Made by a Marine Veteran who strives to help fellow veterans get the benefits they've earned. Semper Fi.

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Important: This tool is not legal or medical advice. It is not made by, affiliated with, or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Only VA decides ratings and payments. For free help, contact an accredited Veterans Service Officer (VSO).

Already have a backup? Restore your data

New phone or computer? Coming back after clearing your browser? If you saved a VA to Z backup file before, you can bring back your claims, notes, chats, and settings in one step.

New here? Skip this and start below.

Set up the AI helper (optional)

The lookup and the calculator (in Tools) work without this. The AI chat in My Claims needs a Grok API key from xAI.

  1. Go to console.x.ai (open it in your browser) and sign in or make an account.
  2. Add a payment method or credits under Billing. xAI charges for API use. Small chats usually cost pennies, but you are responsible for the bill.
  3. Open API Keys and click Create API Key. Give it a name like "VA Helper".
  4. Copy the key (it starts with xai-). You may only see it once.
  5. Paste it below and press Save, then Test.

Default is grok-4.7 (xAI's recommended chat model as of Oct 2026). If xAI renames models, type the new name here. See docs.x.ai/docs/models.

Privacy: your key is saved only in this browser's storage on this device. It is sent only to api.x.ai when you use the chat. Your claim notes are sent to xAI only when you chat. Anyone using this device and browser could see the key; use Clear All Data in Tools when you're done on a shared computer.

My Profile

Your profile is saved only on this device, in this browser. VA to Z has no servers, and no third party can see or store it. The only exception is if you turn on AI access below: then your profile is sent with your questions to xAI (Grok) to answer them.

Your profile is also included in backups you download in Tools, so keep backup files private. Fill in only what you want. These are details VA forms often ask for (21-526EZ, 21-0995, 21-10210, 21-4138, 21-686c), so you have them in one place. Tap a section to open it.

AI access to my profile

Off (the default): the AI helper in My Claims does not get your profile. It only gets that claim's rule text, checklist, notes, and your questions.

On: each time you chat, your profile is sent to xAI along with your question, so drafts can include your name, service dates, units, and so on.

Off by default. Most drafts don't need it; you can write it on the final form yourself.

1Step 1: Find a Condition

Search the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities (38 CFR Part 4) by name, body part, or diagnostic code.

Common Claims

The 10 most common service-connected disabilities among all Veterans getting VA compensation, ranked. Source: VA, VBA Annual Benefits Report, Fiscal Year 2025 (Compensation section, p. 73), benefits.va.gov/REPORTS/abr. The diagnostic codes are our best match to VBA's names. Tap one to choose it.

2Step 2: Choose a Condition

Tap a condition to see the official rating rules and how to claim it.

3Step 3: Let's File It

Choose a condition in Step 2 first.

This creates a claim workspace in My Claims with a document checklist, notes, and the AI helper.

My claims

Add claims from the Conditions tab with "Let's File It".

Pick a claim on the left, or go to Conditions and press Let's File It on a condition.

Claims Status

Your open VA claims from VA.gov, with every detail VA.gov has: all 8 steps with dates, temporary jurisdiction, evidence requests, documents, and letters. Tap a claim for details.

My Documents

Keep copies of your VA paperwork in one place. Files are saved only on this device, in this browser (and in your save folder if you set one up in Tools). They are included in full backups.

Add PDFs, photos, or documents. On a phone, use Take photo to snap a letter with your camera. Tap a section to open it.

Tools

Extra tools for your claim. Pick one:

VA Disability Calculator

VA doesn't add ratings. It uses "VA math": each rating takes a share of what's left, then the total rounds to the nearest 10. Results update as you go.

1Add your ratings

Arm or leg condition? Tap the body part first, then the percent. Anything else (hearing, PTSD, back, migrainesā€¦)? Just tap the percent.

No body part chosen: next rating is added as "other" (not an arm or leg).

2Add your dependents

Dependents raise pay only at a combined 30% or higher.

Children under 18
0
Children 18ā€“23 in school
0
Dependent parents
0
3Add SMC (optional)

Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) is extra pay set by law (38 U.S.C. 1114; 38 CFR 3.350) for certain serious losses or care needs. Only add it if VA has awarded it to you, or you think you qualify. Rates: VA .

SMC-K is paid for each: loss or loss of use of one hand, one foot, a creative/reproductive organ, both buttocks; blindness in one eye with only light perception; complete loss of speech; total deafness in both ears; or significant breast tissue loss/radiation. VA allows 1 to 3 awards.

SMC-K awards
0

This is an estimate, not a VA decision. Individual Unemployability (TDIU) and some other add-ons are not included. SMC amounts are estimates; VA decides SMC. Check va.gov for your official amount.

Backup and Restore

What is a backup? It is one file (ending in .vaz) with everything you've entered here: your profile, claims, notes, checklists, AI chats, calculator, settings, and your documents. It is compressed and checked for damage when you restore it.

Why make one? Your work is saved only inside this browser on this device. It can be lost if you clear your browsing history, use private mode, or the browser cleans up storage. A backup also lets you move your work to a new phone or computer.

Make a new backup after big changes. Keep the file somewhere safe (like a USB drive or your personal cloud storage).

No backup saved yet on this device.

On a phone or tablet, a menu opens so you can pick where to save it (Files, iCloud Drive, Google Drive, email, and more). On a computer, you may get a "Save As" window to choose a folder. Otherwise it goes to your Downloads folder.

Save folder on this computer

On a Windows or Mac computer with Chrome or Edge, VA to Z can keep an always-updated copy in a folder you pick: va-to-z-data.json (all your info, readable) and a Documents folder with your original files.

  1. Click Choose save folder. A folder window opens.
  2. Go to your Documents folder. Don't select Documents itself. The browser blocks it ("contains system files").
  3. Click New folder and name it VAtoZ.
  4. Double-click VAtoZ so you are inside it. The window should show VAtoZ at the top and an empty folder.
  5. Click Select Folder. If asked, click Allow / View files / Save changes.

Storage on this device

Checkingā€¦

Restore from Backup

Got a backup file? Choose it below. This replaces what's on this device now with what's in the file.

Keep your backup private. If you saved your xAI API key, it is inside the backup file. Anyone with the file could use your key and run up charges. Don't email or share it. If it leaks, delete the key at console.x.ai and make a new one.
Cloud Backup (Google Drive)
Cloud backup is coming to the extension. For now, use Download Backup above, or open the VA to Z website to back up to Google Drive. (Chrome extensions need a different Google sign-in setup.)

Keep a copy of your work in your own Google Drive. It goes into a hidden app folder that only VA to Z can see. It does not show up in your Drive file list, and it never goes to us. This is optional.

There is one backup file. Each time you click Back up now, it is replaced with your newest work.

Not signed in.

No cloud backup made from this device yet.

Sync VA Data

Instead of typing everything in, you can copy your own info from VA.gov: your name, contact info, service history, VA ratings, and claims. A small free browser add-on (the VA to Z Sync extension) reads it while you're logged in to VA.gov and hands it to this app. You check every item before anything is changed.

Instead of typing everything in, you can copy your own info from VA.gov: your name, contact info, service history, VA ratings, and claims. Sync is built into this extension, so you don't need to install anything else. You check every item before anything is changed.

It only reads. It never sees your password, never submits anything to VA, and your info goes straight from VA.gov to this app on your computer. It does not go to any other server.

Step 1: Install the extension (one time)

Computer only (Windows or Mac) in Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. It does not work on phones or tablets.

  1. Download the extension (va-to-z-sync.zip).
  2. Open your Downloads folder. Right-click the zip and choose Extract All (Windows) or double-click it (Mac). You get a folder named va-to-z-sync. Move it somewhere you'll keep it, such as Documents. Don't delete it later, because the extension runs from that folder.
  3. In the address bar, type chrome://extensions (Chrome) or edge://extensions (Edge) and press Enter.
  4. Turn on Developer mode. In Chrome the switch is at the top right; in Edge it's on the left side.
  5. Click Load unpacked and select the va-to-z-sync folder you extracted.
  6. Click the puzzle-piece icon in the toolbar and pin VA to Z Sync so its button is always visible.
  7. Using VA to Z saved on your computer (a file) instead of the website? On the extensions page click Details under VA to Z Sync and turn on Allow access to file URLs.

Sometimes Chrome or Edge shows a message such as "Disable developer mode extensions." That's normal for add-ons installed this way. Click the X or Keep, not Disable.

Step 2: Pull your info

  1. Go to VA.gov and sign in (Login.gov or ID.me) as usual.
  2. Click the VA to Z Sync button in your toolbar, then Pull my VA data.
  3. If this app is open in another tab, the info appears below for review. If not, click Download VA data file in the extension, then use Import VA data file here.

Pull your info

  1. Sign in at VA.gov in this browser (Login.gov or ID.me) as usual. You can close that tab afterward.
  2. Click Pull from VA.gov below. If no VA.gov tab is open, the app briefly opens one in the background, reads your info, and closes it.
  3. Review the items that appear and click Apply.

Clear All Data

This erases everything from this device: API key, profile, claims, notes, chats, and calculator. It cannot be undone. Download a backup first if you might want it later.

About the data
All-in-one desktop version: VA to Z is also available as a Chrome/Edge extension that includes the whole app plus built-in VA.gov sync, and opens in its own tab. Download va-to-z-extension.zip, unzip it to a folder you'll keep, open chrome://extensions or edge://extensions, turn on Developer mode, click Load unpacked, pick the unzipped va-to-z-extension folder, and pin it. Computer only. Its data is separate from this website; move your data between them with a backup file (Backup and Restore).
You're using the VA to Z extension. Your data here is stored inside this extension and is separate from the VA to Z website or HTML file. To move data between them, make a backup (Backup and Restore) in one and restore it in the other.