VA Disability Rates 2026 Calculator: Estimate Your New 2.8% Pay Increase

The new year brings a welcome boost to your VA benefits. Starting January 1, 2026, a 2.8% Cost-of-Living Adjustment increases the monthly payment amount for military service members and veterans.

This change directly impacts your monthly pay and purchasing power. How much more can you expect? Use our VA disability rates 2026 calculator to find your new estimate instantly.

From our experience, understanding your updated VA disability compensation is the first step to maximizing your VA benefits from the Veterans Affairs.

For deeper insights, explore our tools like the VA disability bilateral calculator or the VA disability percentages for conditions calculator. These resources build on the foundation of your primary service connected disability to give you a complete financial picture.

Interactive 2026 VA Disability Calculator and Pay Charts

Let’s get straight to the numbers. This section breaks down how the new rates work, how to use our tools, and what the 2.8% COLA increase really means for your pocket.

How the 2026 VA Disability Rates Calculator Works

Our primary tool is the 2026 va disability calculator. You input your details, and it provides a real-time estimate of your new monthly VA disability compensation. Think of it as a quick snapshot.

We base it on the official VA data rates released with the COLA. Always remember, the final word comes from the VA’s official tables. Our VA disability rates 2026 calculator is for education, not legal advice. It empowers you with knowledge before you see the official deposit.

How the 2.8% COLA Increase Is Applied

The increase applies consistently across all compensation rates. It’s a straightforward percentage boost. Whether you have the lowest disability rating of 10% or the highest disability rating of 100%, your monthly payment gets multiplied by 1.028. 

For instance, a single veteran at the 50% rate sees their monthly payment amount grow by that same 2.8%. This consistency ensures the increase protects your purchasing power uniformly.

Using the Calculator With More Than One Disability

Many veterans have more than one disability. Our tool can help here too. Start by finding your individual VA disability pay rates for each condition. Then, you’ll need to combine them using the VA’s unique formula. 

We give you a simple step-by-step guide within the calculator. It asks for each rating separately. We handle the tricky math in the background to show your estimated total compensation. The exact method for this combined rating is fascinating, and we’ll explore it next.

2025 vs 2026 VA Disability Pay Rates Table

VA Disability Rating	2025 Monthly Rate	2026 Monthly Rate (2.8% Increase)	Estimated Monthly Increase
10%	$175.51	$180.42	$4.91
20%	$346.95	$356.66	$9.71
30%	$537.42	$552.47	$15.05
40%	$774.16	$795.84	$21.68
50%	$1,102.04	$1,132.90	$30.86
60%	$1,395.93	$1,435.02	$39.09
70%	$1,759.19	$1,808.45	$49.26
80%	$2,044.89	$2,102.15	$57.26
90%	$2,297.96	$2,362.30	$64.34
100%	$3,831.30	$3,938.58	$107.28

Seeing is believing. The table above provides a clear visual comparison. You can trace any rating from last year to this year. This transparency is crucial; you verify the benefit amount yourself.

It answers the direct question: “how much compensation will I gain?” We ensure all data rates are accurate and sourced directly from the Veterans Affairs publications.

Understanding Your VA Combined Disability Rating

Figuring out your total rating feels confusing to most. VA math doesn’t add up like regular math, and there’s a reason for it.

Why VA Math Is Different

You might think a 70% rating plus a 20% rating equals 90%. The VA does not. They use a “whole person” concept.

Imagine you start as 100% able. A 70% disability means you are 30% able. A new 20% rating applies to that remaining 30% able body. So, 20% of 30% is 6%. Your combined disability percentage becomes 70% + 6% = 76%. This is why va determines the final number this way.

How the VA Combined Rating System Works

Here’s a step-by-step explanation. Follow along to see how your combined value is determined.

• Step 1: List Your Disabilities in Order.

Start by listing your service-connected conditions from highest to lowest rating. The VA always begins calculations with your single largest disability.

• Step 2: Apply the “Whole Person” Concept.

Your first (highest) rating is taken directly. For a second 30% rating, you don’t just add 30. Instead, you apply that 30% to your remaining able-bodied percentage. If your first rating is 50%, you are 50% disabled and 50% able.

The second 30% rating applies to that 50% able body (30% of 50% is 15%).

• Step 3: Continue the Process.

Add this new percentage (15%) to your first rating (50%). Your tentative combined disability percentage is now 65%. Repeat this process with your next-highest rating, applying it to the new remaining able-bodied percentage (which is now 35%).

• Step 4: Round to the Nearest Ten.

After all conditions are factored, va rounds the final number to the nearest ten. A calculated 76% becomes an 80% final combined rating. An 87% becomes 90%.

This combined value is what the VA uses for your VA disability pay rates.

The Bilateral Factor Explained

Here’s a potential bonus. If you have service-connected disabilities affecting paired limbs or muscles, you may get extra. Consider an arm, left leg, or both knees. The VA adds a 10% “bilateral factor” to the combined rating of those paired conditions before final rounding.

This acknowledges the greater impact on your body. This bilateral factor can nudge your rating higher.

Diagnostic Codes and Final Combined Rating

Each condition has a diagnostic code. Sometimes, multiple symptoms fall under one single diagnostic code. Other times, separate issues have distinct codes. How the VA groups these diagnostic code entries affects the calculation.

They combine all relevant codes to land on that final combined rating used for your pay.

How Dependent Status Increases Your Monthly VA Disability Compensation

Your service-connected disabilities affect your family, so the VA provides additional support for them. This is where your dependent status significantly changes your monthly compensation.

Eligibility Requirements for Adding Dependents

You must have a disability rating of at least 30% to add dependents. This threshold exists because the additional compensation for dependents is meant to support a family. If you’re below 30%, your monthly VA disability compensation is for you alone.

Once you hit that 30% mark, reporting your family becomes crucial for your correct benefit amount.

Types of Eligible Dependents

The VA recognizes specific dependents, and the most common is a dependent spouse. Dependent children under 18 (or under 23 in a qualifying school program) count, too.

In some cases, dependent parents you financially support may also qualify. You need to tell the VA about each person.

How the Numbers Affect Your Payment

The exact increase depends on your specific family count. The VA asks how many dependent children and how many dependent parents you have. Each combination has a set rate.

For example, a veteran with a 70% rating, a spouse, and one child receives more than a veteran with a 70% rating and just a spouse. An additional child adds a specific amount. The rules for a child in a qualifying school program are precise, so accurate reporting is important.

Special Circumstances to Know

Life changes matter. Any shift in your marital status must be reported, as it alters your pay. Special allowances exist if your spouse requires aid and attendance due to disability.

Similarly, if your spouse receiving aid is housebound, different rates apply. Keep the VA updated to ensure your monthly payment is always correct.

Additional Benefits: Aid and Attendance and SMC

The standard rates are just the beginning. For veterans with significant care needs, the VA offers other crucial forms of additional compensation.

Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) for Severe Disabilities

SMC is a higher pay rate for specific, serious circumstances. It applies when your needs exceed the standard 100% schedule. Think of severe disabilities like the loss of use of limbs, blindness, or needing daily aid. 

Service connected disabilities that leave you bedridden or permanently homebound often qualify. This compensation truly acknowledges the profound impact on your life.

Aid and Attendance Benefits Explained

This is a specific, higher pension rate. It’s for veterans who need regular help with activities of daily living. These activities include bathing, dressing, or eating.

Another qualifier is being bedridden or having severe visual impairment. The key difference between aid and attendance vs attendance benefits is the level of care.

“Aid and attendance” is for hands-on help. “Housebound” or attendance benefits are for those who are substantially confined.

Medical Evidence Requirements

Strong proof is everything for these claims. The VA needs clear medical evidence showing your daily care needs. Your va medical records are vital. Don’t forget your service treatment records to link the need to your service. 

Private medical records from your doctor are also powerful. A detailed doctor’s note explaining your limitations often makes the case.

Is Your VA Rating Change Due for an Increase in 2026?

A new year is a perfect time to review your benefits. Your current VA disability rating might not reflect your condition’s true impact today.

Why Many Veterans Are Underrated

Ratings often fall behind reality, and a common issue is outdated medical evidence. For example, your knee injury from 2010 might be much worse now. The VA only sees what’s documented.

A gap analysis between your current symptoms and your last exam can reveal a VA disability rating change is warranted. The issue here is that many veterans accept their initial rating without question.

Potential 2026 VA Disability Rating Changes

Stay informed about proposed rule updates. For instance, hearing loss evaluation criteria may be updated for accuracy. There’s also a discussion that tinnitus might no longer be a standalone condition in some cases.

Remember, these are proposals, not finalized rules. Always check the VA’s official announcements for the final word.

Filing the Right Type of Claim

Choosing the correct path is critical. Is it a new disability claim for a new issue? Or is it a VA disability claim for an increase for a worsening condition? This distinction matters. The process can be complex.

This is where a good claims agent or accredited attorney provides clarity. They help navigate the system, ensuring your claim is strong. A proper attorney client relationship is based on trust and expertise.

As Benjamin Franklin noted, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” Knowing your options is the first step.