accredited representative of a service organization VA Form 21-22, Appointment of Veterans Service Organization as Claimant’s Representative, signed by the claimant and the representative that shows the service organization as representative. Note: Failure to specify the individual name and job title of the official representative in Box 3B on VA Form does not render the appointment of a Veterans Service Organization invalid. accredited agent VA Form 21-22a, Appointment of Individual as Claimant’s Representative, signed by the claimant. non-licensed individual a declaration of representation that complies with the provisions outlined in . Note: The representation is for a one-time, one-claim basis only. accredited attorney VA Form 21-22a signed by the claimant and the attorney. Important: The term “signed” in the table above includes electronic signatures on VA Forms 21-22 and 21-22a received through VA electronic systems. Note: If the claimant’s attorney is not listed on the , the regional office’s (RO's) Agent and Attorney Fee Coordinator will advise the attorney that VA will not recognize him/her until accredited, and the claimant that he/she may seek other representation, or proceed without representation until the attorney is accredited. Reference: For more information on how to acknowledge a POA representative, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart ii, 3.C.4.h, and M21-1, Part III, Subpart ii, 3.C.4.i. c. Unlimited Versus Limited Representation Assume that representation by an accredited representative of a service organization, agent, or attorney is unlimited, meaning the representative represents the claimant for all VA claims, unless VA Form 21-22, VA Form 21-22a, or the declaration of representation shows otherwise. A declaration of representation by a non-accredited individual per the provisions of is limited to one claim by its very nature. d. Limited Attorney Representation Review an attorney’s declaration of representation to determine if the representation is limited or unlimited. If it is limited to a specific claim or claims, any unlimited representation that was in effect at the time the limited representation was received by VA continues in effect for all other claims. If
4. Extent of Authority and Duties of Representatives Introduction This topic contains information on the extent of a representative’s authority, including general duties of a representative assistants to attorney representatives representative’s access to federal tax information (FTI), and questions or disputes about representatives. Change Date December 14, 2015 a. General Duties of a Representative A representative is authorized to prepare, present, and prosecute a claimant’s claim and has the authority to review the claimant’s records present evidence on behalf of the claimant submit an intent to file, non-original claim, a notice of disagreement (NOD), or a substantive appeal on behalf of the claimant, and withdraw an appeal. Important: A POA may not sign original applications for Veterans benefits or other forms requiring claimant certification, such as eligibility verification reports. Other forms a POA may not sign include, but are not limited to, the following: VA Form 21-4140, Employment Questionnaire VA Form 21-8940, Veteran’s Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability VA Form 21-4142, Authorization to Disclose Information to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) VA Form 21-4192, Request for Employment Information in Connection With Claim for Disability Benefits VA Form 21-0538, Status of Dependents Questionnaire VA Form 21-8951, Notice of Waiver of VA Compensation to Receive Military pay, and VA Form 21-651, Election of Compensation in Lieu of Retired Pay or Waiver of Retired Pay to Secure Compensation from Department of Veterans Affairs. Exception: Prior to March 24, 2015, a POA representative could sign and submit an informal claim because under the prior regulation, , an informal