VA Disability Calculator

How VA Disability Math Works

The VA uses a specific formula called "VA math" to combine multiple disability ratings. Unlike simple addition, VA math accounts for the fact that each subsequent disability affects a smaller portion of your remaining healthy body. If you have a 50% rating and a 30% rating, the VA does not simply add them to get 80%. Instead, it calculates: 50% of your body is disabled, then 30% of the remaining 50% (which is 15%) is also disabled, giving you a combined value of 65%, which rounds to 70%.

The formula works sequentially. For two ratings A and B, the combined rating equals A + B multiplied by (1 minus A/100). Ratings are sorted from highest to lowest before combining. The final exact value is then rounded to the nearest 10% to determine your official combined rating, which determines your monthly compensation amount.

Understanding the Bilateral Factor

The bilateral factor applies when a veteran has service-connected disabilities affecting both sides of the body — for example, both knees, both shoulders, or both arms. The VA recognizes that bilateral conditions have a greater impact on a veteran's ability to function than conditions affecting only one side. When the bilateral factor applies, the VA first combines all bilateral conditions together, then adds 10% of that combined value before combining with non-bilateral conditions. This small boost can make the difference between rating levels, potentially increasing monthly compensation significantly.

To qualify for the bilateral factor, you must have compensable disabilities affecting paired extremities or paired skeletal muscles. Conditions like bilateral tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, or bilateral knee conditions commonly qualify. The bilateral factor does not apply to conditions affecting midline body parts like the spine or internal organs.

2026 VA Compensation Rates

VA disability compensation is tax-free monthly income paid to veterans with service-connected disabilities. The rates shown in this calculator are for 2026 and apply to veterans with no dependents. Actual compensation may be higher if you have a spouse, children, or dependent parents. The VA adjusts rates annually based on the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). Veterans rated at 30% or higher receive additional compensation for dependents. The difference between a 90% and 100% rating is substantial — over $1,300 per month — which is why accurate combined rating calculation matters.

Veterans with a 100% rating may also qualify for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) for specific severe disabilities, which provides additional payments above the standard rate. Individual Unemployability (TDIU) allows veterans rated at 60% or higher (or 70% combined with one condition at 40%) to receive compensation at the 100% rate if they cannot maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

Tips for Maximizing Your VA Rating

• File claims for every service-connected condition, even those rated at 0% — they establish service connection for future increases.
• Check if bilateral conditions apply to your paired disabilities for the 10% bilateral factor boost.
• Request secondary service connection for conditions caused or aggravated by existing service-connected disabilities.
• Review your rating periodically — conditions that worsen over time may warrant an increased rating.
• Use the calculator to understand how adding a new claim might affect your combined rating before filing.