2024 VA SMC rates increased by 3.2% over 2023 rates beginning January 2024 and continuing through December 2024 (until the 2025 COLA increase).
Veterans can use the detailed 2024 VA Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) rates with dependents in the chart below.
2024 Special Monthly Compensation Pay Chart
| SMC Category | L | L ½ | M | M ½ | N | N ½ | O | R1 | R2/T | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran Alone | $4,651.06 | $4,891.50 | $5,132.92 | $5,485.61 | $5,839.08 | $6,182.55 | $6,526.64 | $9,326.07 | $10,697.23 | $4,183.85 |
| Veteran & 1 Child | $4,790.43 | $5,030.87 | $5,272.29 | $5,624.98 | $5,978.45 | $6,321.92 | $6,666.01 | $9,465.44 | $10,836.60 | $4,323.22 |
| Veteran & 1 Parent | $4,818.32 | $5,058.76 | $5,300.18 | $5,652.87 | $6,006.34 | $6,349.81 | $6,693.90 | $9,493.33 | $10,864.49 | $4,351.11 |
| Veteran & Spouse | $4,859.46 | $5,099.90 | $5,341.32 | $5,694.01 | $6,047.48 | $6,390.95 | $6,735.04 | $9,534.47 | $10,905.63 | $4,392.25 |
| Veteran, 1 Parent, & 1 Child | $4,957.69 | $5,198.13 | $5,439.55 | $5,792.24 | $6,145.71 | $6,489.18 | $6,833.27 | $9,632.70 | $11,003.86 | $4,490.48 |
| Veteran & 2 Parents | $4,985.58 | $5,226.02 | $5,467.44 | $5,820.13 | $6,173.60 | $6,517.07 | $6,861.16 | $9,660.59 | $11,031.75 | $4,518.37 |
| Veteran, Spouse, & 1 Child | $5,012.08 | $5,252.52 | $5,493.94 | $5,846.63 | $6,200.10 | $6,543.57 | $6,887.66 | $9,687.09 | $11,058.25 | $4,544.87 |
| Veteran, Spouse, & 1 Parent | $5,026.72 | $5,267.16 | $5,508.58 | $5,861.27 | $6,214.74 | $6,558.21 | $6,902.30 | $9,701.73 | $11,072.89 | $4,559.51 |
| Veteran, 2 Parents, & 1 Child | $5,124.95 | $5,365.39 | $5,606.81 | $5,959.50 | $6,312.97 | $6,656.44 | $7,000.53 | $9,799.96 | $11,171.12 | $4,657.74 |
| Veteran, Spouse, 1 Parent, & 1 Child | $5,179.34 | $5,419.78 | $5,661.20 | $6,013.89 | $6,367.36 | $6,710.83 | $7,054.92 | $9,854.35 | $11,225.51 | $4,712.13 |
| Veteran, Spouse, & 2 Parents | $5,193.98 | $5,434.42 | $5,675.84 | $6,028.53 | $6,382.00 | $6,725.47 | $7,069.56 | $9,868.99 | $11,240.15 | $4,726.77 |
| Veteran, Spouse, 2 Parents, & 1 Child | $5,346.60 | $5,587.04 | $5,828.46 | $6,181.15 | $6,534.62 | $6,878.09 | $7,222.18 | $10,021.61 | $11,392.77 | $4,879.39 |
Important Notes:
- SMC-K is a higher rate of pay that is added to your current 2024 VA disability pay rate
- All other SMC categories are paid in lieu of VA disability compensation pay (you don’t get both)
- Additional children under 18 receive $103.55 each
- Additional dependent children age 18-23 receive $334.49 each
- Aid and Attendance for a Spouse is $191.14
What is Special Monthly Compensation (SMC)?
Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) is an extra benefit provided by the VA to veterans or their eligible dependents who have specific disabilities or combinations of disabilities.
VA SMC is designed to compensate veterans for disabilities that result in a higher level of impairment or a need for extra assistance or care.
Here’s some examples of situations that may qualify a veteran for SMC:
- Loss of use of a creative organ
- Loss or loss of use of one or more limbs
- Need for aid and attendance due to disabilities
- Blindness or visual impairment
- Severe deafness or hearing impairment
- Housebound status due to disability
- Need for assistance (Aid & Attendance) with activities of daily living
- Combination of disabilities that result in a high level of impairment
Is There SMC Pay for Dependents?
Yes, disabled veterans who qualify for SMC benefits can get extra VA special monthly compensation for eligible dependents:
- Spouse
- Dependent parents
- Children under age 18
- Children between age 18 and 23 who are in school
- A child permanently disabled before age 18
- Aid and Attendance for a Spouse
About the Author
Brian Reese
Brian Reese is one of the top VA disability benefits experts in the world and bestselling author of You Deserve It: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Veteran Benefits You’ve Earned (Second Edition).
Brian’s frustration with the VA claim process led him to create VA Claims Insider, which provides disabled veterans with tips, strategies, and lessons learned to win their VA disability compensation claim, faster, even if they’ve already filed, been denied, gave up, or don’t know where to start.
As the founder of VA Claims Insider and CEO of Military Disability Made Easy, he has helped serve more than 10 million military members and veterans since 2013 through free online educational resources.
He is a former active duty Air Force officer with extensive experience leading hundreds of individuals and multi-functional teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour to Afghanistan in 2011 supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
Brian is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO, and he holds an MBA from Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business, Stillwater, OK, where he was a National Honor Scholar (Top 1% of Graduate School class).
