How To Calculate VA Disability With a VA Disability Calculator

Learn how to calculate VA disability with a VA combined rating calculator. The VA disability calculator is an easy-to-use tool that estimates the monthly compensation you should receive for your service-connected disabilities. It takes into account a couple of factors, such as your disability, your rating percentages, and your family status. A VA rating calculator also does some behind-the-scenes math and spits out the dollar amount estimate you’ll receive from the VA. 

How to Calculate VA Disability

There are several VA disability calculators out there that are not super user-friendly. But ours is straightforward and simple. (It’s also a bilateral VA disability calculator, which is important for veterans with bilateral disabilities).

Here’s how to calculate VA disability with the VA disability calculator:

Step 1: Select the Location of Disability

First, select the part(s) of your body where you have a disability or the specific disability if it’s listed. If it’s not listed, select other and type in your disability.

Step 2: Select Disability Percentage

Next, slide the red dot to your percentage and click ADD. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to add multiple disabilities.

Step 3: Select Dependents

Third, note whether you’re married, how many children you have, or parent dependents. 

Step 4: View Estimated Monthly VA Payment

Your estimated monthly VA payment will be displayed to the right. In this example, a veteran with a 50% rating for their left arm is estimated to get $1539.82 a month, in this example below based on dependents. You can view current VA rates here.

How Are VA Disability Pay Rates Calculated?

A VA disability calculator is useful because the VA has a unique way of calculating your total rating.

Your total rating can range from 0-100% and is always rounded to the nearest 10 (5% is rounded up). If you have one service-connected disability, the rating you receive for that disability will equal your total rating. But, if you have multiple service-connected disabilities, the math gets a little tricky.

When determining your total rating from multiple ratings, the VA calculates what’s called your combined rating. They don’t just add all ratings together. For example, If you have three ratings at 40%, your total rating is not going to equal 120% because, in the VA’s mind, you can’t be more than 100% disabled.

Instead, they start by subtracting your highest rating from 100. Let’s say that’s 70%. 100 – 70 = 30. They then factor in your next highest rating into the remaining 30%. Let’s say that’s 40%. 40% of 30 is 12. That means your total rating equals 80% because 70 + 12 = 82, which is rounded down to 80%. 

You can see how it would be difficult to determine your total rating if you have 5 or 6 ratings. Simplify the process and empower yourself by using our FREE VA disability calculator.

If you need a hand navigating the VA claims process and figuring out how to maximize your combined rating, you can speak with our experts by booking your VA Claims Insider Discovery Call.

YOU SERVED. YOU DESERVE. We Got Your Six!

• 4.7/5.0 average rating out of 5,500+ total reviews; over 4,500 5-star reviews. 

• VA Claims Insider is the #1 most trusted name in VA disability claims. 

• Work directly with a VA claims coach who can help lead you to VA claim victory. 

• 25,000+ disabled veterans served in our membership programs since 2016. 

Learn what you’ve been missing—and get the VA compensation and benefits YOU DESERVE!