The VA adjusted disability compensation rates effective December 1, 2025 — the 2026 COLA adjustment tied to Social Security's annual update. Whether you receive 10% or 100%, have a spouse and children, or qualify for Special Monthly Compensation, every rate in this article reflects the numbers currently on your benefit payments. Use the tables below to find your exact monthly amount, calculate your annual income, and understand how dependents change your pay.
Each year, VA disability compensation rates adjust in lockstep with the Social Security Administration's Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). The adjustment is authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 1110 and referenced throughout the payment regulations at 38 CFR Part 3. The 2026 COLA was applied to all rates effective December 1, 2025, meaning veterans saw higher payments starting with their January 2026 deposit.
For context: the 2024 COLA was 3.2%, the 2023 COLA was 8.7% (a 40-year high driven by post-pandemic inflation), and the 2022 COLA was 5.9%. The 2026 COLA adjustment reflects the annual SSA cost-of-living update. In dollar terms, a veteran rated 100% saw their base monthly rate increase to $3,938.58 (2026) — effective December 1, 2025.
The following table shows the official 2026 VA disability compensation rates for a veteran with no dependents. These are the rates currently paid by VA for each combined disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly Rate (2026) | Annual Amount | Monthly Change from 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | $2,165.04 | +$4.30 |
| 20% | $356.66 | $4,279.92 | +$8.49 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $6,629.64 | +$12.84 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $9,550.08 | +$17.29 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $13,594.80 | +$26.34 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $17,220.24 | +$33.38 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $21,701.40 | +$42.08 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $25,225.80 | +$48.88 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $28,347.60 | +$54.92 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $47,262.96 | +$93.93 |
Rates effective December 1, 2025 (paid January 2026 and forward). Source: VA.gov official benefit rates.
Veterans rated 10% or 20% receive a flat rate regardless of dependent status — dependents do not add additional compensation at these rating levels. The dependent add-on structure begins at 30%.
Veterans rated 30% or higher are entitled to additional monthly compensation for qualifying dependents. Qualifying dependents include a spouse, unmarried children under age 18 (or any age if permanently disabled before age 18), and school-aged children up to age 23. The amounts below are added to the base single-veteran rate shown in the table above.
| Rating | With Spouse Only (Added) | Total Monthly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30% | +$65.00 | $617.47 |
| 40% | +$87.00 | $882.84 |
| 50% | +$109.00 | $1,241.90 |
| 60% | +$131.00 | $1,566.02 |
| 70% | +$153.00 | $1,961.45 |
| 80% | +$175.00 | $2,277.15 |
| 90% | +$197.00 | $2,559.30 |
| 100% | +$219.59 | $4,158.17 |
| Rating | With Spouse + 1 Child (Added) | Total Monthly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30% | +$152.00 | $666.47 |
| 40% | +$152.00 | $947.84 |
| 50% | +$190.00 | $1,322.90 |
| 60% | +$228.00 | $1,663.02 |
| 70% | +$266.00 | $2,074.45 |
| 80% | +$304.00 | $2,406.15 |
| 90% | +$342.00 | $2,704.30 |
| 100% | +$380.41 | $4,318.99 |
| Rating | Per Additional Child (Added) |
|---|---|
| 30%–40% | +$29.00 |
| 50%–60% | +$30.00 |
| 70%–80% | +$31.00 |
| 90%–100% | +$34.00 |
Veterans rated 30% or higher whose spouse requires the aid and attendance of another person receive an additional monthly payment on top of the standard spouse add-on. This benefit is authorized under 38 CFR 3.351.
| Rating | Aid & Attendance for Spouse (Added) |
|---|---|
| 30% | +$61.00 |
| 40% | +$81.00 |
| 50% | +$101.00 |
| 60% | +$121.00 |
| 70% | +$141.00 |
| 80% | +$161.00 |
| 90% | +$181.00 |
| 100% | +$201.41 |
The tables above cover standard configurations. For your exact rate with any combination of dependents, use our free disability calculator — it handles every 2026 rate combination including Aid & Attendance, multiple children, and TDIU.
Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) is additional compensation paid on top of regular disability ratings for veterans with specific severe disabilities. SMC is authorized under 38 U.S.C. § 1114 and codified at 38 CFR 3.350. It is entirely separate from and additional to the regular combined disability rate — a veteran can receive both their combined rating compensation AND SMC.
The 2026 SMC rates (monthly, single veteran, no dependents) are as follows:
| SMC Level | Qualifying Condition (Summary) | 2026 Monthly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| SMC-K | Loss of or loss of use of creative organ; loss of thumb, index finger, or foot | $130.94 |
| SMC-S | 100% + 60% additional, or housebound veteran | $4,184.73 |
| SMC-L | Loss of use of both hands or both feet; blindness in both eyes; permanent bedridden | $4,539.52 |
| SMC-L½ | Intermediate SMC level between L and M | $4,770.25 |
| SMC-M | Anatomical loss of both eyes or total blindness | $4,996.58 |
| SMC-M½ | Intermediate level between M and N | $5,227.36 |
| SMC-N | Anatomical loss or loss of use of both hands and both feet | $5,458.14 |
| SMC-N½ | Intermediate level between N and O | $5,800.24 |
| SMC-O/P | Bilateral total deafness + blindness; severe TBI; multiple severe disabilities | $6,142.36 |
| SMC-R1 | Need for regular aid and attendance from another person | $8,889.54 |
| SMC-R2 | Need for a higher level of care than R1 | $10,024.26 |
| SMC-T | Need for regular aid and attendance + traumatic brain injury | $10,024.26 |
SMC-K is added on top of the base rate. SMC-S through T are standalone rates replacing the base rate. Rates are for single veteran, no dependents. Add dependent amounts per the standard tables above.
Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU) allows a veteran rated below 100% to receive compensation at the 100% rate if their service-connected disabilities prevent them from maintaining substantially gainful employment. TDIU is authorized under 38 CFR 4.16.
The TDIU pay rate in 2026 is $3,938.58 per month — identical to the 100% base rate. Veterans on TDIU are also entitled to all dependent add-ons at the 100% tier, and they retain eligibility for SMC if they qualify for those additional levels.
There are two paths to TDIU. Under 38 CFR 4.16(a) — "schedular TDIU" — a veteran must have either (1) one service-connected condition rated at least 60%, or (2) two or more service-connected conditions with a combined rating of at least 70% and one condition rated at least 40%. Under 38 CFR 4.16(b) — "extraschedular TDIU" — veterans who do not meet the schedular thresholds can still qualify if the evidence clearly shows their service-connected conditions prevent any form of gainful employment.
The table below shows total annual tax-free income for each disability rating at the base (no dependents) rate. VA disability compensation is not subject to federal income tax under 26 U.S.C. § 104, and is also excluded from gross income in most state tax calculations.
| Rating | Monthly (2026) | Annual (Tax-Free) | 10-Year Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | $2,165.04 | $21,650.40 |
| 20% | $356.66 | $4,279.92 | $42,799.20 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $6,629.64 | $66,296.40 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $9,550.08 | $95,500.80 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $13,594.80 | $135,948.00 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $17,220.24 | $172,202.40 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $21,701.40 | $217,014.00 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $25,225.80 | $252,258.00 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $28,347.60 | $283,476.00 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $47,262.96 | $472,629.60 |
When VA approves a disability claim, the effective date is typically the date you filed — not the date of the rating decision. This means VA owes you back pay for every month from your effective date to the date the decision was issued. Here's what that looks like in practice:
Claim filed (effective date): January 1, 2023
Rating decision issued: January 1, 2025
Rating: 70% — $1,808.45/month (2026 rate)
Months owed: 24 months
Back Pay Lump Sum ≈ $41,190
Note: Actual back pay would use the applicable rate for each calendar year (2023 and 2025 rates were lower). This illustration uses the 2026 rate for simplicity.
The lesson: every month between your effective date and your rating decision is money VA owes you. Filing an Intent to File (VA Form 21-0966) before you are ready to submit your full claim locks in the earliest possible effective date — protecting that back pay clock even while you gather evidence. Use our Rating Estimator to project what your back pay might look like.
The 2026 COLA adjustment took effect December 1, 2025, with higher payments arriving in January 2026. The SSA typically announces the COLA percentage in mid-October based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for the third quarter of the year.
The next COLA adjustment is expected to take effect December 1, 2026, with higher payments arriving in January 2027. The SSA typically announces the COLA percentage in mid-October based on the CPI-W for the third quarter of the year.
Our disability calculator handles every rating, every dependent combination, and all 2026 COLA-adjusted amounts — including SMC and TDIU scenarios.
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