Free Tool · Updated for 2026 Rates
VA Combined Rating Calculator
Enter your individual VA disability ratings below. The calculator applies the VA whole-person method, the bilateral factor for paired disabilities, and the 2026 compensation tables — including dependents and TDIU.
Individual Disability Ratings
Add each service-connected disability. Check "Bilateral" for disabilities affecting paired body parts (both arms, both legs, both ears, both eyes).
Dependents
Dependents increase your monthly compensation at 30% rating and above.
If you are unable to maintain substantially gainful employment due to your service-connected disabilities, TDIU allows you to be compensated at the 100% rate even if your combined rating is below 100%. Generally requires a single disability rated at 60%+ or a combined rating of 70%+ with one disability at 40%+.
Enter at least one disability rating above to see your combined rating and estimated compensation.
This calculator uses 2026 VA compensation tables (effective Dec. 1, 2025) and the VA whole-person combined rating method. Results are estimates only and are not a substitute for legal advice. Actual VA awards may differ.
How the VA combines disability ratings
The VA does not simply add your individual ratings together. Instead, it uses the "whole person" method: your most severe disability is applied first, reducing your remaining "whole person" percentage. Each subsequent disability is then applied to what remains — not to 100%.
For example, a veteran with a 50% rating and a 30% rating is not 80% disabled. The 50% rating leaves 50% of the whole person remaining. The 30% rating is then applied to that 50%, yielding 15% more disability — for a combined raw rating of 65%, which rounds to 70%.
The bilateral factor applies when disabilities affect paired body parts — both arms, both legs, both ears, or both eyes. The VA combines those ratings first, then adds 10% of that combined value before folding the result into the overall calculation.
TDIU (Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability) allows veterans who cannot maintain substantially gainful employment to receive compensation at the 100% rate even if their combined scheduler rating is below 100%. It is one of the most valuable — and most frequently denied — benefits in the VA system.
Frequently asked questions
How does the VA combine disability ratings?
The VA uses the "whole person" method rather than adding ratings together. Your highest rating is applied first, reducing the remaining whole person percentage. Each subsequent rating is applied to what remains. For example, a 50% and 30% rating yields a raw combined rating of 65%, which rounds to 70% — not 80%.
What is the VA bilateral factor?
The bilateral factor is a 10% bonus applied when a veteran has service-connected disabilities affecting paired body parts — both arms, both legs, both ears, or both eyes. The VA combines the bilateral ratings first, then adds 10% of that combined value before folding the result into the overall combined rating calculation.
What is TDIU and who qualifies?
TDIU (Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability) allows veterans who cannot maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities to receive compensation at the 100% rate even if their combined scheduler rating is below 100%. Generally, a veteran must have a single disability rated at 60% or higher, or a combined rating of 70% or higher with at least one disability rated at 40% or higher.
How does the VA round combined disability ratings?
After computing the raw combined rating using the whole-person method, the VA rounds to the nearest 10%. A raw rating of 1–4% rounds to 0%, 5–14% rounds to 10%, 15–24% rounds to 20%, and so on. A raw rating of 95% or higher rounds to 100%.
Do dependents increase VA disability compensation?
Yes. Veterans rated at 30% or higher receive additional monthly compensation for a dependent spouse, dependent children under 18, school-age children (18–23), and dependent parents. A spouse who requires Aid and Attendance also qualifies for an additional allowance.
Questions about your VA rating or TDIU eligibility?
Attorney Gately offers a free consultation to every service member who contacts his office. No obligation, no pressure — just a plain-language explanation of your options.
757-481-0772Schedule a Free Consultation