Disability Compensation
Tax-free monthly pay — $3,938 a month for a single veteran at 100%, and higher with a spouse, children, or Special Monthly Compensation. See what your rating is worth.
Overview
VA disability compensation is a monthly, tax-free payment for veterans who became sick or injured during service, or whose service made an existing condition worse. The amount depends on your combined disability rating and your dependents. VA pays additional amounts for qualifying dependents once your rating reaches 30% or higher.
Overview of VA Disability Compensation
A plain-English walkthrough of how VA disability compensation works — what it pays, who qualifies, and how ratings turn into a monthly, tax-free check.
Who may qualify
You have a current, diagnosed physical or mental condition — common examples include chronic pain, hearing loss or tinnitus, PTSD, migraines, sleep apnea, and musculoskeletal injuries.
You can show a service connection: the condition was caused or made worse by active service, or it began within a presumptive window after discharge (some chronic conditions appearing within one year qualify).
Your separation was under conditions other than dishonorable — honorable, general, and some other-than-honorable discharges may still qualify after a character-of-discharge review.
Presumptive paths need no proof of cause: PACT Act toxic exposures (burn pits, Agent Orange, radiation), Gulf War illnesses, and former-POW conditions are presumed service-connected.
Ratings run from 0% to 100% in 10% steps; monthly pay begins at 10%, and extra pay for a spouse, children, or dependent parents is added at 30% and above.
How to apply
File a disability claim on VA.gov- 1
Gather your evidence: DD214, service treatment and private medical records, and any buddy/lay statements that tie the condition to your service.
- 2
File VA Form 21-526EZ online, by mail, by fax, or in person. Submitting an Intent to File first locks in your effective date and can protect back pay.
VA Form 21-526EZ - 3
Attend any Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam VA schedules for you — it is free and used to confirm your rating.
- 4
Track your claim on VA.gov and respond quickly if VA asks for more evidence.
File your claim on VA.gov
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702-992-4883Disability — frequently asked questions
Straight answers to the questions veterans ask most about this benefit. Still stuck? Ask Albert in the chat, or request a free review with our accredited team.
How does VA combine my ratings — why isn’t it just simple addition?
VA uses combined ratings math, not straight addition (38 CFR §4.25). Each disability is applied to whatever “whole body” is left after the previous one. So a 50% and a 30% do not make 80% — VA takes 50% of the whole, leaving 50%, then takes 30% of that remaining 50% (15%), for 65%, which rounds to the nearest 10 — 70%. This is why stacking several mid-size ratings rarely gets you to 100% without help.
What is the bilateral factor and could it raise my rating?
If you have disabilities affecting both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles, VA adds an extra 1.9% bilateral factor (38 CFR §4.26) before combining with your other conditions. It is easy for a rater to miss, and it can be the difference that pushes you across a 10% threshold. Always check that both sides of a paired-limb condition were credited.
What are the 2026 monthly compensation rates?
After the 2.8% COLA effective December 1, 2025, a Veteran rated 100% with no dependents receives $3,938.58/month, tax-free. A 100% Veteran with a spouse and one child receives about $4,318.99/month. Rates rise with each dependent and with add-ons like Aid and Attendance. Every payment is exempt from federal and state income tax.
What is a presumptive condition and why does it matter?
For a presumptive condition, VA already accepts that your service caused it — you do not have to prove the medical link, only your qualifying service and the diagnosis. The PACT Act (Public Law 117-168, signed August 10, 2022) added dozens of presumptives for burn-pit and other toxic exposures, plus Agent Orange and radiation. Filing under a presumptive is often the fastest path to a grant.
I can’t work because of my service-connected conditions but I’m not rated 100% — can I still be paid at the 100% rate?
Yes — through TDIU (Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability, 38 CFR §4.16). If your service-connected conditions keep you from holding substantially gainful employment, VA can pay you at the 100% rate even if your combined rating is only 60% or 70%. This is one of the most underused benefits and is worth pursuing whenever your conditions have ended your ability to work.
How far back can my payments go — what is an effective date?
Your effective date is normally the date VA received your claim (or your intent to file). Back pay is calculated from that date to when the rating is granted, so filing an Intent to File early can protect months or years of retroactive benefits. For some PACT Act presumptives, special earlier effective dates may apply.
Will working affect my disability compensation?
For a standard schedular rating, no — you can work and earn as much as you want; the rating reflects the severity of the condition, not your income. The exception is TDIU, which is specifically based on being unable to work; earning above the “substantially gainful” threshold can put a TDIU award at risk. Regular schedular ratings carry no income limit.
Can VA reduce a rating I’ve held for a long time?
Protections increase over time. A rating held for 20 years or more is “continuous” and cannot be reduced below its level except for fraud (38 CFR §3.951). A 100% rating can only be reduced on evidence of material improvement shown in a full exam. If you get a reduction notice, you have the right to a hearing before it takes effect — do not ignore it.
