Your Disability Ratings
How VA Calculates Your Combined Disability Rating
The VA does not simply add your disability percentages together. Instead, it uses a "whole-person" method that prevents your total rating from exceeding 100%.
Here is how it works step by step:
- Sort ratings from highest to lowest. The VA starts with your highest-rated condition first.
- Apply the first rating to your whole person. If your highest rating is 50%, you are 50% disabled, leaving 50% of a "whole" person.
- Apply each subsequent rating to the remaining whole person. A 30% rating applied to the remaining 50% adds another 15% (30% × 50%), bringing you to 65% combined.
- Round to the nearest 10%. The VA rounds raw combined ratings to the nearest 10%. Anything ending in 1–4 rounds down; 5–9 rounds up.
This calculator mirrors that exact method so you see the same math the VA sees. When you are ready, apply for VA disability compensation on VA.gov.
2026 VA Disability Compensation Rates (Veteran Alone)
These are the 2026 monthly tax-free compensation rates for a veteran with no dependents. Rates increase with a spouse, children, or dependent parents.
| Rating | Monthly (Veteran Alone) |
|---|
Source: VA.gov 2025 compensation rates (2026 rates pending annual COLA adjustment).
What Is TDIU?
Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU) allows veterans who cannot maintain substantially gainful employment due to their service-connected conditions to receive compensation at the 100% rate, even if their combined rating falls below 100%.
Eligibility thresholds:
- Single condition rated at 60%+ with a combined rating of 60%+, or
- Two or more conditions, one rated at least 40%, with a combined rating of 70%+
TDIU must be claimed separately using VA Form 21-8940. Read the full TDIU guide →
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't the VA just add my percentages?
The VA uses the whole-person method to reflect that conditions interact — two 50% disabilities do not mean a person is 100% incapacitated in every sense. The combined rating formula prevents the total from exceeding 100% mathematically.
What is the bilateral factor and how does it affect my rating?
If you have service-connected disabilities affecting both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles, the VA adds a 10% bilateral factor before combining. For example, a 20% right knee and 20% left knee are combined first (yielding 36%) and then multiplied by 1.10, giving a bilateral combined of ~39.6%, before rounding. This calculator does not yet account for the bilateral factor — if you have bilateral conditions, your actual VA rating may be slightly higher.
What is the difference between 100% and Permanent and Total (P&T)?
A 100% rating means you receive the highest compensation rate, but the VA can still reduce it if your condition improves. Permanent and Total (P&T) means the VA has determined your disability is both 100% disabling and not expected to improve. P&T veterans receive additional benefits including CHAMPVA for dependents and protection from future rating reductions.
Can I add dependents to increase my compensation?
Yes. Veterans rated 30% or higher receive additional compensation for a spouse, dependent children, and dependent parents. The additional amounts vary by rating — for example, at 70%, a veteran with a spouse and one child receives roughly $200/month more than the veteran-alone rate.
Should I combine all conditions or is it better to file separately?
File all service-connected conditions. Each new condition adds to your combined rating using the whole-person method. Even a 10% condition can shift a 45% combined rating to 50%+ and unlock significantly higher compensation. There is no downside to claiming all conditions you are entitled to.