diff --git a/app/controllers/v0/dependents_applications_controller.rb b/app/controllers/v0/dependents_applications_controller.rb
index 9361eb910410..dd3a498fa023 100644
--- a/app/controllers/v0/dependents_applications_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/v0/dependents_applications_controller.rb
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ def create # rubocop:disable Metrics/MethodLength
           if claim_info[:proc_state] == 'MANUAL_VAGOV' && claim_info[:participant_id].present?
             user_data = DependentsBenefits::UserData.new(current_user, claim.parsed_form)
             claim.add_veteran_info(JSON.parse(user_data.get_user_json))
-            claim.add_signature_date
 
             submission = submit_via_forms_api(claim, claim_info[:claim_label], claim_info[:participant_id])
 
@@ -88,8 +87,7 @@ def create # rubocop:disable Metrics/MethodLength
     def submit_via_forms_api(claim, claim_label, participant_id)
       digital_forms_api_submission_service ||= DigitalFormsApi::Service::Submissions.new
 
-      payload = claim.parsed_form.deep_dup
-      payload = claim.deep_camelize_keys(payload.merge(payload.delete('dependents_application')))
+      payload = claim.fdf_submission_payload
       metadata = {
         sourceRequestId: claim.guid,
         formId: claim.claim_form_type,
diff --git a/modules/dependents_benefits/app/controllers/dependents_benefits/v0/claims_controller.rb b/modules/dependents_benefits/app/controllers/dependents_benefits/v0/claims_controller.rb
index 7acdab1d3fc9..c1c83b69673a 100644
--- a/modules/dependents_benefits/app/controllers/dependents_benefits/v0/claims_controller.rb
+++ b/modules/dependents_benefits/app/controllers/dependents_benefits/v0/claims_controller.rb
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ def create # rubocop:disable Metrics/MethodLength
             claim_info = claim.get_claim_information(current_user)
             if claim_info[:proc_state] == 'MANUAL_VAGOV' && claim_info[:participant_id].present?
               claim.add_veteran_info(JSON.parse(user_data.get_user_json))
-              claim.add_signature_date
 
               submission = submit_via_forms_api(claim, claim_info[:claim_label], claim_info[:participant_id])
 
@@ -114,8 +113,7 @@ def create # rubocop:disable Metrics/MethodLength
       def submit_via_forms_api(claim, claim_label, participant_id)
         digital_forms_api_submission_service ||= DigitalFormsApi::Service::Submissions.new
 
-        payload = claim.parsed_form.deep_dup
-        payload = claim.deep_camelize_keys(payload.merge(payload.delete('dependents_application')))
+        payload = claim.fdf_submission_payload
         metadata = {
           sourceRequestId: claim.guid,
           formId: claim.claim_form_type,
diff --git a/modules/dependents_benefits/lib/dependents_benefits/claim_behavior.rb b/modules/dependents_benefits/lib/dependents_benefits/claim_behavior.rb
index 46f86b4a5e6b..0b90bddb5072 100644
--- a/modules/dependents_benefits/lib/dependents_benefits/claim_behavior.rb
+++ b/modules/dependents_benefits/lib/dependents_benefits/claim_behavior.rb
@@ -40,6 +40,17 @@ def parent_claim_id
       child_of_groups&.last&.parent_claim_id
     end
 
+    # Format the claim data for submission to fdf
+    # TODO: refactor so this is no longer needed after FDF pilot; future
+    def fdf_submission_payload
+      add_signature_date
+      payload = parsed_form.deep_dup
+      dependents_app = payload.delete('dependents_application') || {}
+
+      payload = payload.deep_merge(dependents_app) # combine nested hashes
+      deep_camelize_keys(payload) # convert snake_case to camelCase
+    end
+
     private
 
     # Returns a memoized instance of the DependentsBenefits monitor
diff --git a/modules/dependents_benefits/spec/factories/dependents_benefits/dependents_claim.rb b/modules/dependents_benefits/spec/factories/dependents_benefits/dependents_claim.rb
index 814b6be17d63..74a36bd3f3c0 100644
--- a/modules/dependents_benefits/spec/factories/dependents_benefits/dependents_claim.rb
+++ b/modules/dependents_benefits/spec/factories/dependents_benefits/dependents_claim.rb
@@ -21,6 +21,16 @@
           'report674' => true
         },
         'dependents_application' => {
+          'veteran_information' => {
+            'birth_date' => '1980-01-01',
+            'full_name' => {
+              'first' => 'Mark',
+              'last' => 'Webb'
+            },
+            'ssn' => '000000000',
+            'ssn_last_four' => '5309',
+            'va_file_last_four' => '5309'
+          },
           'veteran_contact_information' => {
             'phone_number' => '1112223333',
             'international_phone_number' => '1234567890123',
@@ -158,6 +168,16 @@
           report_child18_or_older_is_not_attending_school: true
         },
         dependents_application: {
+          veteran_information: {
+            birth_date: '1980-01-01',
+            full_name: {
+              first: 'Mark',
+              last: 'Webb'
+            },
+            ssn: '000000000',
+            ssn_last_four: '5309',
+            va_file_last_four: '5309'
+          },
           household_income: true,
           'view:completed_child_stopped_attending_school': false,
           'view:completed_married_child': false,
diff --git a/modules/dependents_benefits/spec/lib/dependents_benefits/claim_behavior_spec.rb b/modules/dependents_benefits/spec/lib/dependents_benefits/claim_behavior_spec.rb
index bb71300bd54c..bd4c8a09267d 100644
--- a/modules/dependents_benefits/spec/lib/dependents_benefits/claim_behavior_spec.rb
+++ b/modules/dependents_benefits/spec/lib/dependents_benefits/claim_behavior_spec.rb
@@ -163,6 +163,35 @@
     end
   end
 
+  describe '#fdf_submission_payload' do
+    it 'returns expected format for FDF' do
+      claim.update(created_at: Time.new(2026, 3, 1).utc)
+
+      full_name = { 'first' => 'Roy', 'middle' => 'G', 'last' => 'Biv' }
+      veteran_information = { 'veteran_information' => {
+        'full_name' => full_name,
+        'common_name' => 'Roy',
+        'va_profile_email' => 'va@gov',
+        'email' => 'foo@bar.com',
+        'participant_id' => 'TEST',
+        'ssn' => '123456789',
+        'va_file_number' => 'FOOBAR',
+        'birth_date' => '1776-07-04',
+        'uuid' => SecureRandom.uuid,
+        'icn' => 'SOMETHING'
+      } }.to_json
+      claim.add_veteran_info(JSON.parse(veteran_information))
+
+      payload = claim.fdf_submission_payload
+
+      expect(payload).not_to include('dependents_application')
+      expect(payload).not_to include('dependentsApplication')
+      expect(payload).to include('signatureDate')
+      expect(payload.dig('veteranInformation', 'vaFileNumber')).to eq('FOOBAR')
+      expect(payload.dig('veteranInformation', 'fullName', 'last')).to eq('Webb') # retain what was submitted
+    end
+  end
+
   describe 'validation behavior' do
     context 'when the form matches the schema' do
       let(:valid_combined_form) { build(:dependents_claim_combined_form) }