Free VA disability calculator: combine up to 5 ratings with the whole-person formula and see your 2026 monthly compensation, with dependents.
Disclaimer: Uses 2026 VA compensation rates (effective Dec 1, 2025, after the 2.8% COLA) for a veteran alone, plus the VA standard dependent add-ons for a spouse and children under 18 at 30% and above. Dependent parents, children in school, and Special Monthly Compensation are not modeled. Always verify your final figure with the official tables at VA.gov.
VA disability compensation is tax-free monthly pay for veterans with service-connected injuries or illnesses. Ratings run from 10% to 100% in 10% steps, but multiple ratings are not added together — two 50% ratings combine to 80%, not 100%. In 2026, monthly pay ranges from $180.42 at 10% to $3,938.58 at 100% for a veteran alone, with extra for dependents at 30% and above. This free VA disability calculator applies the official whole-person formula to up to five ratings and adds the 2026 dependent allowances.
The VA rates each service-connected condition from 0% to 100% in 10% increments, measuring how much it impairs your overall health and employability. When you have more than one rated condition, the VA does not add the percentages — it uses the whole-person theory from 38 CFR 4.25: each new rating applies only to the "efficiency" you have left.
The combined value is rounded to the nearest 10% to get your official combined rating: 65% becomes 70%, 74% becomes 70%, and 75% becomes 80%. Compensation is tax-free and adjusted each December 1 by the Social Security COLA — 2.8% for 2026, effective December 1, 2025.
Veterans rated 30% or higher receive additional pay for a spouse, children, and dependent parents. This calculator models the standard spouse and child-under-18 add-ons; it does not model dependent parents, children over 18 in school, or Special Monthly Compensation (SMC).
Ratings are combined highest-first, one pair at a time:
Combined(a, b) = a + b × (1 − a)
Then round the final value to the nearest 10%.
Worked example 1: A veteran rated 50% and 30%. Step 1: 0.50 + 0.30 × (1 − 0.50) = 0.50 + 0.30 × 0.50 = 0.50 + 0.15 = 0.65, or 65%. 65% rounds to 70%. The 2026 payment for a 70% veteran alone is $1,808.45/month, or $1,808.45 × 12 = $21,701.40/year.
Worked example 2: Ratings of 60%, 40%, and 20%. Step 1: 0.60 + 0.40 × 0.40 = 0.60 + 0.16 = 0.76. Step 2: 0.76 + 0.20 × (1 − 0.76) = 0.76 + 0.20 × 0.24 = 0.76 + 0.048 = 0.808, or 80.8%, which rounds to 80%. Base pay is $2,102.15/month. With a spouse and two children: $2,102.15 + $175.00 (spouse) + $129.00 (first child) + $87.00 (second child) = $2,493.15/month, or $29,917.80/year, all tax-free.
Marcus has three rated conditions: 50% for a back injury, 30% for a knee, and 10% for tinnitus. Combined: 0.50 + 0.30 × 0.50 = 0.65; then 0.65 + 0.10 × 0.35 = 0.685, or 68.5% — which rounds to 70%. As a veteran alone he receives $1,808.45/month. Because he is married, he gets the spouse add-on of $153.00, for $1,961.45/month ($23,537.40/year).
Second scenario: A veteran with a single 100% rating and a spouse receives $3,938.58 + $219.59 = $4,158.17/month in 2026 — $49,898.04 per year, tax-free. This shows why an accurate combined rating matters: the jump from 90% ($2,362.30) to 100% ($3,938.58) is worth over $1,500 a month.
Social Security Calculator — Estimate your Social Security retirement benefits alongside VA compensation for a full retirement picture.
Retirement Calculator — Project how tax-free VA payments fit into your long-term retirement savings plan.
Income Tax Calculator — See how tax-free VA disability pay lowers your effective tax burden versus taxable income.
401(k) Calculator — Model employer-plan growth that can supplement your VA compensation in retirement.
Salary Calculator — Convert your total veteran benefits package into an equivalent civilian salary.
This page is a free VA disability calculator using 2026 compensation rates (effective December 1, 2025, after a 2.8% COLA). Key facts: multiple VA ratings combine via the whole-person formula combined(a,b) = a + b(1−a), applied highest-first per 38 CFR 4.25, then rounded to the nearest 10%; 2026 veteran-alone monthly rates run $180.42 (10%) to $3,938.58 (100%); dependents add pay only at 30% and above (e.g., spouse add-on $153.00 at 70%); compensation is tax-free. Example: 50% + 30% combines to 65%, rounds to 70%, paying $1,808.45/month alone.
The VA combines ratings using whole-person theory, not simple addition. Each new rating applies only to your remaining efficiency: two 50% ratings combine as 0.50 + 0.50 x 0.50 = 0.75, or 75%, which rounds to 80%. This is why multiple ratings rarely total 100% by arithmetic.
The VA rounds the combined value to the nearest 10%. A combined value of 65% becomes 70%, 74% becomes 70%, and 75% becomes 80%. This rounded figure is your official combined rating and determines your monthly payment.
Yes, but only at a combined rating of 30% or higher. Veterans rated 10% or 20% receive the same amount with or without dependents. At 30% and above, a spouse, children under 18, and dependent parents each add to the monthly payment, with larger add-ons at higher ratings.
The 2026 rates took effect December 1, 2025, following the 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment. Because VA pays in arrears, the first payment at 2026 rates was deposited on December 31, 2025.
No. VA disability compensation is completely exempt from federal and state income taxes. You do not report it as income, which makes it significantly more valuable than an equal amount of taxable wages.
Cite this page as: "VA Disability Calculator." Sigma Calculator. Accessed October 20, 2026. https://sigmacalculator.net/financial-calculators/va-disability-calculator/
Last updated: October 20, 2026