What is a VA combined disability rating?
When a veteran has more than one service-connected condition, the VA assigns each condition its own disability rating and then combines them into a single combined disability rating from 0% to 100%, set in increments of 10%. That combined rating determines the veteran's monthly compensation.
The part that surprises almost every veteran is that the VA does not add the ratings together. A 50% rating and a 30% rating do not make 80%. The VA uses a method commonly called “VA math,” and it always produces a combined rating that is lower than the simple total. Understanding how it works is the difference between accepting a rating that feels wrong and recognizing when you may be underrated and should appeal.
The VA Combined Rating Calculator
Input the rating for each of your service-connected conditions. For conditions that affect a paired part of the body, such as both knees, both arms, both legs, or both hips, select the left or right designation so the calculator can apply the bilateral factor. For any condition that is not paired, simply enter its rating. The calculator combines your ratings using the official VA method and rounds the final result to the nearest 10%.
Calculate Your Combined VA Rating (Including Bilateral Factor)
Input your ratings for any service-connected conditions you may already have along with their associated left or right side designation. If you have any service-connected conditions that are not ligament-related, simply input the rating to calculate your total combined VA rating.
Disability Rating:
Reset CalculatorThis calculator is an estimate to help you understand your rating. The VA's official rating decision is what governs your benefits. If your official combined rating looks lower than it should, you may have grounds to appeal.
How VA math works (why your ratings don't add up)
The VA combines ratings one at a time, starting with your highest, based on the idea that a person can only ever be 100% able to begin with. Each condition is applied to the “efficiency” you have left after the previous one.
Here is the method in plain terms, using a veteran with three conditions rated 50%, 30%, and 20%:
- Start with the highest rating: 50%. The VA considers the veteran 50% disabled, which leaves 50% of their ability remaining.
- Apply the 30% rating to what remains. 30% of the remaining 50% is 15%. Add that to the first: 50% + 15% = 65%.
- Apply the 20% rating to what still remains. After 65%, there is 35% of ability left. 20% of 35% is 7%. Add it: 65% + 7% = 72%.
- Round to the nearest 10%. 72% rounds down to a combined rating of 70%.
So three conditions that add up to 100% in ordinary math produce a 70% VA combined rating. This is why veterans with several conditions are so often surprised, and sometimes underrated, by their final number.
A simpler two-condition example: a veteran rated 60% and 40%. Start with 60%, which leaves 40% remaining. 40% of that 40% is 16%. 60% + 16% = 76%, which rounds up to an 80% combined rating, not 100%.
Does your combined rating look too low?
If the VA's math doesn't match what the calculator shows, or your bilateral conditions weren't given the extra 10%, you may be underrated. We represent veterans nationwide in disability appeals, with no fee unless we win.
What is the bilateral factor?
The bilateral factor is an extra 10% the VA adds when a veteran has disabilities affecting both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles (for example, both knees, both hips, both shoulders, or a condition like bilateral carpal tunnel or bilateral radiculopathy). It exists because losing function on both sides of the body is more disabling than the same loss on one side, and it can raise a veteran's combined rating, sometimes by a full 10 points.
Here is how much it can matter. Take a veteran with bilateral carpal tunnel, rated 30% in each wrist:
- Combine the two bilateral ratings first. 30% combined with 30% is 51% (30% + 30% of the remaining 70%).
- Add the bilateral factor: 10% of that value. 10% of 51% is about 5.1%. Add it: 51% + 5.1% = 56.1%.
- Round to the nearest 10%. 56.1% rounds up to 60%.
Without the bilateral factor, those same two ratings would combine to 51%, which rounds down to 50%. The bilateral factor moves this veteran from a 50% rating to a 60% rating. For a veteran with a spouse in 2026, that is a difference of roughly $324 every month ($1,241.90 vs. $1,566.02). The bilateral factor is one of the most commonly overlooked errors in VA rating decisions, and it is a frequent basis for appeal.
When a veteran has bilateral conditions plus other conditions, the VA calculates the bilateral group first (combine the paired ratings, then add the 10% factor) and only then combines that result with the remaining conditions before rounding.
2026 VA disability pay rates
Your combined rating sets your monthly, tax-free compensation. The rates below took effect December 1, 2025 (reflecting the 2.8% cost-of-living increase) and are the current 2026 rates. Amounts depend on your rating and your dependents; the two most common situations are shown here.
| Combined rating | Veteran alone (no dependents) | Veteran with spouse (no children) |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 |
Veterans rated 30% or higher receive more for a spouse, children, or dependent parents. For the full dependent rate tables, see the VA's official compensation rates.
Frequently asked questions
How does the VA calculate combined disability ratings?
The VA does not add your ratings together. It combines them one at a time, starting with the highest, applying each additional rating to your remaining “efficiency,” and then rounds the final result to the nearest 10%. For example, ratings of 50%, 30%, and 20% combine to a 70% rating, not 100%.
Why isn't my VA disability rating just the sum of my ratings?
Because the VA uses a combined-ratings formula based on the ability you have left after each disability, rather than simple addition. Each successive condition affects a smaller remaining base, so the total is always less than the sum. This is why two 50% ratings equal 75%, not 100%.
What is the bilateral factor in VA disability?
The bilateral factor is an additional 10% the VA adds when a veteran has disabilities affecting both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles. The paired ratings are combined first, 10% of that value is added, and the result is then combined with any other conditions. It can raise a combined rating by up to 10 points.
How much is 70% VA disability in 2026?
As of December 1, 2025, a veteran rated 70% with no dependents receives $1,808.45 per month, and $1,961.45 per month with a spouse and no children. The rating is tax-free.
Can I appeal if my VA combined rating is wrong?
Yes. If the VA miscalculated your combined rating, failed to apply the bilateral factor, or underrated an individual condition, you can appeal. A VA-accredited attorney can review your rating decision and identify errors. Sean Kendall Law handles VA disability appeals nationwide with no fee unless you win.
When a calculator isn't enough: talk to a VA-accredited attorney
A calculator can tell you what your combined rating should be. It cannot tell you whether the VA rated each of your conditions correctly in the first place, whether you're entitled to a higher schedular rating, whether you qualify for Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) even without a 100% combined rating, or whether the VA applied the bilateral factor when it should have. Those are the questions that decide how much a veteran actually receives, and they're the ones we handle.
Sean Kendall is a VA-accredited attorney who has spent his career representing veterans in disability claims and appeals, including traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and complex secondary conditions. If your rating decision doesn't add up, we can review it at no cost.
