VA Disability Compensation and Ratings

What it is

Disability compensation is a monthly, tax-free payment for health problems that are linked to your military service. It covers physical conditions like bad knees, back pain and hearing loss. It also covers mental health conditions like PTSD and depression. It is not based on income, and you can work full time and still get it.

Who qualifies

You need three things: a current diagnosis, an event or exposure in service, and a link between the two (called a "nexus"). You also need a discharge that is not dishonorable. Conditions can count if service caused them or made an existing problem worse.

How ratings work

VA gives each condition a rating from 0% to 100%, in steps of 10. A 0% rating pays nothing, but it still matters. It can open doors to VA health care, VALife insurance, and some state benefits.

When you have more than one condition, VA does not add them up. It uses "combined ratings" math. Think of it like this: you start at 100% healthy. A 50% rating leaves you 50% "able." A 30% rating then takes 30% of what is left (15 points), which brings you to 65%. VA rounds to the nearest 10, so you end at 70%. That is why two ratings that seem to add to 80% may land at 70%.

What it pays in 2026

The rates below took effect December 1, 2025, for a veteran with no dependents:

• 10%: $180.42
• 30%: $552.47
• 50%: $1,132.90
• 70%: $1,808.45
• 100%: $3,938.58

Starting at 30%, you get more for a spouse, children and dependent parents. Social Security announced a 3.6% cost-of-living raise for 2027 on October 14, 2026. VA rates are tied to that number, so watch VA.gov for new rates that normally start December 1.

Presumptive conditions and the PACT Act

For some conditions, VA assumes service caused them. You do not have to prove the link. The PACT Act, signed in 2022, added more than 20 burn pit and toxic exposure conditions, including several cancers, COPD, and other lung diseases. It covers service in places such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Syria and more, with specific start dates. It also added high blood pressure and MGUS as Agent Orange conditions and added new locations like Thailand, Laos and Guam. Other presumptive lists cover Gulf War illness, radiation, and Camp Lejeune water.

There is no deadline to file a PACT Act claim. If you were denied before, you can file a Supplemental Claim.

Extra payments to know about

• Individual Unemployability (TDIU) can pay at the 100% rate if service-connected conditions keep you from holding a steady job, even if your rating is lower.
• Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) adds money for severe losses, like loss of a limb.
• Military retirees with higher ratings may be able to get both retired pay and VA pay through CRDP or CRSC. Ask your retirement pay office.

How to apply

1. File an Intent to File to lock in your start date.
2. Gather records: service treatment records, private doctor notes, and statements from people who saw your symptoms.
3. File on VA.gov (form 21-526EZ) or with a free accredited VSO.
4. Go to your exam. Read our "Filing your claim" guide for tips.

Common mistakes

• Not filing because "it isn't that bad." Small ratings add up and protect your future.
• Missing the C&P exam. A missed exam can lead to a denial.
• Paying a company to "coach" your claim. Free help is everywhere.

How a move affects it

Your payment follows you anywhere, even overseas. Just update your address and direct deposit on VA.gov. Your claim keeps moving no matter where you live, though VA may schedule exams near your new home.

Related benefits

A rating can unlock a VA home loan with no funding fee, priority health care, VR&E job training, VALife, and state property tax breaks.