VA Disability Rating Calculator
Calculate your combined VA disability rating using "VA Math" rules.
Understanding the VA Rate Calculator
When the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) calculates your total disability, they do not simply add the percentages together. This process is commonly known among veterans as "VA Math." Because a person cannot be more than 100% disabled, each subsequent disability percentage is taken from the "remaining efficient" portion of the body.
How VA Math Works
The calculation starts with the assumption that you are 100% efficient. If you have a 50% disability rating, you are now 50% disabled and 50% efficient. If you receive a second rating of 20%, that 20% is applied to the 50% efficiency that remains, not the original 100%.
1. First Rating: 50%. (Remaining efficiency: 50%)
2. Second Rating: 30%. (30% of 50% remaining efficiency = 15%)
3. Combined Raw Rating: 50% + 15% = 65%.
4. Final Rounded Rating: 70%.
The Rounding Rule
The VA rounds the final combined raw score to the nearest 10%. If your raw score ends in 1% through 4%, it is rounded down. If it ends in 5% through 9%, it is rounded up to the next 10% increment. For instance, a 64% raw score becomes a 60% disability rating, while a 65% raw score becomes a 70% disability rating.
Bilateral Factors
In some complex cases, if you have disabilities affecting both sides of your body (like both arms or both legs), a "bilateral factor" is applied. This adds an extra 10% of the combined value of those specific disabilities before combining them with other non-bilateral ratings. This calculator focuses on the standard combined rating logic.
Why Use This Calculator?
Navigating benefits can be confusing. By using this VA Rate Calculator, you can estimate your total compensation level. Remember that the final determination is always made by the VA through an official decision letter. This tool is designed for educational and estimation purposes to help you understand how multiple ratings interact.