicate ITF, see M21-1, Part V, Subpart ii, 4.A.2.c.

II.iii.2.A.1.h. Applying an ITF to Multiple Claims Received on the Same Day

When an active ITF is of record and multiple claims are subsequently received all on the same date, apply the ITF to all claims received on the same day. Example: An ITF for compensation was received on June 11, 2022. Subsequently, on September 14, 2022, a supplemental claim for compensation is received through the mail. Also, on September 14, 2022, an initial claim for compensation is submitted online. The ITF will apply to both claims received on September 14, 2022, since they were received on the same day. References: For more information on

II.iii.2.A.1.i. ITFs and Withdrawn Claims

When an ITF has been associated with a claim, but the claim is subsequently successfully withdrawn and the withdrawal is not retracted, the ITF remains associated with the withdrawn claim and may not be applied to any other claim. If the withdrawal is successfully retracted, the ITF remains associated with the claim and may be utilized for the purposes of assigning an effective date. Reference: For more information on withdrawn claims, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.F.

II.iii.2.A.1.j. ITFs Submitted During Active Duty

An ITF generally has no effect when submitted during a period of active duty just prior to discharge due to application of 38 CFR 3.400(b)(2)(i). However, in unusual situations, such as those where there are multiple brief periods of active duty, in which the ITF has the potential to impact effective date assignment, an ITF received during active service may be applied for assignment of effective date. However, under no circumstances may benefits be paid during a period of active service.

II.iii.2.A.1.k. Examples of Benefits ITF Does Not Affect

ITF applies to claims for
  • compensation
  • pension
  • Survivors Pension, and
  • DIC.
The following are examples of benefits or types of claims to which ITF does not apply:
  • requests for dependency
  • ancillary benefits
  • requests for higher-level review
  • duplicate claims, and
  • requests for review based on clear and unmistakable error.
Note: Prior to July 30, 2021, 38 CFR 3.155 precluded the application of ITFs to supplemental claims. In Military-Veterans Advocacy v. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, No. 19-1600 (Fed. Cir. 2021), the court invalidated this portion of VA’s regulation. This means an ITF may now be applied to supplemental claims that are not finally adjudicated on or after July 30, 2021. References: For more information on

II.iii.2.A.1.l. Acknowledging Receipt of a Communication of an ITF That Includes All Required Elements

Receipt of an ITF must be recorded in the corporate record as described at M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.2.a. As soon as this corporate record update takes place, the Hines Information Technology Center (ITC) generates and mails to the claimant a letter
  • confirming
    • the date VA received the claimant’s communication of an ITF, and
    • the benefit(s) the claimant is seeking, and
    • informing the claimant of
      • the form(s) that must be completed to apply for benefits, and
      • the time limit for returning the completed form(s) to VA.
    Note: Sometimes, the Hines ITC is unable to generate the letter. Upon receipt of notice that this has occurred, manually create the letter using the Active ITF Notification Letter.

2. Systems Processing of ITFs

Introduction

This topic contains information regarding the processing of ITFs within VA electronic systems, including
  • how the corporate record is updated to reflect receipt of a communication of an ITF
  • accepting ITFs by telephone
  • processing VA Form 21-0966 when no Beneficiary Identification and Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) record exists
  • identifying ITFs received electronically or by employees
  • status of communications of an ITF as displayed in the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS) and Share, and
  • receipt of a communication of an ITF on the same date VA receives an application for benefits through
    • a VA claims submission service website, and
    • means other than submission via a VA claims submission service website.

Change Date

July 14, 2025

II.iii.2.A.2.a. How the Corporate Record Is Updated to Reflect Receipt of a Communication of an ITF

The table below describes how the corporate record is updated to reflect receipt of a communication of an ITF that contains the required elements described in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.1.b.
When ...Then ...
  • a claimant initiates an application for benefits via a VA claims submission service website, or
  • a VSO, claim agent, or private attorney initiates a claim through Stakeholder Enterprise Portal
data concerning the claimant’s ITF is automatically transferred to the corporate record. Note: No corresponding VA Form 21-0966 exists in this case. Reference: For more information on VA claims submission service websites, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 4.A and B.
a VSO submits VA Form 21-0966 on a claimant’s behalf via Digits-to-Digits
  • data concerning the claimant’s ITF is automatically transferred to the corporate record, and
  • the VA Form 21-0966 is automatically uploaded into the claimant’s electronic claims folder (eFolder).
a claimant communicates an ITF to a VA call centera call center employee enters data concerning the communication into the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) application, which automatically updates the corporate record to reflect receipt of the communication. Exception: If the claimant has no corporate record, the call center employee
  • completes and signs VA Form 21-0966 on the claimant’s behalf, and
  • routes the form to the appropriate intake processing center (IPC), where an IPC employee will manually update the corporate record through the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS) or Share to reflect receipt of the communication of an ITF.
a claimant submits a completed VA Form 21-0966 to VAthe IPC of the station of origin is responsible for manually updating the corporate record through VBMS or Share to reflect receipt of the communication of an ITF. Note: Upon receipt of an incompleteVA Form 21-0966, follow the instructions in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.3.
a claimant communicates an ITF to an RO employeethe employee is responsible for manually updating the corporate record through VBMS or Share to reflect receipt of the communication of an ITF.
a claimant communicates an ITF to a Field Examinerthe Field Examiner or designated fiduciary employee will accept the ITF by following the procedures directed in FPM, Part I, 2.C.3.o, to electronically update the corporate record to reflect receipt of the communication of an ITF.
Notes:

References: For more information on

  • identifying ITF information when received electronically or input by an employee, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.2.d, and
  • ITFs and incorrectly established claims, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.E.2.

II.iii.2.A.2.b. Accepting ITFs By Telephone

Effective March 24, 2015, VA will only recognize compensation, pension, survivors, and related claims if they are submitted on prescribed forms. When a claimant expressed an intent to file a claim during a telephone conversation, determine whether the claimant wishes to submit an ITF. Follow the instructions in the table below if a claimant attempts to file a claim during a telephone conversation.
StepAction
1Verify the identity of the person providing the information by telephone by asking for the claimant’s
  • Social Security number
  • date of birth, or
  • any other information that might help to establish identity.
Note: Complete development to the claimant by letter if the
  • caller is unable to furnish this information, or
  • person’s identity remains questionable.
2Notify the claimant that VA regulations require all claims to be submitted on a prescribed form.
3Review the claimant’s record to determine whether the claimant has an active ITF for the same general benefit type as the claim.Reference: For more information on identifying the benefit sought, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.1.e.
4Use the following table to determine if the claimant has an active ITF for the same general benefit.
If an active ITF …Then …
exists
  • notify the claimant that an active ITF associated with the same general benefit is currently pending
  • inform the claimant of the
    • date the ITF was received
    • appropriate form(s) needed to submit a complete application
    • timeframe necessary to submit the complete application to retain the ITF effective date placeholder, and
    • ways to submit the complete application, and
  • no further action is required.
does not exist
  • notify the claimant that an ITF can be entered and be used as an effective date placeholder if the claimant submits a complete application within one year of receipt of the ITF, and
  • go to Step 5.
5Use the following table to determine the actions to take based on whether or not a claimant has provided authorization to enter an ITF during a telephone conversation.
If the claimant ...Then ...
provided authorizationenter the ITF in the claimant’s claims folder and inform the claimant of
  • the appropriate form(s) needed to submit a complete application
  • the timeframe necessary to submit a complete application to retain the ITF effective date placeholder, and
  • ways to submit a complete application.
did not provide authorizationconsider the communication a request for application and inform the claimant of
  • the appropriate form(s) needed to submit a complete application
  • ways to submit a complete application, and
  • the potential effective date if benefits are awarded, which will be the date VA receives a complete application.
References: For more information on

II.iii.2.A.2.c. Processing VA Form 21-0966 When No BIRLS Record Exists

Follow the instructions in the table below when VA receives VA Form 21-0966 from a claimant for whom no BIRLS record exists.
StepAction
1Follow the instructions in M21-1, Part II, Subpart ii, 1.A to ensure a BIRLS record does not already exist for the Veteran named on the VA Form 21-0966.
2Follow the instructions in the Share User Guide for adding a new BIRLS record. Notes:
  • Use information obtained from the VA Form 21-0966 to complete (to the extent possible) the fields on the VET’S IDENTIFICATION DATA tab in BIRLS.
  • Completion of the fields in the SERVICE DATA section of the VET’S IDENTIFICATION DATA tab is not necessary.
3In VBMS, enter the Veteran’s claim number in the search bar at the top of any screen.
4Click on the OPEN PROFILE button to the right of the search bar.
5Select Edit Veteran from the options in the ACTIONS drop-down menu.
6Enter the claimant’s address in the fields provided for this information, using the address shown on the VA Form 21-0966.
7Follow the instructions in the VBMS Core User Guide to record receipt of the VA Form 21-0966.

II.iii.2.A.2.d. Identifying ITFs Received Electronically or By Employees

As noted in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.2.a, ITFs submitted electronically through a VA claims submission service website or those communicated directly to an employee will not be recorded on VA Form 21-0966. Rather, the receipt of ITF will be reflected
  • in the corporate record on the VBMS INTENT TO FILE screen, and
  • by the Hines ITC generated letter available for review in the eFolder.
Thus, it is necessary to review the VBMS INTENT TO FILE screen to ensure that all ITFs are considered for the purpose of assigning correct effective dates for claims. Follow the steps in the table below to locate ITF information in VBMS.
StepAction
1Open the Veteran’s VBMS profile by entering the file number in the search bar and selecting OPEN PROFILE.
2Click on the INTENT TO FILE tab. The INTENT TO FILE screen will display. Example:
3Click the STATUS drop-down menu in the top right corner and select All to show all receipts of ITF. Example:
4Compare the INTENT TO FILE screen with the documents in the eFolder and ensure the correct ITF is being considered.Reference: For information on ITF data accuracy, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.4.
References: For more information on
  • entering and viewing ITF information in VBMS, see the VBMS Core User Guide, and
  • selecting an effective date following receipt of an ITF, see M21-1, Part V, Subpart ii, 4.A.2.c.

II.iii.2.A.2.e. Status of Communications of an ITF as Displayed in VBMS and Share

The status of each communication of an ITF that VA receives is displayed in Share and VBMS. The table below provides the meaning behind each status the system may assign.
StatusMeaning
ActiveVA received a communication of an ITF that contains the required elements set forth in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.1.b. A communication of an ITF remains in this status until the earlier of the following occur:
  • VA receives a substantially complete application for benefits, or
  • the one-year period following VA’s receipt of the communication ends.
Note: No more than one communication of an intent to file a claim for a general benefit may be in an active status at any given period of time.
DuplicateWhile a communication of an intent to file a claim for a general benefit is in an active status, VA receives another communication of an intent to file a claim for the same benefit.
IncompleteVA received a communication of an ITF that did not contain the required elements set forth in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.1.b.
ExpiredThe claimant failed to submit a substantially complete application within one year of the date VA received a communication of an ITF from the claimant.
Claim ReceivedVA received a substantially complete application for a benefit from a claimant within one year of the date VA received a communication of an intent to file a claim for the same general benefit from the claimant.
CanceledAn ITF was established erroneously and subsequently canceled by a VA employee with an associated cancellation reason, such as Incorrect Received Date.
Note: Once a claimant communicates an intent to file a claim for a general benefit, and follows it up (within a one-year period of time) with a substantially complete application for the same benefit, the claimant may later (before the initial claim is resolved) communicate another intent to file a claim for the same benefit (albeit a different contention). Scenario: Result: Once VA acknowledges receipt of the VA Form 21-526EZ, the status of the claimant’s pending communication of an ITF changes from Active to Claim Received. Once this occurs,
  • the claimant may submit another communication of an intent to file a claim for compensation, and
  • VA will not consider the subsequent communication a duplicate communication of an ITF. The system will assign the status of Active to the subsequent communication of an ITF.

II.iii.2.A.2.f. Receipt of a Communication of an ITF on the Same Date VA Receives an Application for Benefits Through a VA Claims Submission Service Website

When VA receives a communication of an intent to file a claim for a general benefit on the same date it receives an application for the same benefit through a VA claims submission service website, the status of the communication of the ITF will be displayed in VBMS and Share as
  • Claim Received, as long as no other communication of an intent to file a claim for the same general benefit remains in an active status, or
  • Duplicate, if an earlier communication of an intent to file a claim for the same general benefit is still in an active status.
If a claimant submits an application via a VA claims submission service website then initiates another application via a VA claims submission service website on the same day, the status of the communication of the ITF will be displayed in VBMS and Share as Active. The table below contains examples of the application of the principle discussed in the above paragraphs, to include the information that will be displayed in VBMS and Share based on the facts associated with each individual scenario.

Evidence Received

ITF Status

Receipt Date

Explanation

Scenario 1 A claimant initiates, completes, and submits an application through a VA claims submission service website on June 15, 2024.

Claim Received

June 15, 2024

The initiation of a claim in a VA claims submission service website is accepted as an ITF. Since the application was received on the same date, the ITF is consumed and status will show claim received.

Scenario 2
  • VA receives a VA Form 21-0966for compensation from a claimant on June 15, 2024.
  • The claimant initiates, completes, and submits an application through a VA claims submission service website on July 20, 2024.

Claim Received

June 15, 2024

Initially, the receipt ofVA Form 21-0966on June 15, 2024, will be reflected in active status on the ITF screen. The initiation of the ITF on July 20, 2024, results in generation of another ITF, which is a duplicate ITF. The submission of the application on July 20, 2024, results in consumption of the June 15, 2024, ITF and the status of that ITF is updated to claim received.

Duplicate

July 20, 2024

Scenario 3

  • A claimant initiates, completes, and submits an application through a VA claims submission service website on June 15, 2024.
  • Later the same day, the claimant initiates a new application in a VA claims submission service website.

Claim Received

June 15, 2024

The initiation of the claim in a VA claims submission service website generates an ITF on June 15, 2024. That ITF is consumed by the immediate submission of a claim on the same date, so that first ITF status is claim received. The subsequent initiation of a new application in a VA claims submission service website will generate another ITF. Since no claim was submitted after that application initiation, the ITF status is active.

Active

June 15, 2024

Reference: For more information on claims submission service websites, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 4.A and B.

II.iii.2.A.2.g. Receipt of a Communication of an ITF on the Same Date VA Receives an Application for Benefits Through Means Other Than Submission Via a VA Claims Submission Service Website

When VA receives a communication of an intent to file a claim for a general benefit on the same date it receives an application for the same benefit through means other than a VA claims submission service website, the ITF will remain active pending receipt of a subsequent claim. No further development to the claimant is required in same-day receipt situations.

3. Incomplete ITFs


Introduction

This topic contains information on handling incomplete ITFs, including
  • handling an incomplete VA Form 21-0966 prior to receipt of a subsequent claim
  • acknowledging receipt of an incomplete VA Form 21-0966, and
  • handling an incomplete VA Form 21-0966 after receipt of a subsequent claim.

Change Date

September 6, 2022

II.iii.2.A.3.a. Handling an Incomplete VA Form 21-0966 Prior to Receipt of a Subsequent Claim

Follow the instructions in the table below when
  • VA receives a VA Form 21-0966 from a claimant
  • the form does not contain the required elements described in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.1.b, and
  • a subsequent claim has not yet been received.
Important: The date of receipt of a VA Form 21-0966 that does not contain the required elements set forth in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.1.b cannot be used to establish a potential effective date for entitlement to VA benefits. When an incomplete ITF is received but later made complete with further development either via telephone or letter, the date of receipt of the completed ITF or information required to complete the ITF is applicable for future assignment of effective dates.

If the claimant ...

Then ...

cannot be identified

follow the instructions in M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.C.5 for handling unidentifiable mail.

can be identified but the claimant did not specify the benefit being sought

  • attempt to contact the claimant by telephone
  • document attempts to contact the claimant according to the instructions in M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 2.D.1.d and e, and
  • follow the instructions in the table below.

If attempts to obtain the missing information by telephone are …

Then …

successful

follow the instructions in the VBMS Core User Guide (under the heading Creating New Intent to File) to update the corporate record to reflect receipt of theVA Form 21-0966.

unsuccessful

update VBMS to reflect receipt of the form.

can be identified but did not sign the form

input the information contained on the form into VBMS.

Note: The Intent to File process to record an incomplete VA Form 21-0966 was not available until April 2015. Prior to this date, users tracked VA Forms 21-0966 that did not contain the required elements described in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.1.b through the
  • establishment of an EP 400, and
  • creation of a custom tracked item with a description of Incomplete ITF.

II.iii.2.A.3.b. Acknowledging Receipt of an Incomplete VA Form 21-0966

As soon as the update to VBMS described in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.3.a, takes place, the Hines ITC generates a letter acknowledging VA’s receipt of VA Form 21-0966 and informs the claimant that the form cannot be accepted as communication of an ITF. The letter also informs the claimant of

II.iii.2.A.3.c. Handling an Incomplete VA Form 21-0966 After Receipt of a Subsequent Claim

Follow the steps in the table below when
  • VA receives a VA Form 21-0966 from a claimant
  • the form does not contain the required elements described in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.1.b
  • a subsequent claim has been received, and
  • the claimant has not been sent the letter acknowledging receipt of the ITF as described in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.3.b.
Important: The date of receipt of a VA Form 21-0966 that does not contain the required elements set forth in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.1.b cannot be used to establish a potential effective date for entitlement to VA benefits.
StepAction
1Do not enter the ITF in VBMS. (The purpose of not entering the ITF in VBMS is to prevent generation of the Hines ITC letter described in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.3.b.)
2Notify the claimant that the ITF cannot be utilized in conjunction with the current claim using the Incomplete ITF—Claim Received letter.

4. ITF Data Accuracy

Introduction

This topic contains information regarding the need to review ITF data for accuracy in VA systems, including
  • reviewing ITF status for accuracy based on circumstances of claim
  • validating the accuracy of the ITF data in the corporate record
  • correction of ITF data—
    • same day, and
    • different day
  • Super Supervisor review for canceled ITFs
  • calculating the timeliness of receipt of ITFs
  • programming errors impacting date of receipt of ITF, and
  • time zone issues impacting ITF.

Change Date

September 6, 2022

II.iii.2.A.4.a. Reviewing ITF Status for Accuracy Based on Circumstances of Claim

 When an ITF is submitted, either by virtue of initiation of an electronic application or by specific submission by a claimant, and the subsequent claim is for a benefit to which ITF does not apply, validate the accuracy of the ITF data in the corporate record as directed in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.4.b to ensure ITF status remains active when appropriate. Take corrective action when ITF status is not accurate.

II.iii.2.A.4.b. Validating the Accuracy of ITF Data in the Corporate Record

Claims processors are responsible for validating the accuracy of data in the corporate record regarding a claimant’s communication of an ITF. When inaccurate ITF information exists and a correction is being made on
  • the same day that the ITF was created, but prior to the daily ITF batch run, follow the procedures in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.4.c, or
  • a different day than the ITF was created or after the daily batch run, follow the procedures in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.4.d.
Notes:
  • The daily ITF batch run refers to the system process that occurs once daily in the evening to update ITF statuses. If an attempt to update an ITF status is made after the daily ITF batch run begins, a system message will appear indicating that the user does not have the authority to make changes to ITF status.
  • In situations where an ITF is expressed to a VA employee, the data is transcribed directly into the CRM system and/or the corporate record and need not be separately documented on VA Form 21-0966 orVA Form 27-0820, Report of General Information, as described in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.2.a and d. In these situations, additional validation is not necessary as no separate data will exist to use for validation.

II.iii.2.A.4.c. Correction of ITF Data—Same Day

Any user who has permission to add an ITF can cancel or edit the ITF on the same day the ITF was created, before the batch run starts for that day. When an ITF is created and canceled prior to the daily batch run, no letter will be issued to the Veteran/survivor. The following provisions apply for cancellation of an ITF on the same day that it was added:
  • ITFs that were added by the Veteran or a representative using a VA claims submission service website cannot be canceled using VBMS.
  • An ITF in the Claim Received or Canceled status cannot be canceled.
  • A canceled ITF will not be deleted. It will be displayed with the set of ITFs for the Veteran with a status of canceled.
The following provisions apply for editing an ITF on the same day that it was added:
  • ITFs that were added by the Veteran or a representative using a VA claims submission service website cannot be edited using VBMS.
  • Only ITFs in Active status can be edited.
  • Only the Benefit Sought and Received Date fields may be edited. However, Benefit Sought cannot be edited if there is another ITF for the other benefit type.

II.iii.2.A.4.d. Correction of ITF Data—Different Day

Cancellation of an ITF after the day the ITF was created may only be performed by Super Supervisors. No editing of ITF data is allowed at regional offices after the batch run has started on the day the ITF was created. In situations where ITF data requires an edit that cannot be done by a regular user
  • refer the case to the Super Supervisor for cancellation of the ITF so that it can be correctly re-established, or
  • if cancellation and re-establishment cannot be accomplished, refer the case to the National Service Desk Solution Center by utilizing the YourIT system.

II.iii.2.a.4.e. Super Supervisor Review for Canceled ITFs

A Super Supervisor has the ability to cancel ITFs after the day the ITF was created. For these situations, the Veteran or survivor has already received correspondence regarding the ITF expiration date. However, no system generated letter is created for notification of ITF cancellation. Following cancellation of the ITF after the day the ITF was created, the Super Supervisor or a designee must notify the claimant of cancellation of the ITF either
  • via telephone, notifying the Veteran or survivor that
    • a letter was erroneously sent indicating that an ITF was received and would be utilized as an effective date placeholder, and
    • the error has been corrected and the ITF has been removed from the record, or
  • if telephone notification is not possible, via letter using the ITF Cancellation letter.
Note: If the ITF is cancelled for the purposes of editing the data, tailor the notification appropriately to inform the Veteran or survivor of the appropriate circumstances concerning the ITF status.

II.iii.2.A.4.f. Calculating the Timeliness of Receipt of ITFs

Apply 38 CFR 3.110 in the calculation of timeliness of receipt of a claim following receipt of an ITF. When determining whether a claim is timely received following receipt of an ITF, calculate the applicable time period by
  • excluding the first day
  • including the last day, and
  • including the following workday when the time limit expires on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday.
Examples:
  • An ITF is received June 7, 2024 (Friday). The subsequent claim is received on June 9, 2025 (Monday). Consider the claim timely received since the one-year expiration of the ITF occurred on a weekend and the claim was received on the following workday.
  • An ITF is received on June 17, 2024 (Monday). The claim is received on June 17, 2025 (Tuesday). The claim is timely received because the last day is included in the calculation of timeliness.
Notes:

II.iii.2.A.4.g. Programming Errors Impacting Date of Receipt of ITF

In some cases, updates to the corporate record for both manually entered and electronically submitted communications of an ITF were affected by a programming error that caused the incorrect date of receipt of the communication to appear
  • in Share and eBenefits, and
  • on the acknowledgement letter referenced in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.1.l.
This programming error impacted ITFs recorded
  • between June 26, 2015, and December 13, 2015, and
  • in other isolated incidents outside this date range.
When the assignment of an effective date for a grant of entitlement to benefits is necessary in a case involving a claimant who communicated to VA an ITF, and there is a date discrepancy, utilize the date of receipt of the communication as shown in aIn the event that none of the above-mentioned items can be used to verify the ITF receipt date, the VBMS date should be utilized as the date of receipt of the ITF for consideration when assigning an effective date. Reference: For more information on ITF errors occurring in August 2023, see Interim Guidance: Notice of Exception to Date of Receipt Rule (with Effective Date Examples).

II.iii.2.A.4.h. Time Zone Issues Impacting ITF

A system defect has occurred periodically in which a time zone issue impacts the date of receipt of an ITF. The defect can impact both electronic and manually entered ITFs and occurs when submissions are made near midnight. VBMS operates on a server in the Eastern Standard Time zone while the corporate database operates on a Central Standard Time server. In situations where an ITF appears to be affected by a time zone discrepancy, review the time stamp on the ITF and claim to determine if the submission was made near midnight and potentially impacted by a time zone discrepancy. Any corrections to date of receipt must be made by following the procedures described in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.A.4.b.

Source: VA M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual, M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, Chapter 2, Section A (U.S. government work, reproduced for reference). Browse all sections →