VA Combined Disability Rating Calculator
Use this calculator to estimate your combined VA disability rating based on individual ratings. The Department of Veterans Affairs uses a specific "VA Math" formula, not a simple sum, to combine multiple disability percentages.
Enter your individual disability ratings below. Leave fields blank if not applicable. Ratings should be between 0 and 100.
Your Estimated Combined VA Disability Rating:
Understanding VA Combined Disability Ratings
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides disability compensation to veterans with service-connected conditions. When a veteran has multiple service-connected disabilities, the VA uses a specific method, often referred to as "VA Math," to combine these individual ratings into a single overall percentage. This method is crucial because it directly impacts the amount of monthly compensation a veteran receives.
How VA Math Works: The Combined Rating System
Unlike a simple addition of percentages, the VA's combined rating system is designed to reflect the "efficiency" of the veteran. It starts with the premise that a veteran is 100% efficient. As disabilities are added, they reduce this efficiency. Each subsequent disability rating is applied to the *remaining efficiency* rather than the original 100%.
Here's a step-by-step breakdown of the process:
- Order the Ratings: All individual disability ratings are first sorted from highest to lowest.
- Start with the Highest: The highest rating is taken as the initial combined rating.
- Calculate Remaining Efficiency: Subtract the current combined rating from 100% to find the veteran's remaining efficiency.
- Apply the Next Rating: The next highest individual rating is then applied to this remaining efficiency. For example, if a veteran has 70% efficiency remaining and a 30% disability, that 30% disability reduces the 70% efficiency by 30% of 70% (0.30 * 70% = 21%).
- Add to Combined Rating: This calculated reduction is then added to the current combined rating.
- Repeat: Steps 3-5 are repeated for all remaining individual disability ratings.
- Rounding: The final calculated combined rating is then rounded to the nearest 10%. For example, 44% rounds down to 40%, while 45% rounds up to 50%.
Example of VA Combined Rating Calculation:
Let's say a veteran has three service-connected disabilities with the following ratings:
- Disability A: 60%
- Disability B: 30%
- Disability C: 20%
Here's how the VA would combine them:
- Start with the highest: 60%
- Combine 60% and 30%:
- Remaining efficiency: 100% – 60% = 40%
- 30% of remaining efficiency: 0.30 * 40% = 12%
- New combined rating: 60% + 12% = 72%
- Combine 72% and 20%:
- Remaining efficiency: 100% – 72% = 28%
- 20% of remaining efficiency: 0.20 * 28% = 5.6%
- New combined rating: 72% + 5.6% = 77.6%
- Round to the nearest 10%: 77.6% rounds up to 80%.
So, despite individual ratings summing to 110%, the veteran's combined VA disability rating would be 80%.
Why is this important?
Understanding VA Math is crucial for veterans to accurately estimate their potential compensation and to understand how additional service-connected conditions might impact their overall rating. While this calculator provides an estimate, the official rating is always determined by the VA.