Basic rates (10% and 20%)
At the 10% and 20% rating levels, compensation is a flat monthly amount regardless of dependent status.
| Rating | Monthly |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
Rates by dependent status (30% through 100%)
From 30% upward, the monthly amount depends on dependent status. The table below shows the base rate for each combination. Add the additional amounts in the next section for children.
| Rating | Veteran alone | With spouse | With spouse & 1 parent | With spouse & 2 parents | With 1 parent | With 2 parents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30% | $552.47 | $616.47 | $669.47 | $722.47 | $605.47 | $658.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $879.84 | $949.84 | $1,019.84 | $865.84 | $935.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,237.90 | $1,324.90 | $1,411.90 | $1,219.90 | $1,306.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,560.02 | $1,664.02 | $1,768.02 | $1,539.02 | $1,643.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,907.58 | $2,028.58 | $2,149.58 | $1,929.45 | $2,050.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,221.15 | $2,359.15 | $2,497.15 | $2,240.15 | $2,378.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,500.30 | $2,655.30 | $2,810.30 | $2,517.30 | $2,672.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $4,330.17 | $4,502.17 | $4,110.58 | $4,282.58 |
Additional amounts for children (30% and up)
For ratings of 30% or higher, these amounts are added to the base rate above:
| Rating | Each child under 18 | Each child 18+ in school | Spouse A&A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30% | $32.00 | $105.00 | $59.00 |
| 40% | $43.00 | $140.00 | $78.00 |
| 50% | $54.00 | $176.00 | $98.00 |
| 60% | $65.00 | $211.00 | $117.00 |
| 70% | $76.00 | $246.00 | $137.00 |
| 80% | $87.00 | $281.00 | $157.00 |
| 90% | $98.00 | $316.00 | $176.00 |
| 100% | $110.00 | $352.00 | $196.00 |
A&A = Aid and Attendance. Spouse Aid and Attendance is compensated only when a spouse medically requires the regular assistance of another person.
How combined ratings work
When a veteran has multiple service-connected conditions, VA does not add the ratings together. Instead, it uses the whole-person formula under 38 CFR § 4.25: each successive rating is applied to the remaining non-disabled portion38 CFR § 4.25†. A 50% and a 30% rating combine to 65%, not 80%, and the final value is rounded to the nearest 10%. Our combined rating estimator walks through the math with the § 4.26 bilateral factor applied where relevant.
SMC and TDIU additions
Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) and Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) can change the monthly amount materially:
- SMC-K is a flat additional amount on top of the schedular rate for specific losses. Higher SMC tiers (L through R) replace the basic rate with a higher statutory amount. See the SMC screener.
- TDIU pays at the 100% rate even when the combined schedular rating is below 100%, for veterans who are unable to hold substantially gainful employment. See the TDIU screener.
Cost-of-living adjustments
VA disability rates are adjusted annually on December 1 by the same cost-of-living percentage used for Social Security benefits. The 2.8% COLA effective December 1, 2025 is reflected in the rates above. The next adjustment takes effect December 1, 2026 and will be reflected in a new rate page when VA publishes the tables.
How payments arrive
VA disability compensation is tax-free. It is paid monthly by direct deposit, typically on the first business day of the month for the prior month’s entitlement. A rating change takes effect the month following the effective date set in the rating decision.
FAQ
When does the new VA disability rate take effect each year?
The annual cost-of-living adjustment takes effect on December 1 of the prior year and is reflected in the first January payment. The 2.8 percent COLA effective December 1, 2025 is reflected in the rates above; it applies to monthly compensation paid throughout calendar year 2026 (38 U.S.C. § 1114).
How is the COLA percentage calculated?
VA disability compensation uses the same cost-of-living adjustment that Social Security uses, which is calculated by the Social Security Administration based on the change in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from the third quarter of the prior year to the third quarter of the current year. VA applies the resulting percentage to the statutory rate tables under 38 U.S.C. § 1114.
Do dependents change my monthly compensation rate?
Dependents can increase the monthly amount when the combined rating is 30 percent or higher. The dependent rate table above shows the base amount by veteran-only, with-spouse, with-spouse-and-parents, or with-parents-only combinations; additional amounts for children under 18, children 18 or older in school, and a spouse who needs Aid and Attendance are listed separately. At 10 percent and 20 percent, dependent status does not change the rate.
What if my rating combines two letters under SMC?
Special Monthly Compensation has its own combination rules under 38 CFR § 3.35038 CFR § 3.350†. When two SMC entitlements coexist, VA may award an elevated SMC tier (for example, an SMC-L plus another independent SMC-L can elevate to SMC-O under § 3.350(f)). The combinations follow specific statutory pairings; an SMC-K is added on top of the schedular or higher SMC rate, while SMC-L through R replace the schedular rate. The SMC screener page walks through the elevations.
What is the difference between basic compensation and SMC?
Basic (schedular) compensation is the monthly amount paid based on the combined disability percentage under 38 CFR Part 4 and 38 CFR § 4.25. Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) is a separate set of statutory rates paid in specific situations: loss or loss of use of a creative organ or paired extremity (SMC-K), need for regular aid and attendance, housebound status, and the higher tiers for combined catastrophic losses. SMC is layered on top of, or substituted for, the schedular rate depending on the tier; the SMC-K rate is always added, while SMC-L through R generally replace the schedular rate with a higher statutory amount.