VA Disability Calculator2026 rates · real VA math · bilateral factor
Tap where it hurts. We’ll combine your ratings the way the VA actually does and show what it pays — free, no signup.
How VA Disability Math Works
Why isn't my combined rating just the sum of my ratings?
The VA uses "whole person theory" (38 CFR 4.25): each rating applies to the part of you that is still healthy, not to 100%. A 50% rating plus another 50% rating combines to 75% — the second 50% only applies to the remaining half — which rounds to 80%, not 100%.
What is the bilateral factor?
When you have rated conditions in both arms or both legs (for example, both knees), the VA combines those ratings and adds an extra 10% of that combined value before finishing the math (38 CFR 4.26). Our calculator applies it automatically when you tag conditions to paired extremities.
How much does the VA pay in 2026?
The 2026 rates (effective December 1, 2025, after the 2.8% COLA) range from $180.42/month at 10% to $3,938.58/month at 100% for a veteran alone — more with a spouse, children, or dependent parents. All VA disability compensation is tax-free.
Why does my combined rating round down?
The VA rounds the exact combined value to the nearest 10%. Values ending in 5 round up (65% becomes 70%) but everything below rounds down (64% becomes 60%). Getting from 64 to 65 by adding one more ratable condition can be worth hundreds of dollars per month — that's why finding every claimable condition matters.
Can my combined rating go over 100%?
No. Because each rating applies only to the part of you that is still healthy, VA math never goes above 100%. What matters is the exact combined value: it rounds to 100% at 95 or more. If VA lowers one rating, your combined rating stays at 100% as long as the exact value is still 95 or more. Enter your ratings, press Compare a change, and lower the rating VA proposed to see both numbers side by side.
What if VA proposes to lower one of my ratings?
A proposed reduction is not final. VA's notice gives you 60 days to send evidence that the condition has not improved, and you generally have 30 days to ask for a hearing, which keeps your pay at its current level until VA decides (38 CFR 3.105(e) and (i)). A rating held at the same level for 5 years or more can be lowered only when all the evidence clearly shows sustained improvement, not on one exam alone (38 CFR 3.344), and a rating held for 20 years or more can't be lowered below that level except for fraud (38 CFR 3.951(b)). A free Valor Rating account helps you prepare your written response, and an accredited VSO can help you free of charge.
Can my rating be higher than this calculator shows?
Often, yes. Most veterans underclaim: secondary conditions (like radiculopathy from a bad back, or sleep apnea secondary to PTSD), PACT Act presumptives, and increases on underrated conditions are commonly missed. This calculator only combines what you enter — a free Valor Rating account analyzes your records and story to find what you're missing.
Want the full picture? Read how the VA rates conditions in our free Knowledge Center.
Reviewing your rated conditions? Explore the free VA claim insights tool for educational information about secondary conditions and presumptives.