VA Disability Calculator

Archived historical, non-current snapshot — dated July 9, 2026 (2026-07-09). The combined-rating math, rounding, dependent amounts, and compensation values described below may not reflect current VA rules or rate tables. Check authoritative sources for the applicable period before relying on this estimate.

The VA Disability Calculator combines up to five disability ratings and estimates monthly VA disability compensation using the payment values embedded in the calculator code. It sorts ratings from highest to lowest, applies VA-style combined-rating math, rounds the unrounded result to the nearest 10%, and then adds simplified dependent amounts when the rounded rating is at least 30%. Rates change, so the dollar output should be treated as historical or illustrative unless you verify it against the current official VA.gov compensation tables.

This tool is for planning and education. It does not decide service connection, medical evidence, effective date, special monthly compensation, bilateral factor, or eligibility for a dependent. It also does not replace a VA decision letter. Use it to understand the mechanics of combined ratings, then confirm official payment amounts at VA.gov or with an accredited veterans service officer. For household planning around the estimated payment, compare the monthly result with the budget calculator, debt-to-income calculator, and savings goal calculator.

What the calculator does

The calculator provides five condition fields, each selected in 10-point increments from 0% through 100%. Unused fields can remain at 0%. It also asks for marital status, children under 18, school children over 18, and dependent parents. In the calculation, the condition values are converted to numbers. Child and parent counts are converted to whole numbers. Entries are invalid if any rating is outside 0 to 100 or if dependent counts are negative.

The rating calculation follows the “whole person” idea. The highest rating is applied first. Each later rating applies only to the portion not already disabled. The code then rounds the unrounded combined disability to the nearest 10% and caps it at 100%. For payment, it looks up a base amount for that rounded rating. If the rounded rating is 30% or higher, it adds spouse, spouse Aid and Attendance, child, school-child, and dependent-parent amounts from simplified tables in the code. Dependent parents are capped at two in the output and payment calculation.

Formula used by the calculator

For each additional condition after sorting from highest to lowest:

$\text{new combined} = \text{current combined} + (100 - \text{current combined}) \times \frac{\text{next rating}}{100}$

The rounded rating is:

$\text{rounded rating} = \text{nearest 10\% to raw combined disability}$

The rounded rating is capped:

$\text{VA rounded rating} = \text{smaller of rounded rating and 100\%}$

When the rounded rating is at least 30%, the calculator’s simplified payment model is:

$\text{monthly estimate} = \text{base pay} + \text{spouse additions} + \text{child additions} + \text{parent additions}$

Annual compensation is:

$\text{annual estimate} = \text{monthly estimate} \times 12$

Checking the primary result

The default condition ratings are 60%, 30%, 20%, 0%, and 0%. The default marital status is Veteran alone, with no children, no school children, and no dependent parents. The code filters out zero ratings and sorts the remaining ratings from highest to lowest, so the active sequence is 60%, 30%, and 20%.

Start at 0. Apply the 60% rating: unrounded combined disability becomes 60.0%. The remaining efficient portion is 40%. Apply the 30% rating to that remaining 40%, adding 12 percentage points. Unrounded combined disability becomes 72.0%. The remaining efficient portion is now 28%. Apply the 20% rating to that 28%, adding 5.6 percentage points. Unrounded combined disability becomes 77.6%.

The calculator rounds 77.6% to the nearest 10%, producing an 80% VA rounded combined rating. It then looks up the embedded base pay for 80%, which is $2,044.89 per month. Because the default marital status is Veteran alone and all dependent counts are zero, no dependent additions are included. Estimated annual compensation is $2,044.89 multiplied by 12, or $24,538.68.

If the same 80% rounded rating used marital status With spouse, the code would add the embedded 80% spouse amount of $171.00. If it used With spouse receiving Aid and Attendance, it would add both the $171.00 spouse amount and the $157.00 spouse Aid and Attendance amount. If there were two children under 18, it would add two times the embedded 80% child-under-18 amount of $83.00. These additions are code-based simplifications, not a substitute for the official VA table.

How to interpret the result

The unrounded combined disability helps explain why ordinary addition is wrong. A 60%, 30%, and 20% set does not become 110%. It becomes 77.6% before rounding because each condition applies to what remains. The rounded rating is the number most people recognize in compensation discussions, but the original number can matter when testing whether another rating might move the final rounded result.

The payment estimate is only as current as the embedded table. VA compensation rates can change yearly, and official tables include combinations that are more detailed than this simplified model. Before relying on a dollar amount for rent, debt, taxes, retirement planning, or insurance decisions, check the current VA.gov rate table for your rating and dependent category.

Caveats and known limitations

This page matches the calculation rather than the full VA adjudication system. The code does not calculate a bilateral factor. It does not model special monthly compensation. It does not validate whether a school child qualifies, whether a parent is a dependent under VA rules, or whether spouse Aid and Attendance has been granted. It also uses simplified dependent additions from static values in the calculator code. Because official rates and categories can change, treat any mismatch with VA.gov as a reason to use VA.gov.

The calculator is still useful for “what if” planning. It can show why moving from a raw 84% to 85% may matter, why a small new rating may or may not change the rounded rating, and why dependents begin to affect the estimate only at 30% or higher in this model. For official benefits, always rely on VA notices, VA.gov, or accredited help.

Sources

• VA.gov, VA disability compensation rates — official compensation tables; rates can change yearly.
• VA.gov, About VA disability ratings — explains disability ratings and combined ratings.
• VA.gov, VA claim exam — context for disability claims and exams.