VA Disability Compensation
VA Disability Pay Rates for 2026
What Are the VA Disability Rates for 2026?
The VA disability rates for 2026 pay a veteran with no dependents $180.42 a month at 10%, $1,132.90 at 50%, $2,362.30 at 90% and $3,938.58 at 100%. These rates took effect December 1, 2025, and VA labels them the 2026 rates. From 30% up, a spouse, children or dependent parents raise the amount; at 10% and 20% the rate is the same for everyone. Not sure of your rating? Work it out with the VA combined rating calculator.
VA Disability Rates for 2026 by Rating
VA pays disability compensation by combined rating, from 10% to 100%. These are the monthly amounts for a veteran with no spouse, children or dependent parents, effective December 1, 2025. VA calls them the 2026 rates, and they stay in place until the next cost-of-living increase.
| Combined rating | Monthly payment, veteran alone |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Source: VA, veterans disability compensation rates, effective December 1, 2025.
At 10% and 20%, that’s the whole story. VA says that with a 10% to 20% rating, you won’t get a higher rate even if you have a dependent spouse, child or parent. From 30% up, use the tables below.
Your rating is combined, not added. Two ratings of 50% and 30% make 70%, not 80%. If you’re not sure where you land, the VA combined rating calculator works it out from your individual ratings, and the guide to how VA ratings work explains the rules.
How to Read the 2026 VA Pay Charts
VA publishes the 30% to 100% rates in two kinds of tables, and the difference matters:
- Tables without children cover a veteran alone, with a spouse, with dependent parents, or both.
- Tables with children already include one child in every amount. Find your row by spouse and parents, then add the amount for each extra child from the added amounts table.
Then add any extras that apply: each child beyond the first, each child over 18 in a qualifying school program, and a spouse who receives Aid and Attendance.
VA’s own worked example: a veteran rated 70% with a spouse and 3 children under 18, whose spouse receives Aid and Attendance. Start with the 70% rate for a spouse and 1 child, $2,074.45. Add $76 for the second child, $76 for the third child and $141 for the spouse’s Aid and Attendance. The total is $2,367.45 a month.
2026 VA Pay Charts for 30% to 100%
Rates With a Spouse or Parents and No Children
Use this table if you have a spouse and no children. “Parent” means a dependent parent VA has recognized.
| Rating | Veteran alone | With spouse | Spouse and 1 parent | Spouse and 2 parents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $669.47 | $721.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $952.84 | $1,022.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $1,329.90 | $1,417.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $1,671.02 | $1,776.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $2,084.45 | $2,207.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $2,417.15 | $2,557.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $2,717.30 | $2,875.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $4,334.41 | $4,510.65 |
If you have one or two dependent parents and no spouse or children:
| Rating | 1 parent | 2 parents |
|---|---|---|
| 30% | $604.47 | $656.47 |
| 40% | $865.84 | $935.84 |
| 50% | $1,220.90 | $1,308.90 |
| 60% | $1,540.02 | $1,645.02 |
| 70% | $1,931.45 | $2,054.45 |
| 80% | $2,242.15 | $2,382.15 |
| 90% | $2,520.30 | $2,678.30 |
| 100% | $4,114.82 | $4,291.06 |
Source for both tables: VA, rates effective December 1, 2025.
Rates With Children
Every amount in these tables already includes one child under 18. Add the extra child amounts from the next section for each child after the first.
| Rating | 1 child only | Spouse and 1 child | Spouse, 1 child and 1 parent | Spouse, 1 child and 2 parents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30% | $596.47 | $666.47 | $718.47 | $770.47 |
| 40% | $853.84 | $947.84 | $1,017.84 | $1,087.84 |
| 50% | $1,205.90 | $1,322.90 | $1,410.90 | $1,498.90 |
| 60% | $1,523.02 | $1,663.02 | $1,768.02 | $1,873.02 |
| 70% | $1,910.45 | $2,074.45 | $2,197.45 | $2,320.45 |
| 80% | $2,219.15 | $2,406.15 | $2,546.15 | $2,686.15 |
| 90% | $2,494.30 | $2,704.30 | $2,862.30 | $3,020.30 |
| 100% | $4,085.43 | $4,318.99 | $4,495.23 | $4,671.47 |
If you have a child and dependent parents but no spouse:
| Rating | 1 child and 1 parent | 1 child and 2 parents |
|---|---|---|
| 30% | $648.47 | $700.47 |
| 40% | $923.84 | $993.84 |
| 50% | $1,293.90 | $1,381.90 |
| 60% | $1,628.02 | $1,733.02 |
| 70% | $2,033.45 | $2,156.45 |
| 80% | $2,359.15 | $2,499.15 |
| 90% | $2,652.30 | $2,810.30 |
| 100% | $4,261.67 | $4,437.91 |
Source for both tables: VA, rates effective December 1, 2025.
Added Amounts for More Children and Aid and Attendance
Add these to the basic rate from the tables above:
| Rating | Each extra child under 18 | Each extra child over 18 in school | Spouse receiving Aid and Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30% | $32.00 | $105.00 | $61.00 |
| 40% | $43.00 | $140.00 | $81.00 |
| 50% | $54.00 | $176.00 | $101.00 |
| 60% | $65.00 | $211.00 | $121.00 |
| 70% | $76.00 | $246.00 | $141.00 |
| 80% | $87.00 | $281.00 | $161.00 |
| 90% | $98.00 | $317.00 | $181.00 |
| 100% | $109.11 | $352.45 | $201.41 |
Source: VA, added amounts effective December 1, 2025.
A few things to know about these extras:
- Extra children. The added child amounts are for each child beyond the one included in the with-children tables.
- Children over 18 in school. VA counts unmarried children ages 18 to 23 who are in a qualifying school program. Use the school-child amount instead of the under-18 amount for each one.
- Aid and Attendance for a spouse. VA adds this to a basic rate that already includes a spouse, when your spouse receives Aid and Attendance.
What 50%, 70%, 80%, 90% and 100% Pay in 2026
These are the ratings people ask about most. All amounts are monthly, effective December 1, 2025.
50% VA Disability Pay
A veteran alone gets $1,132.90. With a spouse, it’s $1,241.90. With a spouse and one child, it’s $1,322.90, and each extra child under 18 adds $54.00.
70% VA Disability Pay
A veteran alone gets $1,808.45. With a spouse, it’s $1,961.45. With a spouse and one child, it’s $2,074.45, and each extra child under 18 adds $76.00.
80% VA Disability Pay
A veteran alone gets $2,102.15. With a spouse, it’s $2,277.15. With a spouse and one child, it’s $2,406.15, and each extra child under 18 adds $87.00.
90% VA Disability Pay
A veteran alone gets $2,362.30. With a spouse, it’s $2,559.30. With a spouse and one child, it’s $2,704.30, and each extra child under 18 adds $98.00.
100% VA Disability Pay
A veteran alone gets $3,938.58. With a spouse, it’s $4,158.17. With a spouse and one child, it’s $4,318.99, and each extra child under 18 adds $109.11. The step from 90% to 100% is the largest in the table.
Rounding decides which row you’re on. VA rounds your final combined value to the nearest 10%, with values ending in 5 to 9 rounded up. A combined value of 64 pays at 60%, while 65 pays at 70%.
When Your Payments Start and How Back Pay Works
Your effective date sets the first month VA owes you. For a condition caused or made worse by service, it’s the later of the date VA gets your claim or the date the condition began. If VA gets your claim within 1 year of the day you left active service, the effective date can be as early as the day after separation.
Two habits protect your start date:
- Submit an intent to file. It gives you 1 year to finish your claim. Starting a claim online with a verified account does this automatically.
- File increases promptly. VA dates an increase back to the earliest date you can show your condition got worse, but only if VA gets your request within 1 year of that date.
VA reported an average of 68.4 days to complete disability-related claims in August 2026. The VA claim guide covers each step.
How to Make Sure VA Pays You for Your Family
VA doesn’t raise your payment just because your family grew. You have to tell VA. Use VA Form 21-686c, the Application Request to Add and/or Remove Dependents, online or by mail. You need a combined rating of at least 30% for dependents to change your payment.
VA counts a spouse, unmarried children under 18, children 18 to 23 who are in school, and children with permanent disabilities. VA says it begins paying within 2 weeks after it approves the claim, with back pay from the date you became eligible for the higher rate.
The rule works in reverse, too. If you divorce or a child leaves school and you don’t report it, VA warns that you’ll end up with an overpayment debt. Report changes as they happen.
Mistakes to Avoid When Reading the Chart
- Counting the first child twice. The with-children rates already include one child. Add the extra child amount only from the second child on.
- Adding ratings together. VA combines ratings with its table, so your combined rating is usually lower than the sum.
- Using an older chart. Search results still show 2025 and older tables. Check that a chart says effective December 1, 2025.
- Expecting dependents to count automatically. VA pays for a spouse, child or parent only after you add them with VA Form 21-686c, and only at 30% or higher.
Payments Above the Standard Rates
Some veterans get more than the tables show:
- Special Monthly Compensation (SMC). VA pays SMC to veterans with certain needs or disabilities. SMC-K is $139.87 a month, effective December 1, 2025, and VA adds it to your basic rate at any rating from 0% to 100%. Other SMC levels have their own tables on va.gov.
- Individual Unemployability (TDIU). If your service-connected conditions keep you from holding a steady job, VA can pay you at the 100% rate while your rating stays the same. See the TDIU guide.
- A 100% rating also opens benefits beyond pay, such as full VA dental care and health coverage for some family members. The 100% rating benefits guide lists them.
Why the Rates Change Each Year
Under federal law, VA’s compensation rates rise by the same cost-of-living percentage as Social Security benefits. For 2026, Social Security’s adjustment is 2.8%, and the VA rates above reflect it.
Don’t use old charts. VA’s older benefits.va.gov rate pages still show tables from earlier years. The current figures are on va.gov’s veteran rates page.
If you also get Social Security disability, its payments follow their own schedule and formula. See disability benefit amounts for 2026 for SSDI and SSI figures, or estimate an SSI payment.
Where to Go Next
- Not rated yet? Start with the VA disability compensation overview and the steps to file a VA disability claim.
- Think your rating is too low? A claim for increase or a decision review may apply; the ratings guide covers both.
- Caring for a veteran at home? See how family caregivers can get paid.
- Looking for state help as well? Many states add their own benefits for veterans and people with disabilities; check your state page.
Accredited Veterans Service Organization representatives help veterans with claims for free. This page explains VA’s published rates; for questions about your own award, contact VA or an accredited representative.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Did the 2026 VA Rates Start?
The current rates took effect December 1, 2025. VA labels them the 2026 rates, and they apply until the next cost-of-living increase.
Why Didn't My Payment Go Up When I Got Married?
Two common reasons. At a 10% or 20% rating, VA doesn't pay more for dependents. At 30% or higher, VA pays the higher rate only after you add your spouse with VA Form 21-686c.
Are VA Disability Payments Taxable?
No. VA describes disability compensation as tax-free monthly payments.
Does TDIU Pay the Same as a 100% Rating?
Yes. Individual Unemployability pays at the same level as a 100% rating, while your actual rating stays the same. See the TDIU guide for who qualifies.
What if My Child Is Over 18 and in College?
VA pays an added amount for each child over 18 in a qualifying school program, beyond the one child included in the basic rate. At 100% that's $352.45 a month per child.
How Do I Add a Spouse or Child to My VA Payment?
If you haven't filed VA Form 21-686c for a family member, VA isn't paying for them yet, so file it. VA says it begins paying within 2 weeks after it approves the claim, with back pay from the date you became eligible.
More on VA Disability Compensation
- VA Disability BasicsVA disability compensation: service connection, ratings, monthly pay and how to file
- VA RatingsHow VA assigns ratings, combines them with its table and rounds the result
- Filing a VA ClaimFiling a VA disability claim, the intent to file, evidence, and options after a decision
- TDIUTotal Disability Individual Unemployability: the rating requirements and how to apply
- 100% Rating BenefitsWhat a 100% VA rating brings: 2026 pay and the related federal benefits
- SSDIHow Social Security Disability Insurance works: work credits, the disability test, the waiting period, amounts and Medicare
This guide explains official rules in plain language. It isn't legal advice, and only the agency that runs a program can decide your case.