VA Disability Calculator: Combined Rating + 2026 Monthly Pay
The VA never adds your ratings together — a 50% and a 30% rating combine to 65%, which rounds to 70%, not 80%. This calculator applies the official 38 CFR § 4.25 combination method and looks up your exact monthly payment from the VA compensation tables effective December 1, 2025 (a 2.8% cost-of-living increase, paid through 2026).
Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
Your service-connected ratings
Add each individual rating from your VA decision letter. The calculator applies the official 38 CFR § 4.25 combination table — ratings are combined, never simply added.
Combined (exact)
65%
VA rounds to
70%
2026 monthly compensation
$1,808.45
Rates effective December 1, 2025 (paid through 2026), from the official VA compensation tables. Additional amounts apply for more children, a spouse receiving Aid & Attendance, or dependent parents — see the tables below. If two ratings affect paired limbs, the bilateral factor (38 CFR § 4.26) can raise the combined value slightly; this calculator does not apply it.
How VA math actually works
Under 38 CFR § 4.25, ratings are arranged from highest to lowest, and each subsequent rating applies only to the efficiency you have left — not to the full 100%. With a 50% rating, you are considered 50% efficient; a second 30% rating takes 30% of that remaining 50%, adding 15 points for a combined 65%, which the VA rounds to 70%. The final value always rounds to the nearest 10, with 5 rounding up — which is why an exact 84% pays at 80% but an exact 85% pays at 90%.
Official example
50% + 30% → exact 65% → pays at 70%
Official example
60% + 40% → exact 76%; adding 20% more → 81% → pays at 80%
Bilateral factor
Paired limbs (both knees, both arms) get their combined value plus 10% of it added first — 38 CFR § 4.26. Ask for it if it helps you; the VA must use whichever result is higher.
2026 VA disability pay rates
Monthly compensation effective December 1, 2025, from the official VA tables. Dependent add-ons apply only at 30% and above — at 10% and 20% the flat rate is paid regardless of dependents.
| Rating | Veteran alone | With spouse | Spouse + 1 child | 1 child (no spouse) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | — | — |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | — | — |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $666.47 | $596.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $947.84 | $853.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $1,322.90 | $1,205.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $1,663.02 | $1,523.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $2,074.45 | $1,910.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $2,406.15 | $2,219.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $2,704.30 | $2,494.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $4,318.99 | $4,085.43 |
Additional monthly amounts at 30%+: each extra child under 18, each school-age child over 18, a spouse receiving Aid & Attendance, and each dependent parent — the exact add-on depends on your rating level (for example, at 100% each additional child under 18 adds $109.11 and a spouse receiving Aid & Attendance adds $201.41).
Below 100% but unable to work? TDIU pays the 100% rate.
Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (38 CFR § 4.16) pays the full 100% compensation rate when service-connected conditions prevent substantially gainful employment — with one disability rated at least 60%, or a combined 70% that includes at least one 40% rating. If the combined-ratings math keeps landing you at 80–90% while you cannot work, TDIU is usually the claim worth pursuing.
Your next numbers
- VA Disability Lawyer Guide — when representation changes the outcome (and the § 5904 fee rules)
- SSDI Grid Rules — how age 50/55 changes a parallel Social Security disability claim
- SSDI Benefits Pay Chart — VA compensation and SSDI stack; see what the second check looks like
VA Disability FAQ
Why does a 50% rating plus a 30% rating equal 70%, not 80%?
VA does not add ratings. It applies the second rating to the efficiency the veteran has left after the first: 50 + (100-50) x 0.30 = 65, which rounds up to the nearest 10 -> 70%. Simple addition (50+30=80) is never used.
What is the VA COLA for 2026?
2.8%, effective December 1, 2025 (the first payment reflecting it is the check received in early January 2026). VA compensation rates rise by the same percentage as the Social Security COLA. Example: the 100% veteran-alone rate rose from $3,831.30 (2025) to $3,938.58 (2026).
What is TDIU (Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability)?
TDIU pays veterans at the 100% compensation rate even if their combined schedular rating is below 100%, if their service-connected disabilities prevent them from holding substantially gainful employment. Under 38 CFR 4.16, a veteran qualifies with one disability rated at least 60%, or a combined rating of at least 70% with at least one single disability rated at least 40%.
Is VA disability compensation taxable?
No. VA disability compensation is exempt from federal income tax under 26 U.S. Code 104(a)(4), and is not reported as taxable income.
Can a veteran receive both SSDI and VA disability compensation at the same time?
Yes. VA disability compensation and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are separate, non-offsetting systems administered by different agencies with different eligibility tests; receiving one does not reduce or disqualify the other. (This differs from VA Pension, which is needs/income-based.)
How can a veteran increase their VA disability rating?
File a claim for increase (VA Form 21-526EZ or via VA.gov) supported by current medical evidence showing the condition has worsened, attend any scheduled Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam, and consider filing for secondary conditions caused by the already-rated disability, or for TDIU if unemployability is the issue.
Do 10% and 20% ratings pay extra for a spouse, child, or parent?
No. Only ratings of 30% and above receive additional dependent compensation. At 10% and 20%, the veteran receives the flat rate ($180.42 and $356.66 respectively for 2026) regardless of dependents.
Settlement Insight is an independent information service, not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Rates shown are the official VA compensation amounts effective December 1, 2025; the 2.8% COLA figure is derived from the VA's own published 2025-vs-2026 tables. This calculator is an estimate tool — your VA decision letter controls. Not legal advice.
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