# What are the VA disability rates?

*The Department of Veterans Affairs pays a set monthly amount for each disability rating, and ratings of 30 percent or more pay extra for dependents.*

- Type: News
- Section: Business
- By: Business Desk
- Published: 2026-11-12T01:27:01-05:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T01:27:01-05:00
- URL: https://factsdesk.com/business/what-are-the-va-disability-rates/

## Key facts

- VA disability compensation for a veteran with no dependents is $180.42 a month at a 10% rating and $3,938.58 a month at a 100% rating, under rates effective December 1, 2025. Source: [U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs](https://www.va.gov/disability/compensation-rates/veteran-rates/). Confirmed 2026-11-12T01:26:17-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/business/what-are-the-va-disability-rates/#va-disability-compensation-for-a-veteran-with-no-dependents
- A veteran rated 10% or 20% does not receive a higher rate for a dependent spouse, child or parent, while ratings from 30% to 100% pay more for dependents. Source: [U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs](https://www.va.gov/disability/compensation-rates/veteran-rates/). Confirmed 2026-11-12T01:26:17-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/business/what-are-the-va-disability-rates/#a-veteran-rated-10-or-20-does-not-receive-a-higher-rate-for
- A veteran rated 100% with a spouse and no parents or children is paid $4,158.17 a month. Source: [U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs](https://www.va.gov/disability/compensation-rates/veteran-rates/). Confirmed 2026-11-12T01:26:17-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/business/what-are-the-va-disability-rates/#a-veteran-rated-100-with-a-spouse-and-no-parents-or-children
- The December 1, 2025 rates applied a 2.8% increase, the same percentage as the Social Security cost-of-living increase for 2026, according to a VA notice in the Federal Register. Source: [U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Federal Register](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-02-17/html/2026-02997.htm). Confirmed 2026-11-12T01:27:01-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/business/what-are-the-va-disability-rates/#the-december-1-2025-rates-applied-a-2-8-increase-the-same
- Under the previous rates, effective December 1, 2024, a veteran with no dependents was paid $175.51 a month at a 10% rating and $3,831.30 at a 100% rating. Source: [U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs](https://www.va.gov/disability/compensation-rates/veteran-rates/past-rates-2025/). Confirmed 2026-11-12T01:27:01-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/business/what-are-the-va-disability-rates/#under-the-previous-rates-effective-december-1-2024-a-veteran

VA disability compensation for a veteran with no dependents runs from $180.42 a month at a 10% disability rating to $3,938.58 a month at a 100% rating. The Department of Veterans Affairs lists the amounts on its [current rates page](https://www.va.gov/disability/compensation-rates/veteran-rates/), which says they have been in effect since December 1, 2025, and which was last updated on November 2, 2026.

## Monthly rates by disability rating

The amounts below come from the [VA rate tables](https://www.va.gov/disability/compensation-rates/veteran-rates/) effective December 1, 2025. The second column is a veteran alone with no dependents. The third is a veteran with a spouse and no parents or children.

| Disability rating | Veteran alone | With spouse |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10% | $180.42 | No higher rate |
| 20% | $356.66 | No higher rate |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 |

The VA page says a veteran with a 10% to 20% rating "won’t receive a higher rate even if you have a dependent spouse, child, or parent."

## How dependents change the amount

For ratings from 30% to 100%, the [VA tables](https://www.va.gov/disability/compensation-rates/veteran-rates/) set a basic monthly rate for each combination of spouse, children and dependent parents, and then list added amounts for each further child and for a spouse who receives Aid and Attendance benefits. The table below shows three of those rows.

| Dependent status | 70% rating | 100% rating |
| --- | --- | --- |
| With 1 child and spouse, no parents | $2,074.45 | $4,318.99 |
| Each additional child under age 18 | $76.00 | $109.11 |
| Spouse receiving Aid and Attendance | $141.00 | $201.41 |

The VA page works through one case. A veteran with a 70% rating, a spouse and three dependent children under 18 starts at the basic rate of $2,074.45 for a spouse and one child, and adds $76 for each of the two further children. If the spouse receives Aid and Attendance, another $141 is added, and the VA gives the total as $2,367.45 a month.

## What the rates were before

The rates rose on December 1, 2025. Under the [previous tables](https://www.va.gov/disability/compensation-rates/veteran-rates/past-rates-2025/), effective December 1, 2024, a veteran with no dependents was paid $175.51 a month at 10% and $3,831.30 at 100%.

## How the rates are set

A VA [notice in the Federal Register](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-02-17/html/2026-02997.htm) published February 17, 2026 said the current rates were required by the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025, Public Law 119-42, and took effect on December 1, 2025, the date that law provided. The notice said the Social Security Administration had announced a 2.8% cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits for 2026, and that the VA applied the same percentage.

The VA rates page says the department is "required by law to match the percentage of cost-of-living adjustments made to Social Security benefits." The page lists no rates with an effective date later than December 1, 2025. A separate page answers [What is the Social Security COLA for 2027?](/business/what-is-the-social-security-cola-for-2027/).

This page reports the published rates and is not personal financial advice. An individual payment depends on that veteran's own rating and dependents.

## Sources

1. [Current Veterans disability compensation rates](https://www.va.gov/disability/compensation-rates/veteran-rates/), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2026-11-02 (primary source)
2. [Cost of Living Adjustments for Service-Connected Benefits (FR Doc. 2026-02997)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-02-17/html/2026-02997.htm), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Federal Register, 2026-02-17 (primary source)
3. [Past rates: 2025 Veterans disability compensation rates](https://www.va.gov/disability/compensation-rates/veteran-rates/past-rates-2025/), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2026-11-09 (primary source)