90 Percent VA Disability: The 15 BEST Benefits!

Looking for the best benefits for 90 percent VA disability? 

You’ve come to the right place! 

Your 90 percent VA disability rating puts you in the highest priority group for receiving health care benefits. But the benefits don’t stop there!!

In this post, we’re revealing the 15 BEST Benefits for 90 Percent VA Disability.

We’ll look at several top 90% VA benefits and answer the question, “How much is 90 percent VA disability pay worth?”

Let’s get to it!

15 BEST Benefits of 90 Percent VA Disability

There are TONS of 90 percent VA disability benefits available. Let’s take a closer look at 15 of the best benefits for disabled veterans with a 90% VA rating.

90 VA Disability Compensation

Eligibility: To be eligible for 90 percent VA disability compensation payments, the following must be true:

• You served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training, AND
• You have a disability rating for a service-connected condition; 

AND one of the following 

• You became sick or injured while serving in the military (and can link this condition to your illness or injury); OR
• You had an illness or injury before joining service that was made worse by service; OR
• You have a disability related to your active-duty service that did not appear until after you ended your service.

90 VA Disability Pay Rates

For disability veterans, it’s important to know how much money goes into your pockets monthly.  

So, how much is 90 percent VA disability? In 2024, a 90% VA disability rating is worth at least $2,241.91 per month and is tax-free at both federal and state levels. 

This is a significant increase from three years ago when the minimum monthly payment for a 90 percent VA disability was $1,862.96.

There’s also some great news for 2024! The 90 percent VA disability 2024 pay rate increased by 3.2% from 2023, putting even more money in your pocket each month.

Take a look at the breakdown of the 90% VA disability pay chart to see your monthly compensation benefits. 

90 VA Disability Pay Chart

Travel Allowance for Scheduled Appointments for Care at a VA Medical Facility or VA Authorized Health Care Facility

If you have a 90% VA disability, the VA will pay you or your caregiver back for mileage and other travel expenses to and from approved healthcare appointments. 

Veteran Readiness & Employment

If you have a 90% VA disability, you are eligible for Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E). The program, previously called Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment, offers services to help with job training, education, employment accommodations, resume development, and job-seeking skills coaching.

Additional Compensation for Eligible Dependents

Other 90 percent VA disability benefits include additional compensation for eligible dependents. If you have a 90% VA disability, your eligible dependents, including children, parents, and a spouse, may entitle you to additional compensation. 

Health Care Benefits

You’ll be assigned to 1 of 8 priority groups when you apply for VA health care based on the following:

• Military service history
• VA disability rating
• Income level 
• Whether you qualify for Medicaid and 
• Other benefits you may be receiving (e.g., VA pension benefits)

If you have a 90% VA disability, you meet the eligibility requirements for Health Care Priority Group 1, which includes the following benefits:

• Preventive care
• Mental health care
• Medical equipment
• In-patient services
• Glasses and hearing aids
• Medical travel benefits
• Medication/supplies 
• Emergency care at non-VA facilities

In addition to the above care, you don’t incur copays with a 90% VA disability. 

VA Pension

You may be eligible for VA pension benefits if you were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable and:

• Started active duty before September 8, 1980, and served at least 90 days with one day during wartime; OR 
• Started active duty as an enlisted person after September 7, 1980, and served at least 24 months with at least one day during wartime 
• You were an officer and started on active duty after October 16, 1981, and you hadn’t previously served on active duty for at least 24 months

AND

• Your “countable family income” and net worth meet the yearly limit set by Congress

AND at least one of these is also true:

• 65 years of age or older
• Have a permanent and total disability
• A patient in a nursing home or long-term facility because of a disability
• Receiving Social Security Disability Insurance 

10-Point Veteran Preference in Federal Hiring

Suppose you are a veteran with a current service-connected disability, or you’re receiving compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension from the military or the VA. In that case, you may be eligible to add ten points to your passing examination score. 

Waiver of VA Funding Fee for Home Loan

Typically, you must pay a one-time funding fee on a VA-backed or VA-direct home loan. However, if you have a 90% VA disability, you don’t have to pay the VA funding fee. 

If you’ve previously paid the VA funding VA and later received VA compensation for a service-connected disability, you may be eligible for a refund. You will have to call the VA regional loan center at 1-877-827-3702 to discuss eligibility. 

Concurrent Retired and Disability Pay

If you have a 90% VA disability, you may qualify for Concurrent Retired and Disability Pay (CRDP), allowing you to receive both your military retired pay and VA compensation. 

CRDP is vital because it restores your service pay by eliminating your VA waiver. You don’t have to apply for CRDP; if you’re eligible, the Defense Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS) will automatically eliminate your VA waiver. 

To be eligible for CRDP, you must meet the following requirements:

• You are a regular retiree with a VA disability rating of 50% or greater OR
• You are a reserve retiree with 20 qualifying years of service, who has a VA disability rating of 50 percent or greater, and who has reached retirement age OR
• You are retired under the Temporary Early Retirement Act (TERA) and have a VA disability rating of 50 percent or greater OR
• You are a disability retiree who earned entitlement to retired pay under any provision of law other than solely by disability, and you have a VA disability rating of 50 percent or greater

Individual Unemployability

Eligible veterans with a 90% VA disability qualify for Individual Unemployability, allowing you to get disability compensation benefits at the same level as a veteran with a 100% disability rating. 

To qualify for Individual Unemployability, both of these must be true:

• You have at least one service-connected disability rated at 60% or more, or two or more service-connected disabilities with at least one rated at 40% or more and a combined rating of 70% or more, AND
• You can’t hold down a steady job that supports you financially (substantially gainful employment) because of your service-connected disability. Odd jobs or marginal employment doesn’t count. 

CHAMPVA Medical Insurance

The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veteran Affairs (CHAMPVA) covers the cost of some healthcare services and supplies for eligible veterans, referred to as “cost-sharing.” The program is ideal for those who don’t qualify for TRICARE but still require health insurance. 

To qualify for CHAMPVA, you must:

• Have qualified for individual unemployability, AND
• Have an unemployable condition that is considered permanent AND
• Have a 90% VA disability 

Burial and Plot Allowance

It’s a tough subject to discuss, but your 90% VA disability provides your eligible survivors with a burial and plot allowance, providing basic monetary burial benefits at the maximum amount authorized in law through automated systems. 

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Allowance

The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Allowance provides the children or spouse of a veteran or service member who has died, is captured or missing, or has disabilities with job training or help paying for school. 

Your family may be eligible for this benefit if:

• You have a 90%VA disability, AND
• You qualified for Individual Unemployability AND
• Your unemployable condition is considered permanent 

Commissary and Exchange Privileges

With a 90 percent VA disability, you can access commissary and exchange privileges. While you don’t need to apply, you must show your Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) or a letter from the VA along with your driver’s license or passport. 

Use of Commissaries, Exchanges, and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) Retail Facilities, In-Person and Online

How to Increase Your 90% VA Disability

If you believe you deserve more than a 90% VA disability, you have options and shouldn’t take no for an answer. 

You can take the following steps if you are denied a 100 percent VA disability:

1. File a new claim 
2. File an appeal  
3. File a supplemental claim for previously denied disability conditions 
4. File for presumptive disability conditions 
5. File for a secondary service connection
6. File for Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU)

Check out our post, Top 6 Ways to Increase Your 90 Percent Disability for more information. 

NEED MORE ASSISTANCE?

Most veterans are underrated for their disabilities and, therefore, not getting their due compensation. At VA Claims Insider, we help you understand and take control of the claims process, so you can get the rating and compensation you’re owed by law. 

Our process takes the guesswork out of filing a VA disability claim and supports you every step of the way in building a fully-developed claim (FDC)—so you can increase your rating FAST! 

If you’ve filed your VA disability claim and have been denied or have received a low rating—or you’re unsure how to get started—reach out to us! Take advantage of a FREE VA Claim Discovery Call. Learn what you’ve been missing—so you can FINALLY get the disability rating and compensation YOU DESERVE!

Kelly Olone

Kelly Olone is a military spouse who earned her degree in Psychology from Florida International University. After working in the non-profit sector for several years, she turned to her passion for writing. She aims to contribute to a better understanding of the valuable benefits that veterans deserve. As a mom, Kelly navigates the delicate balance between deadlines and bedtime stories with finesse.