Updated August 2026
VA Disability Pay Rates by Percentage (2026)
Everything veterans need to understand VA disability compensation, in one place: the current 2026 pay rates for every rating level, how the VA combines your ratings, how to file or increase a claim, which conditions qualify, and the benefits each rating unlocks. All rates reflect the 2.8% COLA effective December 1, 2025, and every figure is verified against VA.gov.
2026 VA Disability Compensation Rates
| Rating | Veteran Alone | With Spouse | Annual (Alone) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 | View Details |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 | View Details |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 | View Details |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 | View Details |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 | View Details |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 | View Details |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 | View Details |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 | View Details |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 | View Details |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 | View Details |
Rates for 10% and 20% are flat regardless of dependents. Spouse and dependent additions begin at 30%. Want it all on one page? See the printable 2026 VA Disability Pay Chart.
Browse by Rating Level
How VA disability ratings work
The VA assigns each service-connected condition a rating in 10% increments, then combines them using the “whole person” method — ratings are not simply added. Two 50% conditions combine to 75%, not 100%. Your final combined rating, rounded to the nearest 10%, sets your monthly pay.
- Combined Rating Calculator — enter each condition to get your exact combined rating and estimated pay.
- How VA Math Works — why ratings combine instead of add.
- The Bilateral Factor — the 10% adjustment for paired arms or legs (38 CFR 4.26).
- Combined VA Ratings Explained
- VA Disability Ratings Explained — the whole-person theory in plain English.
Conditions & how they're rated
Almost any condition connected to your service can be rated. These are the conditions veterans ask about most — each guide shows the exact rating criteria (38 CFR), the pay at each level, and what to expect at the C&P exam:
Secondary conditions — how one service-connected condition (chronic pain, tinnitus) can support a claim for another (depression, migraines). This is one of the most powerful and underused paths to a higher rating.
Filing & increasing your rating
- VA Disability Claim Tips — how to file a strong claim and avoid common mistakes.
- How to Increase Your Rating to 100%
- TDIU Calculator & TDIU vs. 100% schedular — getting paid at the 100% rate without a 100% rating.
- Permanent & Total (P&T) — what it means and the benefits it unlocks.
- VA Back Pay Calculator — estimate retroactive pay from your effective date.
Extra compensation: SMC, dependents & more
- Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) — higher payments for severe disabilities, loss of use, or aid & attendance.
- Adding dependents — extra pay at 30%+ for a spouse, children, and dependent parents.
- 2026 VA Disability Pay Chart — every rating, with and without dependents.
- VA Pension — a needs-based benefit for wartime veterans (distinct from compensation).
For military retirees: concurrent receipt
If you receive both military retired pay and VA disability, concurrent-receipt rules (CRDP and CRSC) decide how much you can collect at the same time.
Key VA Disability Benefit Thresholds
| Rating | Key Benefits Unlocked |
|---|---|
| 0%+ (any service-connected rating) | Commissary, exchange (PX/BX) and MWR privileges — extended to all service-connected veterans on January 1, 2020 by the Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018; bring your VHIC |
| Any rating | Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) for specific losses — SMC(k) is paid on top of your existing rate at any percentage (38 CFR 3.350(a)) |
| 10%+ | Tax-free monthly compensation; VA loan funding fee waived (the loan itself is service-based, not rating-based); VA healthcare Priority Group 3 |
| 30%+ | Added compensation for a spouse, children, or dependent parents; VA healthcare Priority Group 2 |
| 50%+ | Priority Group 1 VA healthcare (no copays); CRDP concurrent receipt if you are separately entitled to retired pay (20-year or Reserve/Guard at 60; Chapter 61 retirees under 20 years are excluded) |
| 70%+ | Schedular TDIU pathway opens — a combined 70%+ qualifies only if at least one single disability is rated 40% or more (38 CFR 4.16(a)); one disability alone rated 60%+ also qualifies |
| 100% | Any needed VA dental care (Class IV; a temporary 100% rating does not count); plus, if your 100% is also found Permanent & Total: CHAMPVA for dependents, Chapter 35 DEA, Space-A travel, and most state property-tax exemptions |
Related veteran benefits
Your VA disability rating unlocks benefits well beyond the monthly check:
- State veteran benefits — many are tied directly to your rating.
- Disabled-veteran property tax by state — look up your exemption by state and rating.
- VA home loan — the funding fee is waived for veterans with a service-connected disability.
Frequently asked questions
What is VA disability compensation?
VA disability compensation is a tax-free monthly payment to veterans with a service-connected condition — an injury or illness caused or made worse by military service. The amount depends on your combined VA rating (10% to 100%) and your dependents.
How much does VA disability pay in 2026?
In 2026, a 10% rating pays $180.42/month and a 100% rating pays $3,938.58/month for a veteran with no dependents. Rates rose 2.8% with the COLA effective December 1, 2025. Veterans rated 30% or higher receive extra pay for dependents.
How does the VA calculate a combined rating?
The VA does not add your ratings together. It combines them using the "whole person" method, so two 50% conditions combine to 75%, not 100%, then rounds to the nearest 10%. Our combined-rating calculator does this for you.
Can you work with a 100% VA disability rating?
It depends. A 100% schedular rating carries no work restriction. But if you are paid at the 100% rate through Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU), you generally cannot hold substantially gainful employment.
Is a VA disability rating permanent?
Not always. A Permanent and Total (P&T) finding means the VA does not schedule routine re-examinations — it is not a legal bar on reduction. The rules that actually protect a rating are time-based: after 5 years a rating is “stabilized” and needs sustained improvement shown across the whole record (38 CFR 3.344); after 10 years service connection cannot be severed absent fraud (38 U.S.C. 1159); after 20 years the rating cannot fall below its lowest level held, absent fraud (38 CFR 3.951(b)). Any reduction also requires advance notice and a 60-day response window under 38 CFR 3.105(e). See our rating protection guide.