Free tool
VA disability pay calculator
Your rating is only half the story. Dependents change your monthly check. Enter your rating and your family below to see your real monthly and yearly VA compensation at the current 2026 rates. No signup, and nothing is stored.
Aid & Attendance is for a spouse who needs help with daily living. It only adds if you have a spouse.
Uses the VA compensation rates effective December 1, 2025 (the 2026 rates) from VA.gov. Dependents only add to your pay at 30% and higher; the 10% and 20% rates are flat. This estimate does not include dependent parents or Special Monthly Compensation (SMC). VA disability compensation is tax-free. Confirm your exact amount on VA.gov or with a free VSO.
How dependents change your pay
Below 30 percent, your rate is flat: a 10 or 20 percent rating pays the same whether you are single or have a houseful. At 30 percent and above, the VA adds money for a spouse, for each child, and for a spouse who needs Aid and Attendance. That is why two veterans with the same rating can get very different checks.
If your children turn 18 and enroll in an approved school, they can still count until age 23, at a higher add than a minor child. When a child ages out or leaves school, tell the VA, because an overpayment you have to give back is worse than the extra money. See how to add dependents and how VA overpayments work.
Rating and pay are two different questions
This tool turns a rating into dollars. If you are still working out what your combined rating even is, use the combined ratings calculator first, then bring that number here. And if the VA already owes you for past months, the back pay estimator handles the retroactive lump sum.
Think your rating should be higher?
If your pay looks low because your rating is low, the fix is the rating, not the math. The Copilot helps you spot secondary conditions and under-rated issues that could move you up a bracket, in plain English.
This is a general estimate, not legal advice, and not from the VA. It uses the published 2026 rate tables for a veteran with a spouse and children, and does not include dependent parents, SMC, or every individual adjustment. For your specific claim, work with a free VA-accredited representative or a Veterans Service Organization. We are not the VA and are not affiliated with the VA.