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BeneVets, Inc. - Pro Se Filing Attestation

Document number: 08 Adopted: July 4, 2026 Effective date on publication: July 4, 2026 Last reviewed: 2026-06-02

§ 1. Plain-English Overview

In plain English: When you press the button that sends a VA form to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs through BeneVets, you are telling VA: "I am filing this myself. BeneVets is not my representative." That is what pro se means. You always have the right to use an accredited representative. BeneVets is not accredited and is not your representative. We are a website that fills in your form for you and hands it to VA's intake system; the file is in your name and you are responsible for what is in it.

This document is the contemporaneous attestation that the Veteran User makes each time the Veteran User transmits a VA form to VA through the BeneVets Service. This document also describes BeneVets's role, BeneVets's non-representation posture, and the legal framework that anchors that posture.

Cross-references. This Attestation must be read together with the BeneVets, Inc. Terms of Service (Doc. 01) and the Helper / Account-Linking Terms (Doc. 07).

§ 2. Defined Terms

In plain English: Capitalized words have specific meanings. The most important ones are below.

"Accredited Representative" means a person accredited under 38 C.F.R. § 14.629 to prepare, present, and prosecute claims for benefits before VA.

"BeneVets," "we," "us," "our" means BeneVets, Inc., a California nonprofit public benefit corporation.

"Form 21-22" means VA Form 21-22, "Appointment of Veterans Service Organization as Claimant's Representative." A reference to Form 21-22 includes VA Form 21-22a, "Appointment of Individual as Claimant's Representative," where context requires.

"Pro se" means appearance and prosecution of a claim on one's own behalf, without an Accredited Representative. (Used italicized on first reference in each section.)

"Service" has the meaning given in the Terms of Service.

"User," "you" means the Veteran User transmitting a VA form to VA through the Service.

"VA" means the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

"VA Lighthouse Benefits Intake API" means the application programming interface operated by VA through which the Service transmits the Veteran User's prepared VA forms to VA.

§ 3. The Operative Attestation Text (Server-Locked)

In plain English: The exact words below are what you are agreeing to each time you transmit. The software shows you these words. You cannot edit them; we cannot edit them; only an updated published version of this document can change them.

The following is the exact operative language of the Pro Se Filing Attestation. The Service surfaces this language verbatim to the Veteran User on every transmission attempt. The Veteran User confirms the attestation by an affirmative click (a step-up authentication challenge may be required under the Terms of Service); the click, the timestamp, the Veteran User's authenticated account identifier, the form identifier and version, and the document-version hash of this Attestation are recorded in an immutable audit log. The text is server-locked: the client interface cannot alter, paraphrase, omit, or visually de-emphasize any portion of the attestation text before display. Any change to the operative text below requires a new published version of this document and re-display to the Veteran User.

§ 3.1 Operative Attestation Text (verbatim)

PRO SE FILING ATTESTATION

By transmitting this VA form to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs through BeneVets, I attest and confirm each of the following:

  1. I am filing this form pro se, meaning on my own behalf, without an accredited representative acting for me through BeneVets.
  2. BeneVets, Inc. is not my representative before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. BeneVets, Inc. is not accredited under 38 C.F.R. § 14.629 and is not preparing or prosecuting this claim as a representative.
  3. I understand that I have the right at any time to appoint an accredited Veterans Service Organization representative, an accredited claims agent, or an accredited attorney to represent me before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs by executing and filing the applicable VA Form 21-22 (Appointment of Veterans Service Organization as Claimant's Representative) or VA Form 21-22a (Appointment of Individual as Claimant's Representative), and that appointing a representative does not undo this filing.
  4. I am solely responsible for the accuracy and completeness of every field in this form. I have reviewed the form. The information in it is true and complete to the best of my knowledge.
  5. BeneVets, Inc.'s role in this transmission is technical only: pre-fill of fields from my BeneVets profile (which I provided), display of the completed form for my review, and transmission of the completed form to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs through the VA Lighthouse Benefits Intake API.
  6. The submission of this form to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs creates a claim file in my name. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not BeneVets, Inc., processes the claim. BeneVets, Inc. does not control or influence VA's processing.
  7. BeneVets, Inc. has charged me no fee for any activity in connection with this form.
  8. BeneVets, Inc. is not an agency or instrumentality of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

I confirm this attestation as of the date and time of my transmission click.

§ 3.2 Technical Implementation Reference

The Service implements this Attestation as follows. (This subsection is informational and describes the controls that surround the attestation; it does not modify the operative text in § 3.1.)

  1. The transmission flow renders the § 3.1 text from a server-rendered template; the client receives the rendered text, not editable source.
  2. The "Transmit to VA" button is disabled until the Veteran User has affirmatively confirmed the Attestation in the same session.
  3. The Service performs a server-side check that the displayed attestation hash matches the published version hash before submitting to the VA Lighthouse Benefits Intake API.
  4. The Service records the audit-log fields described in § 3.
  5. The transmit action is bound to the Veteran User's authenticated session. No Helper, including a Helper holding the Accredited VSO Representative role under Helper Terms (Doc. 07) § 3.4, can effect the transmit action through the Service.

§ 4. What "Pro Se" Means

In plain English: Pro se means you are appearing and prosecuting your VA claim yourself, without an accredited representative acting for you. It is your file, in your name, in your hands.

For purposes of this Attestation, pro se filing means the Veteran User's appearance and prosecution of a claim before VA on the Veteran User's own behalf, without an Accredited Representative acting in respect of that claim. A pro se filing posture does not foreclose the Veteran User from engaging an Accredited Representative at any later stage; it reflects the Veteran User's position at the time of the filing.

§ 5. The Veteran User's Right to an Accredited Representative

In plain English: You have the legal right to a free accredited VSO representative, to an accredited claims agent, or to an accredited attorney. You can appoint one at any time. We will not stand in the way.

The Veteran User has the right under 38 C.F.R. § 14.629 to appoint, at any time and at any stage of a claim, (a) a recognized Veterans Service Organization representative, (b) an accredited claims agent, or (c) an accredited attorney, in each case accredited by VA under 38 C.F.R. §§ 14.626-14.637. Appointment is generally effected by filing the applicable form: Form 21-22 for a VSO representative, or VA Form 21-22a for an individual accredited claims agent or attorney. The Service displays a link to the VA Office of General Counsel accreditation search and to the VA-published VSO directory.

§ 6. BeneVets's Role - Technical Only

In plain English: BeneVets is a website. We pre-fill the form using your profile data, we show you the form, and we hand it to VA's intake system. We do not represent you. We are not your lawyer. We are not your VSO. We do not appear before VA on your behalf.

BeneVets's role in connection with each VA form transmitted through the Service is limited to the following technical functions:

(a) Pre-fill of form fields using data the Veteran User has provided to the Service through the Veteran User's profile, ProfileVault, or other in-product surfaces. (b) Display of the completed form to the Veteran User for review and correction before transmission. (c) Transmission of the completed form to VA through the VA Lighthouse Benefits Intake API. (d) Storage of a copy of the transmitted form and the attestation record for the Veteran User's later access, as described in § 11.

BeneVets does not (i) draft narrative content that the Veteran User has not supplied, (ii) select claim theories, (iii) make legal or medical determinations on the Veteran User's behalf, (iv) communicate with VA on the Veteran User's behalf in respect of any claim, or (v) appear in any proceeding before VA.

§ 7. The 38 C.F.R. § 14.629(c) One-Time-Preparation Safe Harbor and Why BeneVets Does Not Rely on It

In plain English: There is a narrow VA rule that lets a non-accredited person help with one form, one time, for no fee. That rule is not a fit for what BeneVets does. BeneVets pre-fills and transmits forms many times for many users. We do not lean on that safe harbor. Instead, we structure the Service so that you are the pro se filer and we are a tool. That is why this Attestation exists.

The regulation at 38 C.F.R. § 14.629(c) permits a person who is not accredited to prepare a claim for a particular claimant on a one-time basis, without compensation. The safe harbor is narrow by its terms: it contemplates a single, gratuitous instance of preparation by a person who does not hold themselves out as a claims representative. Systematic, repeated form preparation across many users is outside the safe harbor.

BeneVets does not rely on 38 C.F.R. § 14.629(c) as a defense to the structure of the Service. Instead, BeneVets's posture is that:

(a) the Veteran User is the pro se filer of each form transmitted through the Service; (b) BeneVets's role is technical (pre-fill from user-supplied data and transmission), not the role of a "preparer" in the sense of 38 C.F.R. § 14.629(c) or a "representative" in the sense of 38 C.F.R. §§ 14.626-14.629; and (c) the operative attestation in § 3.1 records, on each transmission, the Veteran User's position as the pro se filer.

This Section is informational. Nothing in this Section limits any defense or position BeneVets may take in any forum.

§ 8. The Veteran User Is Solely Responsible for Accuracy

In plain English: Every word in the form is your word. The Service may pre-fill some boxes from your profile, but you check, you sign, and you press transmit. If something is wrong, that is on you to correct; we cannot do it for you.

The Veteran User is solely responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and lawfulness of every field in any VA form transmitted through the Service. Pre-fill of fields from the Veteran User's profile is a convenience function; pre-fill does not constitute a representation by BeneVets that any pre-filled value is correct. The Veteran User must review and, where necessary, correct each field before transmission.

§ 9. Effect of Submission

In plain English: When you transmit, the form goes to VA, and a claim file is opened or updated in your name. VA, not BeneVets, decides what to do with the form, how fast to do it, and what the outcome is.

Transmission of a VA form through the Service to the VA Lighthouse Benefits Intake API results in the form being delivered to VA. VA's receipt and processing of the form are governed by VA's regulations and procedures. BeneVets does not control, predict, expedite, or influence VA's processing of any form. Claim status visibility through any VA-provided API surfaced in the Service is read-only and is provided as a convenience to the Veteran User.

§ 10. No Fee

In plain English: BeneVets does not charge you anything for filling in forms or sending them to VA. If anyone tells you BeneVets charges for this, that is wrong. VA also limits fees for representation on initial claims; we follow that framework.

BeneVets charges the Veteran User no fee, of any kind, for any activity in connection with a VA form, including pre-fill, review, transmission, storage, or audit-log access. The regulatory framework limiting fees in respect of VA representation is set out at 38 C.F.R. § 14.636 and the underlying statutory framework at 38 U.S.C. §§ 5901-5905; the BeneVets fee posture is consistent with that framework.

§ 11. Recordkeeping

In plain English: We keep a copy of the form you sent, a copy of this attestation as it appeared to you, and the time-stamped record of your click, so you can show, later, that you filed pro se if anybody asks. You can request your copy through your account.

BeneVets retains, for each transmission through the Service, (a) a copy of the transmitted form, (b) the displayed text and version hash of this Attestation as presented to the Veteran User, (c) the Veteran User's authenticated account identifier, (d) the timestamp of confirmation, (e) the form identifier and version, and (f) the VA Lighthouse Benefits Intake API response identifier where one is returned. Retention period and access procedures are described in the Data Retention Schedule (Doc. 14) and the Privacy Policy (Doc. 02). These records are maintained both for the Veteran User's own records and as evidence of the pro se filing posture in respect of the transmitted form.

§ 12. Later Engagement of an Accredited Representative

In plain English: If you decide later, weeks, months, or years after the filing, that you want an accredited VSO, a claims agent, or an attorney to take over, you can. Doing that does not erase or invalidate the form you already filed pro se. It just means somebody represents you from that point forward.

The Veteran User may engage an Accredited Representative at any time after a pro se transmission through the Service. Engagement of an Accredited Representative does not invalidate or revoke the prior pro se filing. The Veteran User remains the filer; the Accredited Representative, on appointment, represents the Veteran User from that point forward in accordance with 38 C.F.R. §§ 14.626-14.637 and the appointment instrument (Form 21-22 or VA Form 21-22a).

§ 13. Helper Feature Does Not Establish Representation

In plain English: Even if you link an accredited VSO representative to your BeneVets account through the Helper feature, that link by itself does not make them your VA representative. That requires a separately executed VA Form 21-22 filed with VA. BeneVets confirms both pieces before turning that Helper role on, but it is the form on file with VA that creates the representation, not the link.

The Helper / Account-Linking Terms (Doc. 07) describe an Accredited VSO Representative Helper Role at § 3.4. The Helper Role is a Service-side access permission and a workflow surface. It does not by itself establish representation of the Veteran User before VA. Representation is established by the Veteran User's separate execution and filing with VA of VA Form 21-22, "Appointment of Veterans Service Organization as Claimant's Representative" (or VA Form 21-22a, "Appointment of Individual as Claimant's Representative," where applicable), in accordance with 38 C.F.R. §§ 14.626-14.637 and 38 U.S.C. §§ 5901-5905. BeneVets validates the OGC Roster match and the Form 21-22 status as a technical gating step for the Helper Role and does not establish, broker, or guarantee the representation.

§ 14. Non-Affiliation with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

In plain English: BeneVets is a California nonprofit. We are not VA. We are not part of VA. We are not endorsed by VA. We use VA's APIs to send your forms in, but that is the extent of the relationship.

BeneVets, Inc. is not an agency, instrumentality, subsidiary, contractor, partner, or affiliate of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. BeneVets's interaction with VA in respect of the Service is limited to the Veteran User-initiated use of VA-published APIs (including the VA Lighthouse Benefits Intake API and read-only claim-status APIs) for the Veteran User's own purposes. No statement on the Service should be construed as a VA endorsement or as an official VA communication. Official VA communications come from VA directly.

§ 15. Cross-References

This Attestation must be read together with:

  • BeneVets, Inc. Terms of Service (Doc. 01).
  • BeneVets, Inc. Helper / Account-Linking Terms (Doc. 07).

§ 16. Changes to This Attestation

In plain English: If we change the wording of the attestation in any way that matters, we publish a new version of this document and we show you the new wording before your next transmission. You confirm the new wording at the next transmit attempt.

BeneVets may amend this Attestation from time to time. Material amendments take effect on publication of a new version of this document, are surfaced to the Veteran User on the next transmission attempt, and are recorded in the audit log under § 3 as a version hash change.

§ 17. Contact

Questions about this Attestation may be sent to:

BeneVets, Inc. Riverside County, California 1441 Pomona Road, Suite 20 Email: legal@benevets.org (or such other address as BeneVets may publish)

End of Document 08 - Pro Se Filing Attestation.