VA Disability Calculator 2026 — Combined Rating & Compensation
Instantly calculate your combined VA disability rating using official VA Math (the combined ratings table), estimate your 2026 monthly compensation, and understand how the bilateral factor and dependents affect your final pay.
Why Two 50% Ratings Don’t Equal 100%
VA disability ratings don’t add together like simple arithmetic. The VA uses the “whole person” concept — you start as 100% healthy, and each disability is applied only to the healthy percentage that remains. This produces what veterans call “VA Math.”
Step 1: Start Healthy
Every veteran begins as a “100% whole person.” Your first disability reduces your efficiency — a 50% disability means you’re now 50% efficient (or 50% disabled).
Step 2: Apply Sequentially
Each new rating is applied to the remaining healthy percentage. A second 50% rating takes 50% of the remaining 50% (= 25%), so combined = 75%, not 100%.
Step 3: Round to Nearest 10
The VA rounds the final combined rating to the nearest 10%. So 74% rounds down to 70%, and 75% rounds up to 80%. This determines your monthly compensation.
Calculate Your Combined VA Rating
Add each of your service-connected disabilities below (highest rating first gives the most accurate result). We’ll compute your combined rating and estimated monthly pay.
Disability Inputs
Add each service-connected condition with its VA-assigned rating
Tip: List disabilities from highest to lowest rating for best VA math accuracy. Use 0% if the condition is service-connected but not compensable.
Adds +10% to paired disabilities (both arms, both legs, or paired muscles). Check this only if you have qualifying paired conditions.
Additional compensation applies only at 30% rating or higher. Each additional child adds more.
Your VA Result
Combined rating, efficiency, and compensation estimate
Enter at least one disability rating, then click Calculate My Combined Rating to see your result.
VA Disability Pay Chart (2026)
Monthly compensation rates effective December 2025 (applying through 2026), reflecting the 2.5% COLA adjustment. All amounts are tax-free at federal and state level.
| Rating | Veteran Only | With Spouse | Spouse + 1 Child | Annual (Veteran Only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.53 | $180.53 | $180.53 | $2,166 |
| 20% | $346.95 | $346.95 | $346.95 | $4,163 |
| 30% | $537.42 | $598.42 | $645.42 | $6,449 |
| 40% | $774.16 | $855.16 | $916.16 | $9,290 |
| 50% | $1,102.04 | $1,203.04 | $1,278.04 | $13,224 |
| 60% | $1,395.93 | $1,517.93 | $1,612.93 | $16,751 |
| 70% | $1,755.19 | $1,899.19 | $2,012.19 | $21,062 |
| 80% | $2,044.89 | $2,208.89 | $2,337.89 | $24,539 |
| 90% | $2,297.96 | $2,481.96 | $2,624.96 | $27,576 |
| 100% | $3,831.30 | $4,040.27 | $4,194.42 | $45,976 |
VA Disability FAQ
Everything veterans ask about VA math, combined ratings, and disability compensation.
VA math does not add percentages together. Instead, the VA starts with a 100% healthy veteran and applies each disability sequentially to the remaining “healthy” percentage. For example, two 50% disabilities do not equal 100% — the first reduces efficiency to 50%, then the second takes 50% of the remaining 50% (25%), for a combined 75% disability. The final number is rounded to the nearest 10%.
The VA uses a “whole person” concept — you cannot be more than 100% disabled. Each new disability rating is applied only to the remaining healthy percentage of the veteran. This means a veteran with a 70% rating and a 50% rating does not get 120%, but rather 70% + (50% of the remaining 30%) = 70% + 15% = 85%, which rounds to 90%. This is why veterans often feel their combined rating is lower than expected.
The bilateral factor adds 10% to a combined disability rating when a veteran has disabilities affecting both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles. It only applies after combining the ratings for the paired limbs, then the +10% is added before applying to the rest of the combined rating. For example, two 10% leg disabilities combine to 19%, then the bilateral factor adds 1.9% (10% of 19%) for a subtotal of 20.9%, which is then combined with other ratings.
As of the December 2025 COLA adjustment (2.5%), monthly VA disability payments in 2026 range from approximately $180/month at 10% to over $3,831/month at 100% for veterans with no dependents. Rates increase for veterans with a spouse, children, or dependent parents. Veterans rated 30% or higher receive additional allowances for each dependent. All VA disability pay is 100% tax-free at the federal and state level.
Veterans with a combined rating of 30% or higher receive additional monthly compensation for dependents. The extra amounts increase for a spouse, children (under 18, or 18–23 if in school), and dependent parents. A veteran rated 20% or lower receives the same rate regardless of dependents — the dependent allowance only kicks in at 30% and above. Additional amounts are also added for a spouse eligible for Aid and Attendance.
Individual Unemployability (IU), also called Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU), allows veterans who cannot work due to service-connected disabilities to be paid at the 100% rate — even if their combined rating is less than 100%. To qualify, you generally need either: (a) one disability rated 60% or higher, OR (b) a combined rating of 70% or higher with at least one disability rated 40% or more. You must also show you cannot maintain substantially gainful employment.
The VA rates disabilities in 10% increments from 0% to 100%. A 0% rating acknowledges a service-connected condition but pays no compensation (it does, however, qualify you for VA healthcare for that condition). Ratings of 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100% all pay monthly compensation, with 100% being total disability. The final combined rating is always rounded to the nearest 10%.
No. VA disability compensation is 100% tax-free at both the federal and state level. It does not need to be reported on your tax return and is not considered income for most means-tested programs like SNAP or housing assistance. Military retirement pay, however, IS taxable — which is why many retirees pursue VA disability to offset their retired pay through the Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) program.
No. The maximum schedular VA disability rating is 100%. Even if VA math produces a number above 100% (which is mathematically impossible under the combined ratings table), it is capped at 100%. However, veterans who cannot maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities may qualify for TDIU (Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability), which pays at the 100% rate even if the combined rating is lower.
Yes — the VA officially combines ratings starting with the highest-rated disability first, then working downward. This matters because the order can slightly affect the final rounded percentage. Our calculator applies your disabilities in descending order automatically to match official VA math, but listing them highest-first in the form mirrors how the VA will evaluate your claim.