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The 2025 VA Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) rates have been officially updated with a 2.5% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), effective December 1, 2024, with payments starting on January 1, 2025.
These new pay rates provide increased compensation for veterans with severe disabilities or combinations of disabilities that warrant extra support, including those needing Aid and Attendance (A&A) or those with dependents.
Below, you can find the official 2025 VA SMC rates with dependents.
Table of Contents
2025 VA Special Monthly Compensation Rates
| SMC Category | L | L ½ | M | M ½ | N | N ½ | O | R1 | R2/T | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran Alone | $4,767.34 | $5,013.79 | $5,261.24 | $5,622.75 | $5,985.06 | $6,337.11 | $6,689.81 | $9,559.22 | $10,964.66 | $4,288.45 |
| Veteran & 1 Child | $4,910.19 | $5,156.64 | $5,404.10 | $5,765.60 | $6,127.91 | $6,479.97 | $6,832.66 | $9,702.08 | $11,107.52 | $4,431.30 |
| Veteran & 1 Parent | $4,938.78 | $5,185.23 | $5,432.68 | $5,794.19 | $6,156.50 | $6,508.56 | $6,861.25 | $9,730.66 | $11,136.10 | $4,459.89 |
| Veteran & Spouse | $4,980.95 | $5,227.40 | $5,474.85 | $5,836.36 | $6,198.67 | $6,550.72 | $6,903.42 | $9,772.83 | $11,178.27 | $4,502.06 |
| Veteran, 1 Parent, & 1 Child | $5,081.63 | $5,328.08 | $5,575.54 | $5,937.05 | $6,299.35 | $6,651.41 | $7,004.10 | $9,873.52 | $11,278.96 | $4,602.74 |
| Veteran & 2 Parents | $5,110.22 | $5,356.67 | $5,604.13 | $5,965.63 | $6,327.94 | $6,680.00 | $7,032.69 | $9,902.10 | $11,307.54 | $4,631.33 |
| Veteran, Spouse, & 1 Child | $5,137.38 | $5,383.83 | $5,631.29 | $5,992.80 | $6,355.10 | $6,707.16 | $7,059.85 | $9,929.27 | $11,334.71 | $4,658.49 |
| Veteran, Spouse, & 1 Parent | $5,152.39 | $5,398.84 | $5,646.29 | $6,007.80 | $6,370.11 | $6,722.17 | $7,074.86 | $9,944.27 | $11,349.71 | $4,673.50 |
| Veteran, 2 Parents, & 1 Child | $5,253.07 | $5,499.52 | $5,746.98 | $6,108.49 | $6,470.79 | $6,822.85 | $7,175.54 | $10,044.96 | $11,450.40 | $4,774.18 |
| Veteran, Spouse, 1 Parent, & 1 Child | $5,308.82 | $5,555.27 | $5,802.73 | $6,164.24 | $6,526.54 | $6,878.60 | $7,231.29 | $10,100.71 | $11,506.15 | $4,829.93 |
| Veteran, Spouse, & 2 Parents | $5,323.83 | $5,570.28 | $5,817.74 | $6,179.24 | $6,541.55 | $6,893.61 | $7,246.30 | $10,115.71 | $11,521.15 | $4,844.94 |
| Veteran, Spouse, 2 Parents, & 1 Child | $5,480.27 | $5,726.72 | $5,974.17 | $6,335.68 | $6,697.99 | $7,050.04 | $7,402.73 | $10,272.15 | $11,677.59 | $5,001.37 |
Important Notes:
- SMC-KÂ is a higher rate of pay that is added to your current 2025 VA disability pay rate. For 2025, the SMC-K pay rate is $136.06 per month.
- All other SMC categories are paid in lieu of VA disability compensation pay (you don’t get both)
- Additional children under 18 receive $106.14 each
- Additional dependent children aged 18-23 receive $342.85 each
- Aid and Attendance for a Spouse is $195.92
What is VA Special Monthly Compensation?
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
Can I Get VA SMC Pay for My Dependents?
Yes, disabled veterans who qualify for SMC benefits can get extra 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 a world-renowned VA disability benefits expert and the #1 bestselling author of VA Claim Secrets and You Deserve It. Motivated by his own frustration with the VA claim process, Brian founded VA Claims Insider to help disabled veterans secure their VA disability compensation faster, regardless of their past struggles with the VA. Since 2013, he has positively impacted the lives of over 10 million military, veterans, and their families.
A former active-duty Air Force officer, Brian has extensive experience leading diverse teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour in Afghanistan in 2011 supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
Brian is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from the United States Air Force Academy and earned his MBA from Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business, where he was a National Honor Scholar, ranking in the top 1% of his class.
