VA Disability Calculator (2026)
Combine multiple disability ratings the way VA actually does — using the official combined-ratings math and the bilateral factor from 38 CFR § 4.25 and § 4.26 — then see your estimated 2026 monthly compensation. Rates are effective December 1, 2025.
How VA math works
The single most surprising thing about VA disability ratings is that they do not add up. A veteran with a 60% and a 40% rating is not 100% disabled. Under 38 CFR § 4.25, ratings are combined based on the efficiency you have left after each condition, not by simple addition.
It works like this. A 60% disability leaves you 40% efficient. The next disability — say 40% — applies only to that remaining 40% of efficiency, removing 16 more points (40% of 40). That gives a combined value of 76, not 100. Each additional disability only reduces what is left, which is why stacking ratings yields diminishing returns and no combined value can ever exceed 100%. Disabilities are always combined starting with the most severe.
The bilateral factor (38 CFR § 4.26) rewards disabilities that affect both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles. The paired ratings are combined as usual, then 10% of that value is added (not combined). That boosted value is rounded to the nearest whole number before any further combining or final rating conversion, and the rounded value is then treated as a single disability for the rest of the calculation. The calculator above applies this automatically when you tag two paired limbs. It also evaluates the exception in § 4.26(d): if removing one or more disabilities from the factor and combining them separately produces a higher final rating, the calculator automatically uses that more favorable result and identifies the disabilities it treated separately.
The final rating conversion is a separate step. After any bilateral-factor rounding and all remaining combinations are complete, the resulting whole-number value is converted once to the nearest number divisible by 10, and values ending in 5 are rounded up. A final combined value of 74 becomes a 70% rating; 75 becomes 80%.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my combined rating less than the sum of my ratings?
VA disability ratings do not add together. Under 38 CFR § 4.25, ratings are combined based on the efficiency you have left after each disability, not by simple addition. A 60% disability leaves you 60% disabled and 40% 'efficient'; a second 30% disability then applies only to that remaining 40%, adding 12 points for a combined value of 72 — not 90. Because each new disability only affects what remains, several ratings can add up to far less than their arithmetic sum, and no combination can exceed 100%.
How does the VA round combined ratings?
VA uses separate rounding steps for the bilateral factor and the final rating. If the bilateral factor applies, VA adds 10% to the paired-limb combined value and rounds that result to the nearest whole number before any later combination or final conversion (38 CFR § 4.26). After all values are combined, VA converts the final whole-number value once to the nearest number divisible by 10, with values ending in 5 rounded up (38 CFR § 4.25(a)-(b)). So 74 becomes 70, while 75 becomes 80, and 85 becomes 90.
What is the bilateral factor?
The bilateral factor (38 CFR § 4.26) gives extra credit when disabilities affect both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles. The paired ratings are combined as usual, and then 10% of that combined value is added — not combined. The boosted result is rounded to the nearest whole number before any further combination or final rating conversion. For example, disabilities of both legs rated 60% and 20% combine to 68; adding 10% gives 74.8, which rounds to 75 and is then treated as a single disability. Under § 4.26(d), the calculator also checks whether removing one or more disabilities from the factor and combining them separately produces a higher final rating, and automatically uses that more favorable result.
How much does 100% VA disability pay in 2026?
A 100% combined rating pays $3,938.58 per month for a veteran with no dependents in 2026, and $4,158.17 with a spouse. These amounts are effective December 1, 2025 and come from the official VA compensation rate tables. Ratings of 30% and higher add compensation for a spouse, children, and dependent parents; ratings of 10% and 20% are paid at a single flat rate with no dependent allowance.
Does a higher individual rating always raise my combined rating?
Not always by the amount you might expect. Because each disability only reduces the efficiency that remains, a small additional rating stacked on top of already-high ratings may not change your final rounded rating at all. For instance, adding a 10% disability to a combined value of 82 raises it to about 84, which still rounds to 80. This is why two veterans with the same list of conditions can share the same combined rating even when their individual ratings differ.
Next steps
- Had a rating increase? Estimate your VA back pay from your effective date.
- See every monthly amount in the 2026 VA disability pay chart & payment dates.
- Weighing your options? Compare VA disability calculators side by side.
Sources & regulations
The combining rules follow the federal regulations; every dollar figure is transcribed from the official VA compensation rate tables. Rate tables last updated on this site: July 17, 2026. 2026 rates are effective 2025-12-01.
- 38 CFR § 4.25 — Combined ratings table (eCFR as of July 15, 2026)
- 38 CFR § 4.26 — Bilateral factor (eCFR as of July 15, 2026)
- VA 2026 disability compensation rates — effective 2025-12-01
Disclaimer: This calculator provides an estimate only and is not legal, financial, or medical advice. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It applies the combined-rating and bilateral-factor rules from 38 CFR § 4.25 and § 4.26 to the ratings you enter, but your actual rating and payment are determined solely by VA and depend on your specific conditions, effective dates, and dependents. Always rely on your official VA decision notice.