VA Disability Calculator: Figure Out Your Combined Rating
"*" indicates required fields
If you have a 30 percent rating for one condition and a 20 percent rating for another, you would think you have 50 percent combined. That is not how it works. Your combined rating comes out to 40 percent, not 50. I have had veterans call me confused about this for years, so let me walk you through why, and how the calculator does the math for you.
Try the calculator above. Then keep reading if you want to understand what it just did, because that matters more than you might think, especially if you are planning to use your VA home loan benefits.
VA Combined Disability
Rating Calculator
Select your conditions, ratings, and family situation for your combined rating and 2026 monthly compensation — instantly.
Select Your Conditions and Ratings
Family and Dependents
If yes and you meet the rating threshold (60%+ single condition or 70%+ combined), you may qualify for TDIU — paid at the 100% rate.
A Real Example (Because Formulas Are Boring)
This is a scenario I see all the time. A veteran planning a VA construction loan with four separate ratings — thinking he is at 100 percent. He is not.
Veteran's Individual Ratings
Step-by-Step CalculationWhat Your Combined Rating Means in Dollars
The 2026 VA disability compensation rates reflect the 2.8 percent COLA increase effective December 1, 2025. These payments are tax-free at the federal level and are not counted as taxable income.
The jump from 90% to 100% — the biggest cliff in the compensation schedule. Nearly $1,500 more per month. This is why veterans at 90 percent push hard for that final 10.
The threshold where dependent compensation begins. Below 30 percent, the VA does not pay extra for family members. Cross it and your family composition starts adding to your check.
Single Veterans — No Dependents
| Combined Rating | Monthly Payment (2026) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
With Spouse (No Children)
| Combined Rating | With Spouse Only |
|---|---|
| 30% | $617.47 |
| 40% | $882.84 |
| 50% | $1,241.90 |
| 60% | $1,566.02 |
| 70% | $1,961.45 |
| 80% | $2,277.15 |
| 90% | $2,559.30 |
| 100% | $4,158.17 |
With Spouse and One Child
| Combined Rating | Spouse + 1 Child |
|---|---|
| 30% | $666.47 |
| 40% | $947.84 |
| 50% | $1,322.90 |
| 60% | $1,663.02 |
| 70% | $2,074.45 |
| 80% | $2,406.15 |
| 90% | $2,704.30 |
| 100% | $4,318.99 |
Aid and Attendance for spouse: If your spouse qualifies for Aid and Attendance (help with daily living activities), additional monthly amounts apply on top of these rates — $141/month at 70% rating, $201.41/month at 100%. Talk to a VSO about eligibility.
The Combined Ratings Table and the Bilateral Factor Nobody Tells You About
The VA has an official combined ratings table in 38 CFR 4.25. This calculator implements the same logic. Here are common two-rating combinations to sanity-check your math:
The Bilateral Factor
If you have disabilities on both sides of your body — both knees, both arms, both hips — the VA adds a 10 percent bonus called the bilateral factor before doing the combined calculation.
Right knee 20% + left knee 20%: the VA combines those two ratings first (36%), adds 10% of that (3.6), getting 39.6% — which then gets combined with your other conditions. This can bump veterans from 70% to 80% when applied correctly.
If you have paired disabilities and your rating decision does not mention a bilateral factor, that is worth calling the VA about. The calculator above accounts for bilateral factor when you check the paired body parts box. Most free online VA calculators do not.
Individual Unemployability (TDIU): The Path to 100% Pay Without a 100% Rating
If your service-connected disabilities keep you from holding gainful employment, you can qualify for TDIU — and the VA pays you at the 100 percent compensation rate even if your combined rating is only 60, 70, or 80 percent.
Basic TDIU Requirements
- One disability rated at 60% or higher, OR combined rating of 70%+ with at least one disability at 40%+
- Your service-connected conditions must prevent you from maintaining substantially gainful employment (income above the federal poverty threshold for a single person)
- Odd jobs, protected employment in a family business, and self-employment that barely breaks even generally do not count against you
TDIU is a separate claim from your rating. File using VA Form 21-8940. Include employment history, documentation of why your conditions prevent work, and medical statements. This is a claim where a VSO or accredited attorney is worth their weight in gold — filing alone often results in a denial that could have been an approval. If you return to substantially gainful employment while on TDIU, there is a 12-month grace period before review.
How Your Combined Rating Affects Your VA Home Loan
Your disability rating is built into almost every VA loan calculation we do. Funding fee waiver, additional monthly income, state property tax exemptions — these all change based on where your rating lands.
Funding Fee Waiver
A 10% or higher rating waives the VA funding fee entirely. On a $400,000 VA construction loan, that is $8,600 you keep at closing. On a $700,000 California build, $15,050.
Dependent Compensation
At 30% you can add a spouse and children to your monthly compensation. This income counts toward your qualifying income on a VA loan — increasing your purchase power.
State Property Tax
Texas and Illinois provide full homestead property tax exemption at 70%+ disability. On a $500,000 Texas home at 2.2% effective rate: $11,000 per year in savings.
Real Client: Army Veteran, Killeen TX, $600,000 Build, 80% Rating
State-by-State Property Tax Exemptions
Where you build or buy matters financially. Property tax exemptions tied to disability rating can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars over a 30-year mortgage. Here is how the 10 states where Security America Mortgage is licensed compare.
| State | Full Exemption Threshold | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 70%+ | Under SB 401 (since 2023). Effective rates run 2%+ in most counties. |
| Illinois | 70%+ | Full exemption. Cook County effective rates hit 2.5%. |
| Pennsylvania | 100% | Full exemption on the homestead. Must be permanent and total. |
| Maryland | 100% | Full exemption on the homestead. |
| Arkansas | 100% | Full exemption on primary residence. |
| Tennessee | 100% | Full exemption. Also no state income tax. |
| Georgia | 100% | Full exemption up to certain assessed value cap. |
| Alabama | 100% | Full exemption if 100% permanent and total. |
| Florida | 100% | Full exemption. Blue-tier for permanently disabled combat-related. |
| California | Partial (income-based) | Basic exemption ~$161K assessed value; low-income exemption doubles that. |
The 70% threshold is significant in Texas and Illinois. The jump from 60% to 70% in these two states can be worth $80,000 to $300,000 over 30 years of home ownership. If you are close to 70%, it is worth exploring an increase with a VSO before you build or buy.
Housing Grants Tied to Your Disability Rating (2026)
The VA offers three separate housing grants for veterans with specific service-connected disabilities. These stack with your VA loan benefits — meaning you can use them alongside a VA construction or purchase loan to build or modify your home.
Specially Adapted Housing
For veterans with certain severe disabilities: loss or loss of use of both legs, blindness with loss of use of one leg, loss or loss of use of both arms above the elbow, severe burns, and other specific qualifying conditions.
Stacks with a VA construction loan. Veterans building a fully accessible custom home often use SAH and a VA OTC construction loan together.
Special Housing Adaptation
For veterans with specific disabilities including loss or loss of use of both hands, certain severe burns, certain vision impairments, and chronic respiratory conditions requiring supplemental oxygen.
Used for accessibility modifications rather than full new construction.
Home Improvements & Structural Alterations
For veterans with service-connected medical conditions requiring home modifications. Grab bars, ramps, roll-in showers, widened doorways for wheelchair access. Less strict qualifying conditions than SAH or SHA.
Rating percentage alone does not automatically qualify you for SAH or SHA. A 100% rating for PTSD alone would not qualify you. Loss of use of both legs at 60% could. If you are building a custom accessible home, ask your VA loan officer about combining these grants with your VA construction loan. We do this regularly for veterans building accessible homes across our 10 licensed states.
State-by-State Disabled Veteran Benefits
Federal VA benefits are the same nationwide. State benefits are not. Where you live can make a five or six-figure difference in your lifetime financial situation as a disabled veteran.
Pattern to notice: Texas and Illinois use 70% as the threshold. Every other SAM state uses 100%. If you are at 60–69% and living in Texas or Illinois, exploring a rating increase with a VSO may be among the highest-ROI financial moves available to you.
CRDP vs CRSC: The Concurrent Pay Question
If you are a military retiree receiving both a pension and VA disability compensation, you cannot receive both CRDP and CRSC simultaneously. You choose whichever pays more. DFAS runs an annual open season where you can switch.
CRDP — Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay
20+ years of service (or medical retirement in some cases) and disability rating of 50% or higher.
Automatic if you qualify. No application needed. Lets qualifying retirees receive both retirement and disability pay without offset.
Typically pays more for veterans with long service and non-combat-related disabilities.
CRSC — Combat-Related Special Compensation
Any length of retired service (including Chapter 61 medical retirees). Disability rated 10% or higher. Disability must be combat-related.
You have to apply through your service branch. Not automatic.
Often pays more for veterans with combat-related disabilities and fewer than 20 years of service.
If you are a retiree with combat-related disabilities and have never applied for CRSC, apply now. Even if CRDP is currently paying you, running the CRSC calculation might reveal you have been leaving money on the table for years. The application goes through your service branch.
Common Things Veterans Get Wrong
- "Three 30% ratings = 90%?"No. Three 30% ratings gets you to about 66%, which rounds to 70%. Not 90%.
- "My rating went up but my payment didn't change"The VA rounds combined ratings to the nearest 10. Going from 62% to 68% both round to 60%. You have to cross 65% to bump to 70%. This frustrates veterans a lot.
- "100% rating = all state benefits"Depends on the state. Texas requires the 100% to be permanent and total for some benefits. California has income limits. Read your state's specific rules.
- "VA disability counts as income for taxes"No. VA disability compensation is not taxable at the federal level. Most states also do not tax it. It does not go on your 1040.
- "My rating gets adjusted when I retire from work"No. Your VA disability rating is not tied to your employment. It stays at whatever level you were rated regardless of whether you work. Exception: TDIU, which is granted because you cannot work.
- "If I earn too much money, they'll take my disability away"Not for standard VA disability compensation. Your work income does not affect your rating. The exception is TDIU — if you have TDIU and start substantially working, that can be reviewed.
Conditions That Commonly Get Under-Rated
If you have any of these and think your rating is low, it may be worth filing for an increase.
Tinnitus
Capped at 10% maximum regardless of severity. But it stacks well with other conditions — always worth claiming.
PTSD
Ratings often come in lower than actual impairment when the C&P examiner does not fully document daily functioning issues. If you cannot work or maintain relationships at 30–50%, an increase with supporting evidence may push you higher.
Sleep Apnea
Requiring a CPAP is a 50% rating. If you were rated lower because you were not on CPAP at the time, and you are now on CPAP, that is grounds for an increase.
Migraines
Very frequent completely prostrating attacks can be rated at 50%. Most claims come in at 10–30% because the specific language required for higher ratings is not documented.
GERD
Ranges from 0 to 60% depending on severity. Veterans who take PPIs daily with documented symptoms often qualify for at least 30%.
TBI
Can be rated up to 100%. TBI ratings are complex and often come in low. Request a specific TBI protocol exam rather than a general neurological exam.
When to consider filing for an increase: If your rating is too low, conditions have worsened, or you were rated before recent presumptive condition changes, talk to a VSO or accredited claims agent. I have watched veterans go from 60% to 80% through legitimate increases — and that jump in Texas or Illinois triggers state property tax benefits that dramatically change the math on building or buying a home.
Frequently Asked Questions
The VA uses the 'whole person theory.' Each disability is applied to what remains of your whole person after previous disabilities are subtracted. Two 30% ratings combine to 51%, which rounds to 50% — not 60%.
The 20% is applied to the remaining 70% after your first disability, not to the original 100%. 20% of 70 is 14. Add 14 to 30, you get 44. Round to nearest 10: 40%.
An additional 10% bonus the VA adds when you have disabilities on both sides of your body (both knees, both arms, both hips). It is applied before combining with your other ratings. This calculator includes it; many free online calculators do not.
The VA rounds to the nearest 10%. A combined rating of 65% or higher rounds up to 70%. A combined rating of 64% rounds down to 60%.
Yes. A 10% or higher rating waives the VA funding fee entirely — saving 2.15% of your loan amount at closing on a first-use VA loan. On a $400,000 VA construction loan, that is $8,600 you keep in your pocket.
Every state is different. Texas and Illinois provide full property tax exemption at 70% disability. Pennsylvania, Maryland, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida provide full exemption at 100% disability. California uses a tiered exemption based on rating and income.
Yes. You can file for an increase if your conditions have worsened. The VA can also propose a reduction if they believe your condition has improved — though protected ratings after certain time periods have higher reduction standards.
No. VA disability compensation is not taxed at the federal level, and most states do not tax it either. It does not go on your federal tax return.
For a single veteran with no dependents: $3,938.58 per month. With a spouse: $4,158.17. Additional amounts apply for children and dependent parents.
Yes, but the rules are complex. CRDP allows veterans with 50%+ VA disability to receive both without offset. CRSC is for combat-related disabilities. Talk to a VSO or DFAS about which applies to you.
Not directly. VA disability and SSDI are separate programs with separate criteria. Some veterans qualify for both. The Social Security Administration expedites SSDI claims for veterans with a 100% VA rating, but you still must apply separately and meet SSDI criteria.
No. Your rating decision letter is the official document. Use this calculator to verify the math — but if there is a difference of more than 10%, contact a VSO. The letter wins.
The $36,000 is the VA's guaranty amount — not your loan limit. For most veterans with full entitlement there is no maximum loan amount (subject to appraisal and lender capacity). The $36,000 reflects the VA's historical guaranty math.
Your Rating Drives the Loan Math
A 10% or higher disability rating waives your VA funding fee. A 70%+ rating in Texas or Illinois eliminates property tax on your new home. We factor all of this into your pre-approval from day one.
Building a New Home? We Specialize in VA One-Time Close Construction Loans.
The VA One-Time Close construction loan finances land and construction in a single closing — no payments during the build, rate locked before groundbreaking, automatic conversion to permanent VA mortgage at completion.
See the VA OTC Construction Loan →Security America Mortgage — VA loan specialists licensed in TX AL AR CA FL GA IL MD PA TN. Pre-approval in 24 to 48 hours.
Security America Mortgage. NMLS #355253. Equal Housing Lender. Not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
More Calculators
VA Loan Calculator
Determine how much home you can afford.
Funding Fee Calculator
Learn what it costs to fund a VA loan.
BAH Calculator
Calculate your Basic Housing Allowance.
VA Loan Limit Calculator
Find out how much you can borrow for $0 down.
Construction Loan Calculator
Obtain a construction loan for building or improving a home
VA Affordability Calculator
Estimate your loan preapproval amount based on your income and expenses.
VA Refinance Calculator
See if refinancing makes sense for you.
VA Construction Loan Calculator
Estimates your monthly VA mortgage payment