NVLSP Announces Release of 35th Anniversary 2026-2027 Edition
of Veterans Benefits Manual
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 29, 2026
ARLINGTON, VA -The National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) announces the release of its 35th Anniversary 2026-2027 edition of its renowned Veterans Benefits Manual. This new edition has been meticulously updated to address critical changes in veterans law and includes new advocacy strategies to better assist veterans and their representatives.
“To mark 35 years in the preparation and publication of the Veterans Benefits Manual is a great honor. We recognize and appreciate the trust that so many attorneys and veterans advocates place in the Veterans Benefits Manual as their indispensable resource to help veterans,” said NVLSP Executive Director Paul Wright. “The Veterans Benefits Manual has evolved from 900 pages to over 2400 pages and it has been instrumental in advancing our steadfast commitment to inform and inspire attorneys and advocates nationwide to improve veterans access to effective representation. The Veterans Benefits Manual provides essential analysis of the latest legal developments and valuable insights to help those who need to navigate the complex landscape of veterans benefits.”
The most significant new information and advocacy advice includes:
• An expanded and detailed section explaining the different types of special monthly compensation (SMC)
• Discussion of the new burn-pit-related presumptions of service connection added by VA regulations in 2025
• A revised section describing the complex effective date rules for benefit awards made pursuant to the PACT Act or the VA’s 2025 regulations establishing presumptions of service connection based on exposure to toxins
• Advocacy tips and discussion of the recent court rulings describing the types of cases in which the VA may be required to assign a higher disability rating to veterans who use medication to ameliorate the effects of their service-connected conditions
• Explanation of the multiple improvements made by the landmark Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, including Community Care Programs ; Nursing Home, Other Long-Term Care, and Family Caregivers ; and Educational Assistance
• A new section explaining the process advocates should use to access their client’s VA claims file through the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS) and the documents not available through VBMS
• An overview of the recent changes to the VA’s process for reviewing, determining, and allocating reasonable fees for VA claims representation by accredited agents and attorneys
• An expanded section discussing what constitutes clear and unmistakable error (CUE) and how courts analyze whether to overturn BVA dismissals or denials of CUE claims
• An updated section explaining the accrued benefits available to a survivor of a VA claimant based on a claim pending when the claimant died, to include a discussion of the VA filing requirements that a survivor must now satisfy to substitute for the deceased claimant in a pending court action
• Advice concerning the non-regulatory, internal VA guidance prohibiting the VA from pursuing a veteran to collect a debt arising from overpayment, on timeliness grounds.
Since its first publication in 1991, the Veterans Benefits Manual has served as the ultimate guide for veterans’ advocates. The 35th Anniversary 2026-2027 edition delivers detailed explanations of veterans law, practical advocacy tips, and important updates that provide advocates with the tools to secure the benefits their clients deserve.
The editors of the 2026-2027 edition are NVLSP Co-Founder and Special Counsel Barton F. Stichman, Director of Training and Publications Richard V. Spataro, Director of Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) Litigation Stacy A. Tromble, Director of NVLSP’s Lawyers Serving Warriors® Pro Bono Program Rochelle Bobroff, former Joint Executive Director Ronald B. Abrams, Director of VSO Liaison Services Louis J. George, Special Counsel Christine Cote Hill, Director of Litigation Renee Burbank and Deputy Director, CAVC Litigation Christopher Murray.
To order a printed or eBook version of the 35th Anniversary 2026-2027 Veterans Benefits Manual, visit the Veterans Benefits Manual webpage.
About The National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP)
The National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) is an independent, nonprofit veterans service organization that has served active duty military personnel and veterans since 1981. NVLSP strives to ensure that our nation honors its commitment to its 18 million veterans and active duty personnel by ensuring they have the benefits they have earned through their service to our country. NVLSP has represented veterans in lawsuits that compelled enforcement of the law where the VA or other military services denied benefits to veterans in violation of the law. NVLSP’s success in these lawsuits has resulted in more than $7.2 billion dollars being awarded in disability, death and medical benefits to hundreds of thousands of veterans and their survivors. NVLSP offers training for attorneys and other advocates; connects veterans and active duty personnel with pro bono legal help when seeking disability benefits; publishes the nation’s definitive guide on veteran benefits; and represents and litigates for veterans and their families before the VA, military discharge review agencies and federal courts. For more information, go to nvlsp.org.
Media contact:
Patty Briotta, 202-621-5698, patty@nvlsp.org