Complimentary Tool
VA disability rating & back pay calculator
Combine your ratings the way the VA does and estimate your monthly compensation using the current 2026 rates. This is an estimate to help you plan. It is not an official VA determination.
Step 1
Enter each disability rating
Add every service-connected rating you have or expect. The VA does not simply add them; it combines them using a "whole person" formula, so two 50% ratings do not equal 100%.
Step 2
Add your dependents
Dependents change your monthly amount at a combined rating of 30% or higher. Ratings of 10% and 20% pay a flat amount regardless of dependents.
This calculator is an estimate for planning only and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It uses VA compensation rates effective December 1, 2025, and standard combined-rating math rounded to the nearest 10%. It does not account for the bilateral factor, Special Monthly Compensation (SMC), dependent parents, children aged 18 to 23 in school, or other adjustments, so your actual award may differ. The back pay figure is a rough estimate using current rates and does not reflect prior-year rates or your specific effective date. For official figures, see va.gov.
If your rating looks low
A rating reflects the evidence in your file
If a condition is missing, denied, or rated lower than you expected, the issue is often the medical evidence. A board-certified, physician-authored independent medical opinion can help document the connection and the severity. Not sure where your evidence stands? Start with a records review first.
Request a Review opens our encrypted intake system. No outcome is guaranteed; opinions are based on the documented evidence.
How It Works
Why VA ratings do not simply add up
The VA uses combined ratings math, not simple addition. Each rating applies only to the part of the "whole person" that the previous ratings left behind, which is why two 50% ratings combine to 75% rather than 100%. The final combined figure is then rounded to the nearest 10%.
Here is a worked example for a veteran with three service-connected conditions rated 40%, 30%, and 20%:
| Step | Calculation | Running total |
|---|---|---|
| Start with the highest rating | 40% of the whole person | 40% |
| Add the 30% rating | 30% of the remaining 60% | 58% |
| Add the 20% rating | 20% of the remaining 42% | 66.4% |
| Round to the nearest 10% | 66.4% rounds up | 70% |
Added together, those three ratings look like 90%. Combined the way the VA actually does it, they come to 70%. The calculator above runs this same math for any set of ratings you enter.
2026 Rates
2026 VA disability compensation rates
Basic monthly amounts below reflect VA rates effective December 1, 2025 (a 2.8% cost-of-living increase). Ratings of 10% and 20% pay a flat amount regardless of dependents. Amounts shown are for a veteran with no dependents and for a veteran with a spouse and no children.
| Combined rating | Veteran alone | With spouse |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 |
Additional amounts apply for children, dependent parents, and Aid and Attendance. These figures are estimates for planning and are not affiliated with the VA. For official rates, see va.gov.
FAQ
Questions about VA ratings and pay
How does the VA combine multiple disability ratings?
The VA does not add ratings together. It uses combined ratings math based on a "whole person" model, where each additional rating applies to the remaining, non-disabled percentage. A 40% and a 30% rating combine to 58%, not 70%, and the result is rounded to the nearest 10%.
Why isn't a 50% and a 50% rating equal to 100%?
Each rating applies only to the ability remaining after the prior one. A first 50% rating leaves 50% of the whole person, and a second 50% applies to that remainder, adding 25 points for a combined 75%. Reaching 100% requires either a single 100% rating or a combination that mathematically gets there.
Do dependents increase VA disability compensation?
Yes, but only at a combined rating of 30% or higher. At 10% and 20%, the VA pays a flat monthly amount regardless of dependents. At 30% and above, a spouse, children, or dependent parents increase the monthly amount.
What is VA back pay?
Back pay, or retroactive pay, is compensation owed from your claim's effective date until benefits are awarded. The amount depends on your rating, your dependents, and the specific effective date the VA assigns, so any estimate is approximate.
Keep Reading
Related resources
If your combined rating looks lower than expected, the cause is often the medical evidence in your file. These resources explain what strengthens a claim: why claims are denied even with a diagnosis, what makes a medical opinion persuasive, and what to do after a denial or a rating that came in too low. Not sure where your evidence stands? A $199 records review is a low-commitment first step, credited toward a full opinion if you proceed.