The 2026 VA disability compensation rates took effect December 1, 2025. The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) was 2.5%, matching the Social Security increase announced by SSA in October 2025. A 100% rating now pays $3,938.58 per month, tax-free, for a single veteran with no dependents — about $47,263 a year.
Below are the full pay tables for every rating tier and every common dependent combination, the 2026 Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) tiers, and the dependent-math rules from 38 CFR § 3.4 and § 3.21. Every number here comes from the same constants the site’s claim calculators read — so the table you see and the dollar amount the Claim-Worth Estimator spits out always match.
How the 2026 rate tables actually work
VA disability compensation is paid monthly, tax-free. Your payment is built from three pieces:
- Base rate — set by your combined disability rating (rounded to the nearest 10%). The base rate alone is what a single veteran with no dependents receives.
- Dependent add-ons — per 38 CFR § 3.4 and § 3.21, only veterans rated 30% or higher get extra money for a spouse, dependent children under 18, dependent parents, school-age children (18–22), or a spouse who needs Aid and Attendance.
- Special Monthly Compensation — under 38 CFR § 3.350, SMC is paid on top of (SMC-K) or instead of (SMC-L through R) the schedular rate for specific anatomical losses, housebound status, or Aid and Attendance needs.
The Dec 1 effective date isn’t arbitrary. 38 USC § 5312 ties the VA COLA to the same percentage as the Social Security COLA, both starting the December check (paid Jan 1). When SSA announces the next year’s COLA in October, the new VA rates are published shortly after.
2026 VA disability pay tables — every rating, every dependent combo
These are the live, published 2026 rates. Veteran alone column is what a single veteran receives. The spouse / child columns add the dependent allowances on top of the base rate per the va.gov compensation table.
| Rating | Veteran alone | + Spouse | + Spouse + 1 child | + Spouse + 2 children | + 1 child only |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | — | — | — |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | — | — | — |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $666.47 | $698.47 | $596.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $947.84 | $990.84 | $853.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $1,322.90 | $1,376.90 | $1,205.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $1,663.02 | $1,728.02 | $1,523.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $2,074.45 | $2,150.45 | $1,910.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $2,406.15 | $2,493.15 | $2,219.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $2,704.30 | $2,802.30 | $2,494.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $4,318.99 | $4,428.10 | $4,085.43 |
Monthly tax-free compensation. Source: VA.gov compensation rates, FY2026 (effective Dec 1, 2025). Per 38 CFR § 3.4 / § 3.21, dependent add-ons apply only at 30% or higher.
The line everyone wants
A 100% rating with a spouse and two dependent children pays roughly $4,428.10 per month — about $53,137 a year, tax-free, on top of any other income. A 70% rating with a spouse and one child pays roughly $2,074.45 per month, about $24,893 a year. These are the lines most veterans never check against their own award letter.
How the dependent add-ons actually compute
The pay-table columns above are convenient, but in 2026 the dependent allowances are paid as discrete add-ons per the va.gov table. Add the relevant rows to your base rate and you have your exact rate. This is the math VA uses on your award letter.
| Rating | Spouse | 1st child w/ spouse | 1st child no spouse | Each addl child <18 | School child 18–22 | Each parent | Spouse A&A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30% | $65.00 | $49.00 | $44.00 | $32.00 | $105.00 | $52.00 | $61.00 |
| 40% | $87.00 | $65.00 | $58.00 | $43.00 | $140.00 | $70.00 | $81.00 |
| 50% | $109.00 | $81.00 | $73.00 | $54.00 | $176.00 | $88.00 | $101.00 |
| 60% | $131.00 | $97.00 | $88.00 | $65.00 | $211.00 | $105.00 | $121.00 |
| 70% | $153.00 | $113.00 | $102.00 | $76.00 | $246.00 | $123.00 | $141.00 |
| 80% | $175.00 | $129.00 | $117.00 | $87.00 | $281.00 | $140.00 | $161.00 |
| 90% | $197.00 | $145.00 | $132.00 | $98.00 | $317.00 | $158.00 | $181.00 |
| 100% | $219.59 | $160.82 | $146.85 | $109.11 | $352.45 | $176.24 | $201.41 |
Add to the base rate for each qualifying dependent. Source: VA.gov FY2026, per 38 CFR § 3.4 / § 3.21.
Worked example — 70% rating, spouse, two kids under 18
Build-up at 70%
- Base rate (70%): $1,808.45
- Spouse add-on: +$153.00
- First child with spouse: +$113.00
- Each additional child under 18: +$76.00
- Monthly total: $2,150.45 · roughly $25,805 per year, tax-free
Worked example — 100% rating, spouse + one child + one dependent parent
Build-up at 100%
- Base rate (100%): $3,938.58
- Spouse: +$219.59
- First child with spouse: +$160.82
- One dependent parent: +$176.24
- Monthly total: $4,495.23
2026 Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) tiers
SMC is the part of the rate schedule that most veterans never see explained clearly. It’s extra compensation under 38 CFR § 3.350 for specific anatomical losses, blindness, paired extremity loss, housebound status, and Aid and Attendance. SMC-K is an add-on (it stacks). SMC-L through O and R.1 / R.2 replace the 100% base rate with a higher number.
| Tier | What it covers | 2026 monthly |
|---|---|---|
| SMC-K | Add-on for loss of use of a creative organ, one foot, one hand, one eye, etc. | $139.87 |
| SMC-L | Loss / loss of use of one hand and one foot, blindness, or needs A&A | $4,900.83 |
| SMC-M | Loss of two hands, two feet, or one hand + one foot at higher severity | $5,408.55 |
| SMC-N | Loss of both arms above the elbow, both legs above the knee, etc. | $4,977.00 |
| SMC-O | Highest scheduled SMC — total blindness, severe paired losses | $5,497.00 |
| SMC-R.1 | O-level disability + needs daily Aid and Attendance | $9,826.88 |
| SMC-R.2 | R.1 level + needs higher level of care (skilled nursing equivalent) | $11,355.83 |
| SMC-S | Housebound — single 100% + 60% in a separate body system, or actually housebound | $274.49 |
| Spouse A&A | Add-on if veteran’s spouse needs Aid and Attendance (separate from SMC tier) | $2,686.00 |
Source: 38 CFR § 3.350, va.gov special monthly compensation FY2026. K stacks on top of any base rating or higher SMC tier; L through O / R replace the 100% rate.
The single most-missed SMC tier is SMC-K for loss of use of a creative organ, which pays $139.87/month on top of existing compensation and is awarded for service-connected erectile dysfunction or female anatomical loss under 38 CFR § 3.350(a). See the ED secondary-claim breakdown for how that gets claimed.
2026 vs 2025 — what the 2.5% COLA actually moves
The 2.5% COLA isn’t the largest in recent memory (the 2023 raise was 8.7%, the 2024 raise was 3.2%, the 2025 raise was 2.5%), but compounded with prior years a 70% rated veteran with a spouse and one child is now collecting roughly $300–$400 more per month than they were in 2023. Quick deltas you can sanity-check against your award letter:
- 100% (single veteran): 2025 $3,737.85 → 2026 $3,938.58 — about +$200.73/month, +$2,408/year.
- 70% (single veteran): 2025 $1,716.28 → 2026 $1,808.45 — about +$92.17/month, +$1,106/year.
- 50% (single veteran): 2025 $1,075.16 → 2026 $1,132.90 — about +$57.74/month, +$693/year.
- 10% (single veteran): 2025 $171.23 → 2026 $180.42 — about +$9.19/month, +$110/year.
- SMC-K add-on: 2025 $135.45 → 2026 $139.87 — about +$4.42/month.
If your December 2025 or January 2026 deposit doesn’t reflect roughly the 2.5% increase, that’s worth a 30-second cross-check against your award letter and the table above. COLA increases are automatic and don’t require a claim.
How to calculate yours in 60 seconds
The fastest path is the calculator, but here’s the manual method:
- Find your combined rating on your most recent award letter or by logging into VA.gov. It will be one of the round numbers in the pay table above (10%, 20%, 30% …).
- Find your row in the pay table for the column that matches your dependent situation. That is your monthly rate.
- If you’re at 30%+ with extra dependents — add the per-row dependent add-ons from the second table (each parent, school child 18–22, spouse A&A).
- If you qualify for SMC — add the SMC-K amount on top, or substitute the SMC-L through R amount in place of your 100% base rate.
The interactive version of that math, including SMC, TDIU at the 100% rate, and a 5-year and lifetime projection, is the Claim-Worth Estimator. For combined-rating math when you’re carrying multiple individual ratings (the VA Math that’s non-additive under 38 CFR § 4.25), use the VA Math Calculator.
Related — get the rating before you calculate the rate
The pay table only matters if you’re rated for everything you’re entitled to. If you’re sitting at 50% and your combined rate should be 70% or higher, the table tells you exactly what each missed claim costs. Two starting points:
- 5 VA Disability Claims Veterans Always Miss — the secondaries that change a 50% claim into a 90% claim.
- The full conditions catalog — every diagnostic code with the CFR rating criteria and 2026 dollar values.
Quick answers
When did the 2026 VA disability rates take effect?
The 2026 VA disability compensation rates took effect December 1, 2025. They apply to all payments dated January 1, 2026 forward and stay in place through November 30, 2026. The Dec 1 effective date is set by 38 USC § 5312, which ties the VA cost-of-living adjustment to the Social Security COLA.
How much was the 2026 VA disability COLA?
The 2026 VA disability COLA was 2.5%, matching the Social Security COLA announced by SSA in October 2025. A 100% rating moved from $3,737.85 (2025) to $3,938.58 (2026) — roughly $200 more per month, tax-free.
How much does a 100% VA rating pay in 2026?
A 100% VA disability rating pays $3,938.58 per month for a single veteran with no dependents in 2026 — about $47,263 a year, tax-free. Add-ons for a spouse, dependent children, and dependent parents bring the total higher.
How much does a 70% VA rating pay in 2026?
A 70% VA rating pays $1,808.45 per month for a single veteran with no dependents in 2026, about $21,701 a year tax-free. With a spouse and one child under 18, the rate climbs to roughly $2,074.45/month.
Do dependents change my VA disability payment?
Yes, but only at 30% or higher. 38 CFR § 3.4 and § 3.21 add a monthly amount on top of your base rate for a spouse, each dependent child under 18, each dependent parent, and each school child aged 18–22 in a qualifying program. At 10% and 20%, dependent status does not change the payment.
What is SMC and who qualifies?
Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) under 38 CFR § 3.350 is paid on top of, or instead of, the base schedular rate when a veteran has specific anatomical losses (eye, limb, creative organ), housebound status, or needs Aid and Attendance. SMC-K is a flat add-on; SMC-L through O / R.1 / R.2 replace the 100% rate with a higher payment.
Where do these 2026 numbers come from?
Directly from the VA published rate tables at va.gov/disability/compensation-rates/, which mirror the figures in 38 CFR § 3.4 and the Federal Register notice issued by VA implementing the FY2026 COLA. This article reads from the same constants the rest of the site uses, so the numbers stay in lockstep with the calculators.
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Educational content only. This is not legal, medical, or financial advice. Always consult an accredited VSO or VA-accredited attorney for claim-specific guidance. Dollar figures reflect 2026 VA compensation rates effective Dec 1, 2025, sourced from va.gov/disability/compensation-rates and 38 CFR §§ 3.4, 3.21, and 3.350.