ποΈ VA Disability Pay Calculator
Your 2026 monthly compensation, estimated.
Monthly payment
Estimates for planning only, not financial advice.
A 30 percent rating with no dependents pays $550.39 a month in 2026, $6,604.68 a year, tax-free. At 70 percent with a spouse and two children under 18, the payment is $2,170.23 a month: $1,797.53 base plus $153 for the spouse and $219.70 for the children. Every dollar arrives free of federal income tax.
How to Use This Calculator
Select your combined disability rating and enter dependents. The calculator applies the official 2026 VA rates including the 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment.
Select your combined rating. The VA combines multiple conditions with its formula, not simple addition.
Add a spouse, children under 18 (or under 23 if in school), and dependent parents.
Read the monthly and annual totals. All VA disability compensation is tax-free.
2026 Monthly Rates (No Dependents)
| Rating | Monthly | Rating | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | 60% | $1,425.81 |
| 20% | $356.16 | 70% | $1,797.53 |
| 30% | $550.39 | 80% | $2,087.96 |
| 40% | $790.78 | 90% | $2,342.68 |
| 50% | $1,125.91 | 100% | $3,938.58 |
Rates include the 2.8 percent 2026 COLA. Dependent add-ons apply at 30 percent and above: a spouse adds $65-$219.59, each dependent parent $52-$176.24, and each child under 18 roughly $47-$167 depending on rating. This calculator sums add-ons; the VA's official tables combine spouse-plus-child cases slightly differently, so treat results within a few dollars as estimates.
Worked Example
70 percent, spouse, two children under 18. Base: $1,797.53. Spouse add-on: $153.00. Child add-ons: 2 x $109.85 = $219.70. Monthly total: $2,170.23. Annual: $26,042.76, all tax-free. Compare with 100 percent schedular: $3,938.58/month ($47,262.96/year). The jump from 90 to 100 percent is the steepest in the table, which is why rating accuracy at the top end matters so much.
How Combined Ratings Work
The VA does not add ratings: it applies each new rating to the remaining "efficiency." A 50 percent and a 30 percent combine as 50 + (30% of the remaining 50) = 65, rounded to 70 percent. Two 50s make 75, rounded to 80. Use the VA's combined ratings table or calculator for the official figure, then enter it here for the pay. Bilateral factor adds a small bonus for paired limbs.
Beyond the Monthly Check
The check is the start: 100 percent (and TDIU at 100 percent rate) unlocks ChampVA health coverage for dependents, property tax exemptions in many states, student loan discharge, and commissary/exchange access. IU (Individual Unemployability) pays at the 100 percent rate when service-connected conditions prevent substantially gainful employment. None of this is financial advice: for claims strategy, a VSO (Veterans Service Organization) representative is free and usually better than paid claim consultants.
Filing and Increasing Your Claim
The monthly check starts with the claim, and claims are won on evidence, not assertions. File with a current diagnosis, evidence of an in-service event or injury, and a nexus letter linking the two: that three-legged stool (diagnosis, event, nexus) is what raters look for. The Compensation and Pension exam is the hinge of most claims; treat it like the most important doctor's appointment of your year, because it is. Describe your worst days honestly, not your best: veterans routinely minimize symptoms out of habit, and the examiner can only rate what you report.
If the rating comes back too low, you have options with real success rates. A supplemental claim with new evidence, a higher-level review by a senior rater, or a Board appeal each suit different situations; many veterans win increases on the first supplemental claim simply by adding the medical records the original filing lacked. Secondary conditions matter enormously: a service-connected knee that causes a back problem or depression makes those conditions claimable too, and they combine under the VA's formula. Keep a symptom diary from day one; contemporaneous notes beat reconstructed memories at every appeal level.
Common mistakes cost real money. Waiting years to file forfeits back pay to the filing date (or the intent-to-file date, so file the intent form the day you start). Claiming only the obvious condition while ignoring secondaries leaves rating percentage on the table. And missing C&P exam appointments without rescheduling can trigger an automatic denial. The system is slow and bureaucratic but evidence-driven at its core: organized veterans with complete records do far better than those who file and hope.
Earned, Then Claimed
VA disability compensation is not charity; it is deferred pay for injuries sustained in service. Use this calculator to see what your rating is worth in 2026 dollars, then make sure the rating reflects reality: file the intent to claim early, document everything, attend every exam, and appeal low decisions with new evidence. Thousands of dollars a month in tax-free income is at stake. Treat the claim with the seriousness the service behind it deserves.
Do Not Leave Money Unclaimed
Too many veterans accept their first rating as final. If your conditions have worsened, if new secondary conditions emerged, or if the original claim missed evidence, file for an increase: the system expects it, and the money is tax-free for life. Use the calculator to see what the next 10 percent is worth monthly and yearly. That number is the value of an afternoon spent organizing your medical records.
Estimates for planning only, not financial advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does VA disability pay in 2026?
Monthly tax-free rates run from $180.42 at 10% to $3,938.58 at 100%, including the 2.8% COLA. Dependents add more at 30%+: a spouse adds $65-$219.59, each child under 18 roughly $47-$167, each dependent parent $52-$176.24. The jump from 90% to 100% is the largest single step in the table, which is why veterans near 90% fight hardest for the increase.
Is VA disability compensation taxable?
No. VA disability payments are exempt from federal income tax and generally from state tax too. Do not report them as income; they also do not count against Social Security benefits. The tax-free status effectively boosts the value: $3,938.58 tax-free is worth over $5,000 in pre-tax earnings for many veterans.
How does the VA combine multiple ratings?
Not by addition: each rating applies to remaining efficiency. A 50% plus 30% = 65% (rounded to 70%). The formula is 1 minus the product of (1 - each rating). Use the VA combined ratings table for the official figure.
What is the 2026 COLA for VA disability?
2.8%, matching the Social Security COLA, effective December 2025 and first paid in January 2026 checks. The rates in this calculator include it. The COLA is automatic and tied to CPI-W inflation; no application needed, and it compounds on your full rate including dependent additions.
Do dependents increase VA disability pay?
Yes, at 30% combined rating and above: spouse, children under 18 (under 23 if in school), and dependent parents each add fixed amounts that rise with rating. Below 30%, the rate is flat regardless of dependents. Keep dependency records current with the VA: unreported new children or parents mean months of additional pay lost, though retroactive corrections are possible.
What is TDIU?
Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability: veterans who cannot hold substantially gainful employment due to service-connected conditions can be paid at the 100% rate even with a lower schedular rating (typically 70% combined, or 60% single). TDIU requires showing your service-connected conditions alone prevent substantially gainful work; employability evidence and vocational assessments carry real weight in the decision.
Can I work while receiving VA disability?
Yes, with no earnings limit for schedular ratings. TDIU recipients face substantially-gainful-employment restrictions (marginal employment below the poverty threshold is generally allowed). Working never reduces a schedular rating by itself. The VA can propose reductions only through re-examination showing sustained medical improvement, not because you got a job.
What is the bilateral factor?
An extra combined-rating bump when disabilities affect both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles. The VA adds roughly half the combined bilateral value before combining with other ratings. It is small but can tip a rounding boundary. Veterans with bilateral knee, shoulder, or hearing issues should verify the factor was applied; raters occasionally miss it.
How do I file or increase a VA claim?
File online at VA.gov, by mail, or with a free VSO representative (DAV, American Legion, VFW). Claims need a current diagnosis, evidence of an in-service event, and a nexus linking them. Higher-level review and supplemental claims are the appeal lanes.
Does VA disability affect military retirement pay?
Under concurrent receipt (CRDP), retirees with 50%+ VA ratings generally receive both in full. Below 50%, VA compensation offsets retired pay dollar-for-dollar unless combat-related (CRSC applies). The rules are intricate; DFAS personalizes the math. Combat-Related Special Compensation can restore some offset pay for combat injuries even below 50%; apply through your service branch if eligible.