2026 VA Disability Rates and Calculator — Monthly Pay by Percentage
Rates last verified August 3, 2026 · Effective December 1, 2025 (2.8% COLA) · Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
2026 VA disability rates at a glance. A veteran with no dependents receives $180.42/month at 10%, $1,132.90 at 50%, and $3,938.58 at 100%. A veteran at 100% with a dependent spouse receives $4,158.17/month. These rates took effect December 1, 2025 and reflect a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment. Ratings of 10% and 20% do not pay extra for dependents.
2026 VA Monthly Disability Payment Calculator
Enter your combined rating and dependent status. Every figure this tool produces also appears in the static rate tables further down the page.
Estimate only. Special Monthly Compensation (SMC), which applies to certain severe disabilities such as loss of use of a limb, is not included and can raise your payment above these amounts.
Monthly Rates by Percentage — Veteran Alone
| Disability rating | Monthly payment | Annual (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $47,262.96 |
The 90-to-100 jump is the biggest number on this page. Going from 90% to 100% adds $1,576.28 per month — more than the entire increase from 10% all the way to 90% combined. That single step is worth about $18,915 a year, which is why so much effort goes into reaching 100% or qualifying for TDIU.
Monthly Rates by Percentage With a Dependent Spouse
| Disability rating | Monthly payment | Annual (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 30% | $617.47 | $7,409.64 |
| 40% | $882.84 | $10,594.08 |
| 50% | $1,241.90 | $14,902.80 |
| 60% | $1,566.02 | $18,792.24 |
| 70% | $1,961.45 | $23,537.40 |
| 80% | $2,277.15 | $27,325.80 |
| 90% | $2,559.30 | $30,711.60 |
| 100% | $4,158.17 | $49,898.04 |
Monthly Rates by Percentage With a Spouse and Dependent Parents
No dependent children. Effective December 1, 2025.
| Dependent status | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran alone | $552.47 | $795.84 | $1,132.90 | $1,435.02 |
| With spouse | $617.47 | $882.84 | $1,241.90 | $1,566.02 |
| Spouse + 1 parent | $669.47 | $952.84 | $1,329.90 | $1,671.02 |
| Spouse + 2 parents | $721.47 | $1,022.84 | $1,417.90 | $1,776.02 |
| 1 parent only | $604.47 | $865.84 | $1,220.90 | $1,540.02 |
| 2 parents only | $656.47 | $935.84 | $1,308.90 | $1,645.02 |
| Dependent status | 70% | 80% | 90% | 100% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran alone | $1,808.45 | $2,102.15 | $2,362.30 | $3,938.58 |
| With spouse | $1,961.45 | $2,277.15 | $2,559.30 | $4,158.17 |
| Spouse + 1 parent | $2,084.45 | $2,417.15 | $2,717.30 | $4,334.41 |
| Spouse + 2 parents | $2,207.45 | $2,557.15 | $2,875.30 | $4,510.65 |
| 1 parent only | $1,931.45 | $2,242.15 | $2,520.30 | $4,114.82 |
| 2 parents only | $2,054.45 | $2,382.15 | $2,678.30 | $4,291.06 |
Monthly Rates With a Spouse and Dependent Children, With and Without Dependent Parents
The basic rate already includes one child. Use the Added amounts table below for each additional child.
| Dependent status | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 child only | $596.47 | $853.84 | $1,205.90 | $1,523.02 |
| 1 child + spouse | $666.47 | $947.84 | $1,322.90 | $1,663.02 |
| 1 child + spouse + 1 parent | $718.47 | $1,017.84 | $1,410.90 | $1,768.02 |
| 1 child + spouse + 2 parents | $770.47 | $1,087.84 | $1,498.90 | $1,873.02 |
| 1 child + 1 parent | $648.47 | $923.84 | $1,293.90 | $1,628.02 |
| 1 child + 2 parents | $700.47 | $993.84 | $1,381.90 | $1,733.02 |
| Dependent status | 70% | 80% | 90% | 100% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 child only | $1,910.45 | $2,219.15 | $2,494.30 | $4,085.43 |
| 1 child + spouse | $2,074.45 | $2,406.15 | $2,704.30 | $4,318.99 |
| 1 child + spouse + 1 parent | $2,197.45 | $2,546.15 | $2,862.30 | $4,495.23 |
| 1 child + spouse + 2 parents | $2,320.45 | $2,686.15 | $3,020.30 | $4,671.47 |
| 1 child + 1 parent | $2,033.45 | $2,359.15 | $2,652.30 | $4,261.67 |
| 1 child + 2 parents | $2,156.45 | $2,499.15 | $2,810.30 | $4,437.91 |
Added Amounts
Add these to the basic rate above.
| Addition | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% | 100% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Each additional child under 18 | $32.00 | $43.00 | $54.00 | $65.00 | $76.00 | $87.00 | $98.00 | $109.11 |
| Each additional child 18+ in school | $105.00 | $140.00 | $176.00 | $211.00 | $246.00 | $281.00 | $317.00 | $352.45 |
| Spouse receiving Aid & Attendance | $61.00 | $81.00 | $101.00 | $121.00 | $141.00 | $161.00 | $181.00 | $201.41 |
How VA Combined Ratings Math Works
VA disability ratings do not add up. A 50% rating and a 30% rating do not make 80%. VA uses whole-person arithmetic: each rating applies only to the portion of you that remains unimpaired after the previous one has been counted.
Worked example — 50%, 30%, and 20%
- Start at 100% efficiency.
- Apply 50% → 50 points of disability. 50% efficiency remains.
- Apply 30% to the remaining 50% → 15 more points. Running total: 65%. 35% efficiency remains.
- Apply 20% to the remaining 35% → 7 more points. Running total: 72%.
- Round to the nearest 10% → 70% combined rating.
Three ratings that sum to 100 on paper produce a 70% rating and $1,808.45 per month — not $3,938.58.
More worked examples
| Individual ratings | Raw combined | Final rating | 2026 monthly (alone) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50% + 30% | 65% | 70% (the 5 rounds up) | $1,808.45 |
| 70% + 50% | 85% | 90% (the 5 rounds up) | $2,362.30 |
| 30% + 20% + 10% | 49.6% | 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 50% + 30% + 20% | 72% | 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 60% + 40% + 20% | 81% | 80% | $2,102.15 |
The rounding rule most calculators get wrong
A combined value ending in 5 always rounds up, never down. This is written into federal regulation: 38 CFR §4.25(a) states that the combined value is “converted to the nearest number divisible by 10, and combined values ending in 5 will be adjusted upward.”
So a combined 85% is a 90% rating ($2,362.30/month), not 80% ($2,102.15/month). That’s a difference of $260.15 per month, or about $3,122 a year, riding entirely on one rounding rule.
Rounding happens once, at the very end. 38 CFR §4.25(b) is explicit: the conversion to the nearest degree divisible by 10 “will be done only once per rating decision, will follow the combining of all disabilities, and will be the last procedure.” If you round at each step you will get the wrong answer.
VA applies ratings highest to lowest. The order does not change the final result, but it does change the intermediate numbers — a common source of confusion when veterans check the math by hand. Note also that VA’s official Table I uses whole-number intermediate values, while this calculator uses exact decimal arithmetic; the two can differ by a fraction of a point before rounding, which almost never changes the final rating.
Combined Ratings Calculator
Enter each of your individual ratings. This tool applies the whole-person method from 38 CFR §4.25, combines highest to lowest, and rounds once at the end.
Common Questions About 2026 VA Disability Pay
How much is 100% VA disability in 2026?
$3,938.58 per month for a veteran with no dependents, or $4,158.17 per month with a dependent spouse. That’s roughly $47,263 to $49,898 per year. Rates took effect December 1, 2025.
How much does 70% VA disability pay?
$1,808.45 per month for a veteran alone, and $1,961.45 with a dependent spouse. Unlike 10% and 20% ratings, a 70% rating does pay additional amounts for dependents.
How much is 80% VA disability?
$2,102.15 per month with no dependents, and $2,277.15 with a spouse.
How much is 90% VA disability?
$2,362.30 per month with no dependents, and $2,559.30 with a spouse. Moving from 90% to 100% adds $1,576.28 per month — the largest single-step increase in the entire schedule.
How much is 50% VA disability?
$1,132.90 per month with no dependents, and $1,241.90 with a spouse.
Do I get more VA disability if I’m married?
Yes, but only at 30% and above. Veterans rated 10% or 20% receive the same amount regardless of dependents. At 30% a spouse adds $65 per month; at 100% a spouse adds $219.59 per month.
When did the 2026 VA disability rates take effect?
December 1, 2025. The first payments at the new rate arrived at the end of December 2025. VA is required by law to match the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment, which was 2.8% for this cycle.
Does 50% plus 30% equal 80%?
No. VA uses combined-ratings math, not simple addition. A 50% and a 30% rating combine to 65%, which rounds to a 70% rating. See the combined ratings section above for the full method.
Does a combined 85% round to 80% or 90%?
90%. Under 38 CFR §4.25(a), combined values ending in 5 are always adjusted upward. A combined 85% pays $2,362.30 per month, not the $2,102.15 an 80% rating would pay — a difference of $260.15 monthly.
When does VA round my combined rating?
Once, at the very end. VA combines every disability first, then rounds the single final figure to the nearest 10%. Rounding at each step produces the wrong answer and is the most common mistake veterans make checking their own math.
How is VA disability pay calculated?
Three inputs: your combined disability rating rounded to the nearest 10%, your dependent status, and any special monthly compensation you qualify for. VA publishes a fixed rate table — there’s no income test, and no variation by state or by which condition caused the rating.
Is VA disability compensation taxable?
No. VA disability compensation is not taxable income at the federal level and is not reported on a federal tax return. Most states also exempt it from state income tax.
What’s the difference between 100% and TDIU?
Both pay at the 100% rate — $3,938.58 per month for a veteran alone. TDIU (Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability) pays the 100% amount to veterans whose combined rating is below 100% but who cannot maintain substantially gainful employment because of service-connected conditions.
This page is an independent reference and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Figures are for informational purposes and do not constitute legal or financial advice. Your actual payment may differ, particularly if you qualify for Special Monthly Compensation. Confirm your entitlement with VA or an accredited representative.