Special Monthly Compensation (SMC)
SMC is extra, tax-free compensation the VA pays above the standard rating tables when a veteran has a very serious loss or needs daily personal care. This guide explains what each level is for, who typically qualifies, and how to apply.
30-second check: could SMC apply to you?
SMC is supposed to be considered automatically — but in practice it is one of the most under-applied benefits the VA pays. If even one of these is true for you, SMC may apply, and many veterans who qualify are simply never told.
- You need help with everyday activities — bathing, dressing, eating, using the bathroom, or staying safe on your own.
- You are largely confined to your home because of service-connected conditions.
- You have lost, or lost the use of, a hand, a foot, an eye, or a reproductive organ.
- You have one condition rated 100% plus other service-connected conditions that combine to 60% or more.
- You have a severe service-connected injury — such as a traumatic brain injury or paralysis — that needs daily care from another person.
How SMC works
Two kinds of SMC
- SMC-K is an add-on — paid on top of your regular compensation for loss or loss of use of a specific body part (up to three at once).
- SMC-S through SMC-T replace the basic 100% rate with a higher monthly amount when you need daily care or have severe combined losses.
Two ways to qualify
- Statutory — your service-connected ratings meet a specific combination the law defines (for example, one 100% disability plus a separate 60%).
- Factual — the evidence (usually from your doctor) shows you are housebound or need help with everyday activities such as bathing, dressing, or eating.
The VA assigns SMC only after a separate determination based on your specific conditions and evidence. The amounts below are 2026 “veteran alone” monthly rates (SMC rates effective December 1, 2025 (2026)); your actual award rises with dependents.
Money veterans leave on the table
SMC is meant to be applied automatically, but it depends on a rater or examiner spotting it — and they often do not. These are the three most commonly missed situations, with the real 2026 difference in tax-free monthly pay.
SMC-LAid & Attendance never flagged
+$962.25/mo
about $11,547 a year
A veteran rated 100% who needs daily help with everyday activities should move from the basic 100% rate ($3,938.58) to the SMC-L aid & attendance rate ($4,900.83) — $962.25 more every month that examiners routinely fail to flag.
SMC-KLoss of use left unclaimed
+$419.61/mo
about $5,035 a year
SMC-K adds $139.87 per qualifying loss — loss or loss of use of a hand, foot, eye, or reproductive organ — on top of your regular pay, for up to three awards at once. Three unclaimed awards is $419.61 a month a veteran never sees if no one raises it.
SMC-SHousebound status overlooked
+$469.95/mo
about $5,639 a year
A veteran effectively confined to home by service-connected conditions moves from $3,938.58 to the SMC-S housebound rate of $4,408.53 — $469.95 more each month.
These are illustrations for a veteran with no dependents. Every figure is the exact 2026 difference between the basic 100% rate and the SMC rate shown (SMC rates effective December 1, 2025 (2026)); your actual amount depends on your ratings, dependents, and the VA’s determination.
Every SMC level, explained
Loss or loss of use of a body part
$139.87 /mo add-on
An add-on PAID ON TOP of your regular compensation for loss or loss of use of a specific body part. You can receive 1–3 SMC-K awards at the same time.
Who typically qualifies
- Qualifying losses include: one hand, one foot, both buttocks, one or both eyes (light perception only), or a reproductive organ.
- Also paid for loss of use that is the equivalent of amputation, or for permanent deafness in both ears combined with other losses.
- Paid in addition to your regular monthly compensation — it does not replace it.
- Each qualifying loss is a separate SMC-K award (up to three at once).
This is the “veteran alone” rate. Having a spouse, children, or dependent parents adds to the monthly amount — see the dependent additions below.
Housebound
$4,408.53 /mo
For veterans substantially confined to the home by service-connected disabilities, or who have one 100% disability plus a separate 60%+ disability.
Who typically qualifies
- Statutory route: a single service-connected disability rated 100%, PLUS separate disabilities that combine to 60% or more.
- Factual route: you are substantially confined to your home or immediate premises by service-connected disabilities.
- Paid instead of the basic 100% rate; dependents add to the amount.
This is the “veteran alone” rate. Having a spouse, children, or dependent parents adds to the monthly amount — see the dependent additions below.
Aid & Attendance
$4,900.83 /mo
For veterans who need the regular aid and attendance of another person, or who have loss/loss of use of both feet, both hands, or are blind in both eyes.
Who typically qualifies
- Qualifying situations: loss or loss of use of both feet, or of one hand and one foot; blindness in both eyes (5/200 or less).
- Also paid when you are permanently bedridden or need help with everyday activities such as bathing, dressing, eating, or staying safe.
- This is the entry level for Aid & Attendance — the levels above it (L½–O) pay more for more severe combinations.
This is the “veteran alone” rate. Having a spouse, children, or dependent parents adds to the monthly amount — see the dependent additions below.
Between L and M
$5,154.00 /mo
An intermediate step between SMC-L and SMC-M for combinations slightly more severe than the SMC-L criteria.
Who typically qualifies
- Paid for losses that fall between the SMC-L and SMC-M criteria.
- Example: loss of use of both feet with additional involvement that does not quite meet SMC-M.
This is the “veteran alone” rate. Having a spouse, children, or dependent parents adds to the monthly amount — see the dependent additions below.
Higher aid & attendance
$5,408.55 /mo
A higher level for more severe combinations — for example loss/loss of use of both hands, or both legs at a level above the knee.
Who typically qualifies
- Qualifying situations: loss or loss of use of both hands; both legs with factors preventing use of prosthetics at the knee; blindness with no light perception in both eyes.
- Also paid for loss of use of one arm and one leg in a way that prevents prosthetics.
This is the “veteran alone” rate. Having a spouse, children, or dependent parents adds to the monthly amount — see the dependent additions below.
Between M and N
$5,780.00 /mo
An intermediate step between SMC-M and SMC-N.
Who typically qualifies
- Paid for losses that fall between the SMC-M and SMC-N criteria.
This is the “veteran alone” rate. Having a spouse, children, or dependent parents adds to the monthly amount — see the dependent additions below.
Severe combined loss
$6,152.64 /mo
An even higher level for very severe combinations such as loss/loss of use of both arms, or blindness combined with loss of use of a hand.
Who typically qualifies
- Qualifying situations: loss or loss of use of both arms at a level preventing prosthetics; loss of both legs near the hip.
- Also paid for blindness in both eyes with loss of use of one hand.
This is the “veteran alone” rate. Having a spouse, children, or dependent parents adds to the monthly amount — see the dependent additions below.
Between N and O
$6,514.00 /mo
An intermediate step between SMC-N and SMC-O.
Who typically qualifies
- Paid for losses that fall between the SMC-N and SMC-O criteria.
This is the “veteran alone” rate. Having a spouse, children, or dependent parents adds to the monthly amount — see the dependent additions below.
Multiple maximum losses
$6,877.12 /mo
For multiple losses that each independently reach the highest schedular levels — for example deafness in both ears with blindness, or several SMC-N–level losses together.
Who typically qualifies
- Paid when two or more conditions each independently qualify at very high SMC levels.
- SMC-P covers intermediate steps when conditions combine above SMC-O.
This is the “veteran alone” rate. Having a spouse, children, or dependent parents adds to the monthly amount — see the dependent additions below.
Highest aid & attendance
$9,826.88 /mo
Paid when a veteran already at the SMC-O (or maximum) level also needs the regular daily aid and attendance of another person.
Who typically qualifies
- Requires SMC-O / maximum-level entitlement PLUS the need for regular aid and attendance.
- One of the two highest monthly rates the VA pays.
This is the “veteran alone” rate. Having a spouse, children, or dependent parents adds to the monthly amount — see the dependent additions below.
Highest level of daily care
$11,271.67 /mo
The highest SMC rate — for veterans who need a higher level of daily, skilled care (R.2), including severe TBI that would otherwise require institutional care (SMC-T).
Who typically qualifies
- SMC-R.2: you need a higher level of care (skilled help a nurse would provide) to stay safely at home.
- SMC-T: severe traumatic brain injury that would require hospitalization or nursing-home care without in-home aid and attendance.
- This is the maximum monthly compensation the VA pays.
This is the “veteran alone” rate. Having a spouse, children, or dependent parents adds to the monthly amount — see the dependent additions below.
Dependent additions
These flat amounts are added on top of the “veteran alone” SMC rate (SMC rates effective December 1, 2025 (2026)). They are the same across the SMC levels above.
Spouse
Added when you have a spouse.
+$219.59/mo
Spouse needing Aid & Attendance
Added on top when your spouse needs the regular aid and attendance of another person.
+$201.41/mo
Each child under 18
Per child under 18.
+$109.11/mo
Each child 18–23 in school
Per child 18–23 enrolled in a qualifying school program.
+$352.45/mo
Each dependent parent
Per dependent parent.
+$176.24/mo
How to apply for SMC
Gather your evidence
Medical records and a statement from your doctor describing your loss or your need for daily aid and attendance are the strongest evidence. VA Form 21-2680 documents aid & attendance or housebound status.
File a claim
SMC is usually considered automatically when you file a disability claim, but you can raise it directly. File online at VA.gov or with help from an accredited representative.
Get free, accredited help
An accredited attorney, claims agent, or VSO can review whether you qualify for SMC and file it correctly — at no cost to you. This is the surest way to claim everything you have earned.
See what SMC could mean for you
Use the combined rating calculator to add an SMC level to your estimate and see your monthly, yearly, and lifetime picture — then talk to an accredited representative about claiming it.
VA Benefits Calculators is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or representing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Every figure on this page is an estimate based on published 2026 rate tables. The VA makes all final decisions about eligibility and payment. For your exact situation, contact the VA or an accredited representative.