VA Disability Calculator (2026)
Estimate your combined VA disability rating using the VA's actual whole-person math — and see the monthly compensation it pays at 2026 rates.
Add every service-connected rating on your decision letter. Order doesn't matter — the calculator sorts highest-first, exactly as the VA does.
How VA combined rating math works
The VA never adds ratings together. Under 38 CFR §4.25, each disability is rated against the portion of you that is still considered "whole." If your first rating is 50%, you are 50% disabled and 50% whole. A second rating of 30% then applies only to that remaining 50% — adding 15 points, not 30. Your combined value is 65%, which the VA rounds to the nearest 10: 70%.
This is why stacking small ratings produces diminishing returns, and why going from 80% to 100% is mathematically harder than going from 0% to 50%. Every additional condition is squeezed into less and less remaining "whole person."
2026 VA disability pay rates (veteran alone)
| Combined rating | Monthly payment (2026) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $179.31 |
| 20% | $354.45 |
| 30% | $549.19 |
| 40% | $791.26 |
| 50% | $1,126.29 |
| 60% | $1,426.51 |
| 70% | $1,797.42 |
| 80% | $2,089.25 |
| 90% | $2,348.24 |
| 100% | $4,057.13 |
At 30% and above, dependents raise your monthly amount. A 70% veteran with a spouse and one child receives $2,059.42/month in 2026 — over $260 more than the alone rate. Run your household in the dependency calculator.
What about the bilateral factor?
When both arms or both legs are affected, the VA combines those ratings first, then adds 10% of that combined value before folding in remaining conditions. It typically shifts final numbers by a few points — enough to cross a rounding threshold in some cases. This calculator shows the standard combination; if you have bilateral conditions, treat the result as a floor and ask a VSO to confirm the exact figure.
How accurate is this estimate?
The combination math here is the same formula the VA uses. Your official rating can still differ if a rating changes on review, a bilateral factor applies, or a condition is rated protected or temporary. Treat this as a planning tool, then verify against your decision letter and VA.gov's official rate tables.