Pay & Entitlements
VA Disability Guide
2026 RatesTax-free compensation rates, combined-rating calculator, claims process, and PACT Act coverage.
Ready to calculate
The VA doesn't add ratings. Try the combined-rating calculator below.
Each successive disability is applied to the remaining "healthy" percentage — not simply added.
VA combined rating calculator
The VA doesn't simply add ratings. Each successive disability is applied to the remaining "healthy" percentage.
Note: paired-limb (bilateral) conditions — for example both knees or both arms — receive an extra bilateral factor under 38 CFR § 4.26 that this simplified calculator does not apply. Your VA combined rating may be higher than the value shown.
2026 compensation rates
Effective December 1, 2025 (2.8% COLA). All payments tax-free.
Dependent compensation begins at 30% rating. Chart shows alone · with-spouse. Additional for children and dependent parents — see VA.gov.
Full rate tables at VA.govService connection established, VA healthcare enrollment (priority group depends on whether the 0% rating is compensable and on income), commissary/exchange access
Monthly tax-free payment, VA home loan funding fee exemption
Additional compensation for dependents (spouse, children, dependent parents) begins
CRDP eligibility (retirees), Priority Group 1 healthcare (no copays)
TDIU (Individual Unemployability) schedular threshold — combined 70% with one disability at 40%+, or a single disability at 60%+, when unable to hold substantially gainful employment (38 CFR § 4.16(a))
Maximum schedular comp ($3,938.58/mo veteran alone; more with dependents), Class IV VA dental care (38 CFR § 17.161(h)), many state property tax exemptions
All above + permanent status, no future re-examinations, CHAMPVA for dependents (38 U.S.C. § 1781(a)(1)), Chapter 35 DEA for dependents (38 U.S.C. § 3501(a)(1)(A)(ii)), additional state-specific benefits
CHAMPVA and Chapter 35 DEA require the VA to rate the veteran permanently and totally disabled (P&T) — reachable through a permanent 100% schedular rating or through TDIU that the VA has found permanent. The rating percentage alone does not establish eligibility. Class IV VA dental care, by contrast, keys on a 100% schedular rating or TDIU with no permanence requirement.
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File your claim online at VA.gov. Start with an Intent to File to preserve your effective date.
File a claim at VA.govGeneral information about VA disability compensation. Not legal advice. Every claim is unique — consult with a VA-accredited representative (VSO, attorney, or claims agent) for your specific situation.
About this entitlement
What you need to know — straight from the regulation
What VA disability compensation is
VA disability compensation is a tax-free monetary benefit paid to veterans with service-connected disabilities. It is authorized under Chapter 11 of Title 38 of the United States Code (38 U.S.C. Ch. 11) and administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Disability ratings are assigned in 10-percent increments from 0% to 100% based on the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD) in 38 CFR Part 4.
Compensation rates are set by statute and adjusted annually by the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), effective December 1 each year.
38 U.S.C. Chapter 11 · 38 CFR Part 4 (VASRD)
How multiple ratings combine
When a veteran has more than one service-connected condition, the combined rating is computed using the formula in 38 CFR § 4.25, not by simple addition. Each successive rating reduces the remaining "efficiency," and the final combined value is rounded to the nearest 10%.
Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1114 provides higher compensation for specific severe disabilities (such as loss of a limb or need for aid and attendance) and is not computed from the combined rating.
38 CFR § 4.25 (combined ratings) · 38 U.S.C. § 1114 (SMC)
PACT Act presumptive conditions
The Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-168) expanded the list of conditions presumed to be service-connected for veterans exposed to toxic substances during service. Presumptive service connection under the PACT Act means the VA presumes the connection for eligible veterans without requiring them to prove it, which significantly streamlines the claims process.
Public Law 117-168 · 38 U.S.C. §§ 1116, 1117, 1120 (presumptives)
Source & references
- Primary source
- VA.gov · 38 U.S.C. Chapter 11 · 38 CFR Part 4 · Public Law 117-168 (PACT Act) — view official publication
- Regulatory reference
- 38 U.S.C. Ch. 11 · 38 CFR Part 4, § 4.25 · 38 U.S.C. § 1114 · Public Law 117-168
- Effective date
- December 1, 2025 (CY2026 rates)
- VA.gov — 2026 disability compensation rates
- https://www.va.gov/disability/compensation-rates/veteran-rates/
Military Toolkit is not affiliated with the Department of Defense, DFAS, DTMO, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or any government agency. Rates and rules on this page are pulled directly from the publications cited above. Always verify with your finance office, TMO, or the official rate page before making financial or planning decisions.
FAQ
VA disability — frequently asked questions
- What is VA disability compensation for 50% with dependents in 2026?
- A veteran rated 50% with a spouse and one child receives approximately $1,322.90/month in 2026 (base 50% rate plus dependent additions). Exact amount depends on dependent count and any aid-and-attendance / housebound add-ons under SMC. Use the VA disability calculator for your specific configuration.
- How does the VA combine multiple disability ratings?
- Not by simple addition. The VA uses the residual-efficiency formula in 38 CFR § 4.25 ("VA math"): for each rating, calculate the remaining non-disabled percentage; multiply across all conditions; subtract from 100 to get the combined value; round to the nearest 10%. Example: 50% + 30% combines to 65%, rounds to 70% — not 80%.
- What is Special Monthly Compensation (SMC)?
- SMC is additional compensation above the standard schedular rate for veterans with severe disabilities — loss of use of a limb, blindness, deafness, aid and attendance need, housebound status, or combinations. SMC levels run from SMC-K through SMC-S and beyond, with rates from approximately $139.87/month (SMC-K) up to $11,271.67/month (SMC-R.2/T, veteran alone) effective December 1, 2025. Rates with dependents are higher.
- What is the difference between CRDP and CRSC?
- CRDP (Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay) restores retired pay that would otherwise be offset by VA compensation, for retirees entitled to retired pay who are rated 50%+ — Chapter 61 medical retirees qualify only with 20+ years of creditable service, and then only up to their hypothetical longevity retired pay. CRSC (Combat-Related Special Compensation) is a separate non-taxable payment for combat-related disabilities, available to retirees regardless of years of service. You cannot receive both at the same time — you must elect one program, even if only some of your disabilities are combat-related (10 USC § 1414(d); DoD FMR Vol 7B Ch 64 ¶5.1). DFAS compares the two entitlements and holds an annual Open Season so you can switch.
- How long does a VA disability claim take?
- The VA publishes its rolling average monthly on VA.gov — 71.3 days for disability-related claims completed in June 2026. Complex claims and claims that need additional evidence take longer. Pre-discharge BDD (Benefits Delivery at Discharge) claims, filed 180–90 days before separation, may deliver a decision shortly after separation. Priority processing is available for terminally ill, financially distressed, and homeless veterans.
Keep going
Related veteran tools
REF: VA Disability Compensation Rates, effective 01 DEC 2025, effective 2026 rates (2.8% COLA)
VA.gov · 38 U.S.C. Ch. 11 · 38 CFR Part 4 · Public Law 117-168 (PACT Act)
Results are estimates. Always verify with your finance office.