Last updated: May 2026
Calculate your combined VA disability rating and estimated monthly tax-free compensation.
Your Disability Ratings
Add each service-connected condition and its VA rating percentage. The VA uses the "whole person" method — not simple addition.
Results
Whole-person method: The VA does NOT add percentages. Instead, it applies each rating to the remaining "able-bodied" percentage. Example: 50% rating leaves 50% remaining. A second 30% rating applies to that 50%, giving 15% more disability. Combined = 50% + 15% = 65%, rounded to 70%.
Rounding rule: Results ending in 1–4 round down; 5–9 round up to the nearest 10%. Under 10% rounds to 0% or 10%.
Compensation rates: 2026 VA rates. Amounts increase with rating level and number of dependents. Compensation is tax-free federal income.
Note: TDIU (Individual Unemployability) may allow 100% compensation at lower combined ratings. Consult a VSO for your specific case.
⚠️ This calculator provides estimates only. Official VA ratings are determined by the VA after review of medical evidence. Consult a Veterans Service Organization (VSO) or VA-accredited attorney for your specific situation.
The VA uses the whole-person method to combine multiple disability ratings — it does not simply add percentages together. Each subsequent rating applies only to the remaining "able-bodied" percentage, preventing the total from ever reaching 100% through addition alone.
Worked example: A veteran with ratings of 70%, 40%, and 20%:
Step 1: 1 - (0.30 x 0.60 x 0.80) = 1 - 0.144 = 0.856 = 85.6%
Step 2: Round to nearest 10% = 90% combined rating
The VA rounds combined ratings ending in 5 or above up; below 5 rounds down.
Monthly compensation is tax-free and set by the VA's rate tables, which adjust annually. A 90% rating for a single veteran without dependents is approximately $2,241/month as of 2026 rates. Each dependent (spouse, child, parent) adds a fixed amount to the payment.
The VA uses the whole-person method to reflect that disabilities interact with an already-impaired body. If you are 70% disabled, only 30% of your "whole person" remains. A second 40% rating applies to that remaining 30%, adding 12% (40% of 30%), not a full 40%. This prevents mathematically impossible combined ratings over 100% and more accurately represents total impairment.
Your individual ratings are the percentages assigned to each specific condition (back injury, hearing loss, PTSD, etc.). Your combined rating is the single number calculated from all individual ratings using the whole-person method. Compensation, certain benefits eligibility, and VA healthcare priority are based on the combined rating, not any individual rating.
At 100% (or Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability), veterans receive the maximum monthly compensation (approximately $3,737/month for a single veteran in 2026), free VA healthcare, commissary and exchange access, property tax exemptions in many states, free college tuition through some state programs, and Chapter 35 dependents education benefits. Benefits vary significantly by state.
Yes. VA disability compensation and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are separate programs and can be received simultaneously. VA compensation is not means-tested and does not reduce SSDI payments. Veterans rated 100% P&T (Permanent and Total) may qualify for expedited SSDI processing under the SSA's Wounded Warriors initiative.
The rates below apply to a single veteran with no dependents. Adding dependents (spouse, children, dependent parents) increases the monthly payment by fixed amounts set by Congress each year. All VA disability compensation is tax-free at the federal level and in most states.
Rates are adjusted annually based on the Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA). The 2025 COLA was 2.5%, applied to all disability ratings. Veterans with a combined rating of 30% or higher may also add payment amounts for qualifying dependents.
| Rating | Monthly Payment | Annual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $175.51 | $2,106 | Non-taxable |
| 20% | $346.95 | $4,163 | Non-taxable |
| 30% | $537.42 | $6,449 | Non-taxable |
| 40% | $774.16 | $9,290 | Non-taxable |
| 50% | $1,102.04 | $13,224 | Non-taxable |
| 60% | $1,395.93 | $16,751 | Non-taxable |
| 70% | $1,759.19 | $21,110 | Non-taxable |
| 80% | $2,044.89 | $24,539 | Non-taxable |
| 90% | $2,296.47 | $27,558 | Non-taxable |
| 100% | $3,737.85 | $44,854 | Non-taxable + additional benefits |
How is the VA combined rating calculated?
The VA uses the "whole person" method rather than simple addition. Start with 100 units representing a fully healthy person. Your highest rating disables a percentage of those units. Each subsequent rating applies to the remaining healthy units, not the original 100. The sum of all disabled units is your combined disability value, which is then rounded to the nearest 10% increment (5 and above rounds up). This method prevents combined ratings from ever mathematically exceeding 100%.
Why is my combined rating lower than my individual ratings added together?
Because the VA applies each rating to a progressively smaller "remaining" portion of your whole person, not to the original 100%. A 50% rating and a 40% rating sum to 90% arithmetically, but the VA calculates it as: 50% of 100 = 50 disabled, then 40% of the remaining 50 = 20 more disabled, for a combined 70%. This is not a flaw or a penalty — it reflects the legal and medical framework for how overlapping disabilities interact with total functional capacity.
What is the VA disability pay for 100%?
For a single veteran with no dependents, the 2025 rate for a 100% combined rating is $3,737.85 per month ($44,854 annually). This amount is tax-free. Veterans rated 100% also qualify for free VA healthcare at Priority Group 1, commissary and exchange access, property tax exemptions in many states, free college tuition through some state programs, and dependent education benefits under Chapter 35. A 100% P&T (Permanent and Total) designation also allows dependents to use CHAMPVA healthcare.
Is VA disability income taxable?
No. VA disability compensation is explicitly excluded from federal income tax under U.S. Code Title 38. It is not reported as income on your federal tax return and does not affect your taxable income. Most states also exempt VA disability compensation from state income tax, though a few states have partial exemptions or conditions. If you also receive military retirement pay, a portion of that may be taxable — consult a tax professional if you receive both types of payments simultaneously.
What is TDIU (Total Disability Individual Unemployability)?
TDIU allows veterans who cannot maintain substantially gainful employment due to their service-connected disabilities to receive compensation at the 100% rate, even if their combined rating is below 100%. To qualify, you generally need a single disability rated at 60% or higher, or multiple disabilities with a combined rating of 70%+ and at least one rated at 40%. TDIU is not automatic — you must apply using VA Form 21-8940. Veterans granted TDIU receive the full 100% compensation amount and most associated benefits.