In this post, we will review the VA Disability Pay Chart and explain how the rates are determined. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) assigns a disability rating to determine the amount of monthly compensation a disabled veteran is entitled to receive for his or her condition.
The rating is intended to reflect the degree to which the veteran’s condition impairs his or her ability to work or interact with others.
After reading this post, you will be equipped with everything you need to know about the Disability pay chart, including the 2020 VA Disability pay chart, which is at the end of the post.
This post on VA Disability Pay Chart will cover:
- What is VA Disability Pay Chart?
- How Much Is VA Disability Pay?
- How does VA determine disability rating?
- How is VA disability percentage calculated?
- VA Disability Ratings by Condition
- How do I apply for VA Benefits
- 2020 VA Disability Pay Chart
What is VA Disability Pay Chart?
Veterans who were injured while serving their country may be eligible for disability compensation from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
In some cases, the surviving parents or dependents of veterans killed or wounded in the line of duty may also be eligible for compensation.
The VA disability pay chart is an annual chart published by the US Department of Veterans Affairs that lists how much Veterans will receive in disability benefits based on their disability ratings and dependents.
The chart is published annually because it is adjusted for cost of living increases (COLA), which is how federal benefits recipients, including Social Security beneficiaries, get annual raises due to inflation.
How does VA determine disability rating?
The VA assigns you a disability rating based on the severity of your disability. This rating is expressed as a percentage, representing how much your disability decreases your overall health and ability to function.
Your disability rating is then used to determine your disability compensation rate, which is how much money you’ll receive from the VA each month in disability benefits.
Your disability rating is also used to determine your eligibility for other benefits, like VA health care.
How Much Is VA Disability Pay?
How much in additional compensation you will receive also depends on your disability rating and the number of dependents you have.
Veterans with disability ratings of at least 30 percent are eligible for additional allowances for dependents.
Dependents include spouses, minor children, children between the ages of 18 and 23 who are attending school, children who are permanently incapable of self-support because of a disability arising before the age of 18, and dependent parents.
Your disability benefit is a tax-free payment and you may be eligible to receive up to $3,625.99 per month in 2019 depending on your disability rating and family circumstances.
What does VA use to decide my disability rating?
The VA depends on the evidence you provide to determine your rating.
This includes doctor’s report and medical test results, plus the results of your VA claim exam, and information the VA obtains from other federal agencies.
If you have more than one disability, the VA uses a method called the “whole person theory” to determine your combined disability rating.
The idea behind the whole person theory is to make sure that your total VA disability rating doesn’t add up to more than 100%.
That’s because a person can’t be more than 100% able-bodied.
If VA rates a single condition, your rating is the rating for that single condition, but most veterans are rated for multiple conditions. This rating for multiple conditions is called a “combined” rating.
How is the VA disability percentage calculated?
The VA uses what is known as a combined rating table. This means that a person’s efficiency is determined first by the most disabling—or highest individually rated condition—and then by less disabling conditions ranked in order of severity.
For example, a veteran may receive a letter from VA notifying them that they have two service-connected disabilities, TBI and a back injury, rated at 50% each.
Normally, 50% plus 50% would equal 100%, but this veteran’s total disability rating is listed as 80%.
This is how the combined rating table works:
In the case above, the VA takes 100 (representing a whole efficient person) and subtracts the highest individually rated condition (TBI at 50%). This means the veteran is initially considered 50% disabled and 50% efficient.
100% whole efficient person – 50% = 50%
The veteran’s back injury is also rated at 50%, but no longer at 50% of the whole efficient person. Instead, the back injury rating is subtracted from the remaining efficient person.
50% remaining efficient person – 50% = 25%
So only 25% (for the back injury) is added to the first 50% (for the TBI).
50% (TBI) + 25% (back injury) = 75% combined disability rating
VA rounds the combined disability rating up to the nearest 10, so 75% becomes 80% total disability.
Apply for VA Benefits
Start today. Your payment starts to accrue the day you file, no matter how long it takes to get the claim settled.
Though it is possible to file a claim yourself, it is highly recommended that you seek the free assistance of a veterans service officer (VSO) employed or certified by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
Completing forms completely and correctly will affect the outcome of your claim.
VSOs represent veterans, their dependents, and survivors through each stage of the claims process, including appeals.
VSO representatives are available in each state and usually in every county.
Unlike other government benefits, disability benefits through the VA is a legal process.
In order to receive benefits and compensation, you must file a claim with the United States proving eligibility through legal, military, and medical evidence.
What you need to apply:
Gather the documents listed below to prepare for the application process.
What documents and information do I need to apply?
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- VA medical records and hospital records that relate to your claimed illnesses or injuries or that show your rated disability has gotten worse
- Private medical records and hospital reports that relate to your claimed illnesses or injuries or that show your disability has gotten worse
- Supporting statements you’d like to provide from family members, friends, clergy members, law enforcement personnel, or those you served with that can tell us more about your claimed condition and how and when it happened or how it got worse.
Depending on the type of claim you file, you may gather supporting documents yourself, or you can ask for help from the VA to gather the evidence you need.
How do I file a claim for VA Benefits?
There are four ways to apply for VA Benefits:
Option 1 – Online
Depending on your situation, you may apply for VA benefits online. Click here to get started.
Option 2 – By Mail
The second option is to file your claim by mail using an Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits (VA Form 21-526EZ).
To download the form, click here.
Once downloaded, print the form, fill it out, and send it to this address:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Claims Intake Center
PO Box 4444
Janesville, WI 53547-4444
Option 3 – In Person
The third option is to file your claim in person. Complete the application form listed above and bring it with you to a VA regional office near you.
To find VA regional office near you, click here.
Option 3 – With the help of a trained professional
The fourth option in filing your VA disability claim is to work with a trained professional.
You can work with a trained professional called an accredited representative to get help filing a claim for disability compensation. To find a professional, click here.
2020 VA Disability Pay Chart
The complete 2020 VA disability pay rates table by disability percentage and number of dependents:
| 10% – 20% VA Rating (No Dependents) | ||||
| VA Percentage | VA Pay Rate | |||
| 10% VA Pay Rate in 2020 | $142.29 | |||
| 20% VA Pay Rate in 2020 | $281.27 | |||
| 30% – 60% VA Rating (Without Children) | ||||
| Dependent Status | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% |
| Veteran Alone | $435.69 | $627.61 | $893.43 | $1,131.68 |
| Veteran with Spouse Only | $487.51 | $696.70 | $979.79 | $1,235.31 |
| Veteran with Spouse & One Parent | $529.16 | $751.57 | $1,048.88 | $1,318.63 |
| Veteran with Spouse and Two Parents | $570.82 | $806.43 | $1,117.97 | $1,401.94 |
| Veteran with One Parent | $477.35 | $682.48 | $962.52 | $1,214.99 |
| Veteran with Two Parents | $519.00 | $737.34 | $1,031.61 | $1,298.31 |
| Additional for A/A spouse | $47.75 | $62.99 | $79.25 | $95.50 |
| 70% – 100% VA Rating (Without Children) | ||||
| Dependent Status | 70% | 80% | 90% | 100% |
| Veteran Alone | $1,426.17 | $1,657.80 | $1,862.96 | $3,106.04 |
| Veteran with Spouse Only | $1,547.07 | $1,795.97 | $2,018.41 | $3,279.22 |
| Veteran with Spouse and One Parent | $1,643.59 | $1,906.72 | $2,143.37 | $3,418.20 |
| Veteran with Spouse and Two Parents | $1,740.11 | $2,017.46 | $2,268.34 | $3,557.18 |
| Veteran with One Parent | $1,522.69 | $1,768.54 | $1,987.93 | $3,245.02 |
| Veteran with Two Parents | $1,619.21 | $1,879.29 | $2,112.89 | $3,384.00 |
| Additional for A/A spouse | $110.74 | $127.00 | $143.26 | $158.82 |
| 30% – 60% VA Rating (With Children) | ||||
| Dependent Status | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% |
| Veteran with Spouse and Child | $525.10 | $747.50 | $1,042.78 | $1,311.51 |
| Veteran with Child Only | $470.24 | $673.33 | $950.33 | $1,200.77 |
| Veteran with Spouse, One Parent and Child | $566.76 | $802.37 | $1,111.87 | $1,394.83 |
| Veteran with Spouse, Two Parents and Child | $608.41 | $857.23 | $1,180.96 | $1,478.14 |
| Veteran with One Parent and Child | $511.89 | $728.20 | $1,019.41 | $1,284.08 |
| Veteran with Two Parents and Child | $553.55 | $783.06 | $1,088.50 | $1,367.39 |
| Add for Each Additional Child Under Age 18 | $25.40 | $33.53 | $42.67 | $50.80 |
| Each Additional Schoolchild Over Age 18 | $83.31 | $110.74 | $138.18 | $166.62 |
| Additional for A/A spouse | $47.75 | $62.99 | $79.25 | $95.50 |
| 70% – 100% VA Rating (With Children) | ||||
| Dependent Status | 70% | 80% | 90% | 100% |
| Veteran with Spouse and Child | $1,635.47 | $1,897.57 | $2,132.20 | $3,406.05 |
| Veteran with Child Only | $1,506.43 | $1,750.25 | $1,966.59 | $3,221.86 |
| Veteran with Spouse, One Parent and Child | $1,731.99 | $2,008.32 | $2,257.17 | $3,545.03 |
| Veteran with Spouse, Two Parents and Child | $1,828.51 | $2,119.06 | $2,382.13 | $3,684.01 |
| Veteran with One Parent and Child | $1,602.95 | $1,861.00 | $2,091.56 | $3,360.84 |
| Veteran with Two Parents and Child | $1,699.47 | $1,971.74 | $2,216.53 | $3,499.82 |
| Add for Each Additional Child Under Age 18 | $59.94 | $68.07 | $77.22 | $86.05 |
| Each Additional Schoolchild Over Age 18 | $194.06 | $221.49 | $249.94 | $277.96 |
| Additional for A/A spouse | $110.74 | $127.00 | $143.26 | $158.82 |
VA Disability Pay Chart Summary
We hope this post on the VA Disability Pay Chart was helpful.
If you have further questions about VA benefits in general, please let us know in the comments section below.
Be sure to check out our other articles, including the 2020 Social Security Payment Calendar by Month, Amazon Prime Discount for Senior Citizens, and Direct Express Login.