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VA Disability Calculator

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Enter your individual VA disability ratings to find your combined rating - using the same method as the VA's official combined ratings table, not simple addition.

VA Disability Calculator

Live
Disability rating (%)
Combined VA rating
70%
Exact combined value
72.0%
Uses the VA's official combined ratings formula, not simple addition - ratings are not simply summed together.

The formula

Start with 100% "whole person" capacity For each rating (highest to lowest): Remaining = Remaining x (1 - Rating/100) Combined rating = 100 - Remaining, then rounded to the nearest 10%
Example

Ratings of 50%, 30%, and 20%: 100% x 0.50 x 0.70 x 0.80 = 28% remaining capacity, so combined = 100-28 = 72%, rounded to 70%.

Step-by-step guide

  1. Enter each individual disability rating percentage, adding more rows as needed.
  2. Read the combined rating, rounded to the nearest 10% as the VA does.

Why VA ratings aren't simply added together

The VA treats a person as starting at 100% "whole person" efficiency, and each disability reduces the REMAINING efficiency, not the original 100% - this is why two 50% ratings combine to 75% (not 100%), since the second rating applies to the 50% that remained after the first. This method, sometimes called "VA math," consistently gives a lower combined result than simple addition would, and is specifically why many veterans are surprised the numbers don't just add up directly.

Note: This calculator replicates the VA's official combined ratings formula for estimation purposes. Your actual VA rating and resulting compensation depend on your official disability determination - always confirm with the VA directly or a qualified veterans service officer for your specific claim.

Common mistakes

Simply adding ratings together (50% + 30% = 80%) - the VA's actual method almost always produces a lower combined number than straight addition.
Forgetting the final rounding step - the VA always rounds the combined value to the nearest 10%, which can shift the number up or down from the exact calculated value.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the order I enter ratings not matter?

Mathematically, multiplying several factors together gives the same result regardless of order - this calculator sorts ratings from highest to lowest internally (matching the VA's own convention), but the final combined result is identical either way.

Does a higher combined rating always mean more compensation?

Generally yes - the VA's compensation tables assign a specific monthly payment amount to each combined rating tier, and dependents (spouse, children) can further adjust the amount. Check the VA's current compensation rate tables for the exact payment tied to your combined rating.

Can my combined rating reach 100%?

Yes - with enough individual ratings (or one at 100% on its own), the combined result can reach 100%, though because of how the formula works, it takes more combined individual ratings than simple addition would suggest.

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