How VA combined ratings work
Most veterans assume the VA adds their ratings. It does not. Under 38 CFR 4.25, the VA combines them. Each condition counts against the healthy percentage you have left, and the total is rounded to the nearest 10 percent.
That rounding is why one more condition sometimes changes nothing, while the right condition pushes you past the next 10 percent line. The calculator above runs this exact math.
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This page does one thing: it combines ratings you already have. VA Ready does the rest.
- Rates every condition for you, condition by condition, with the real 38 CFR criteria for 755 conditions
- Finds what you can claim from your bases and your job, duty station by duty station: PACT Act, Camp Lejeune, Agent Orange, AFFF
- Flags secondary conditions, pyramiding traps, and the bilateral splits that move your rating
- Links peer-reviewed research to your conditions and builds a claim summary for your VSO
Condition by condition. Duty station by duty station. Download VA Ready, free.
Common questions
Why isn't my combined rating just the sum of my conditions?
The VA uses a combined-ratings table (38 CFR 4.25), not addition. Each condition applies to your remaining non-disabled percentage, so 50% and 30% combine to 65%, not 80%. The final value is rounded to the nearest 10%.
What is the bilateral factor?
When disabilities affect both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles, the VA combines those bilateral conditions and adds an extra 10% of that value before combining with the rest. Check "both sides" on a condition above to apply it.
Does this include dependents?
Yes. At 30% and above, the VA adds pay for a spouse and children. This tool uses the 2026 rate tables. At 10% and 20%, pay is a flat rate regardless of dependents. Additional pay for parents, aid & attendance, and SMC is handled in the app.
How accurate is this?
The combined-rating math follows 38 CFR 4.25 exactly, and the pay figures use the published 2026 rates. It's an estimate. Your actual award depends on the VA's decision, your effective date, and factors like SMC.