SAFEGUARD Veterans Act of 2026

Key Points

• The bill reinstates criminal penalties for anyone who charges veterans unauthorized fees for help with their VA benefit claims. Violators face fines or up to one year in prison.
• Anyone helping a veteran file or pursue a claim must be officially recognized by the VA or working under the direct supervision of someone who is. People who charge illegal fees will be barred from representing veterans for one year on the first offense and ten years for each offense after that.
• The VA must build and maintain an online tool that lets veterans search for accredited representatives and see who has been suspended or banned. Veterans filing claims without a representative will be notified about this tool.
• VA websites will display stronger warnings about predatory practices, including messages telling veterans not to share their login credentials or bank account information with anyone.
• The bill bans the use of automated calling systems to repeatedly contact federal agency phone numbers on someone else's behalf, targeting companies that clog VA phone lines while processing claims for profit.
• Claim forms will now ask veterans whether they paid someone for help filing, and give them the option to name that person. This helps the VA identify and track unaccredited representatives who may be exploiting veterans.