VA combined ratings,
finally clear.
The math the VA does behind the scenes — the 38 CFR 4.25 combined ratings formula, 2026 monthly compensation, dependent adjustments — in a calculator built for veterans and accredited representatives.
Calculate your combined rating in 30 seconds.
Your conditions
Add each rated condition. Order doesn't matter — the calculator sorts highest first automatically.
Show the math (38 CFR 4.25)
Estimate only. Final ratings come from a VA Rating Specialist after C&P exams and review of your service treatment records. This tool does not replace the official decision letter. Full disclaimer.
How "VA math" actually works
Three concepts trip up most claimants. Here's the short version — the long version lives in the guide.
Ratings aren't additive
A 60% rating and a 30% rating don't make 90% — they make 72% (rounded to 70%). The second rating only applies to the function you have left after the first.
Final answer rounds to 10
The VA rounds your combined rating to the nearest 10 under 38 CFR 4.25(a). A combined value of 74 rounds down to 70%. A combined value of 75 rounds up to 80%.
Higher ratings first
The order matters for the running total but not the final answer — the calculator sorts highest to lowest automatically, which is how the VA does it.
Read the full guide → How VA Combined Rating Works (38 CFR 4.25)
Top condition guides
Rating criteria, evidence the VA looks for, common secondary conditions, and the right DBQ form for each.
PTSD
10% / 30% / 50% / 70% / 100% — graded by social and occupational impairment. 38 CFR 4.130.
Tinnitus
Single 10% maximum regardless of severity or unilateral vs bilateral. 38 CFR 4.87, DC 6260.
Sleep apnea
0% / 30% / 50% / 100% — CPAP-required = 50% minimum. 38 CFR 4.97, DC 6847.
Depression
0% / 10% / 30% / 50% / 70% / 100% — graded on the same scale as PTSD. 38 CFR 4.130.
Hypertension
10% / 20% / 40% / 60% — based on diastolic and systolic readings. 38 CFR 4.104, DC 7101.
Lower back (lumbar)
10% / 20% / 40% / 50% — graded by range of motion under the Spine Formula. 38 CFR 4.71a.
Anxiety disorders
0% / 10% / 30% / 50% / 70% / 100% — GAD, panic disorder, social anxiety rated under the General Mental scale. 38 CFR 4.130.
Migraine headaches
0% / 10% / 30% / 50% — based on prostrating attack frequency and economic impact. 38 CFR 4.124a, DC 8100.
Hearing loss
0% – 100% — combined puretone average + Maryland CNC speech discrimination tables. 38 CFR 4.85, DC 6100.
Radiculopathy
10% / 20% / 40% / 60% — sciatic or cervical nerve damage rated by severity per affected limb. 38 CFR 4.124a.
IBS (irritable bowel)
0% / 10% / 30% — severe disturbances of bowel function with diarrhea / constipation episodes. 38 CFR 4.114, DC 7319.
GERD (acid reflux)
10% / 30% / 60% — symptoms, frequency, and impact on health. 38 CFR 4.114, DC 7346 (analogous to hiatal hernia).
Knee strain (lim. flexion)
0% / 10% / 20% / 30% — based on degrees of flexion. 38 CFR 4.71a, DC 5260. Bilateral → 10% factor.
Plantar fasciitis
10% / 20% / 30% — based on response to treatment, bilateral status, and surgical history. 38 CFR 4.71a, DC 5269.
Diabetes mellitus type II
10% / 20% / 40% / 60% / 100% — based on insulin requirement, diet regulation, and complications. 38 CFR 4.119, DC 7913.
Shoulder ROM (limited)
20% / 30% / 40% — rated by arm-at-side / shoulder-level / shoulder-blade range. 38 CFR 4.71a, DC 5201.
By state & regional office
Each Veterans Affairs Regional Office (VARO) processes claims for its assigned states. Current backlog estimates and direct contact info inside.
Featured guides
In-depth, regulation-cited guides covering the VA claims process — combined ratings, secondary conditions, SMC tiers, TDIU eligibility, and presumptive service connection.
PTSD VA Rating Criteria
The 38 CFR 4.130 schedule with all six brackets (0/10/30/50/70/100), the two-axis framing raters actually use, the four most common misreads that downgrade ratings, and an evidence package by target rating.
Sleep Apnea Claim (50% via CPAP)
DC 6847 brackets, the automatic 50% via CPAP prescription, the four major secondary pathways (PTSD, GERD, asthma, weight-gain meds), and why so many veterans miss this high-value claim.
Nexus Letters That Win VA Claims
The six elements every passing nexus letter must contain, the magic-phrase language, where to get one for free vs paid ($500–$2,500), common reasons letters fail, and a sample structure raters consistently approve.
Secondary Conditions Stacking Strategy
How 38 CFR 3.310 lets you chain claims from a single primary. Full doctrine, nexus-letter requirements, the four major primary-to-secondary chains, worked math from 30% to 90%+ combined.
How VA Combined Rating Works
The 38 CFR 4.25 math in plain English with worked examples, the bilateral factor, and how rounding to the nearest 10 actually works.
SMC Explained (K through T)
Special Monthly Compensation tiers under 38 USC 1114. Loss-of-use payments that stack above the schedular rating.
TDIU Explained
Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability — how to get 100%-rate compensation at a 70% combined rating when your conditions prevent substantially gainful employment.
How to File a VA Disability Claim
VA Form 21-526EZ start to finish, the Fully Developed Claim program, and free accredited representation options at every stage.
VA Appeals (HLR / Supplemental / Board)
The three appeal lanes under the Appeals Modernization Act — which one fits which kind of denial, and the timelines for each.
Common questions
Why doesn't the VA just add my ratings?
Because the rating represents a percentage of whole-person efficiency loss, not a category of money. A 100% rating means total functional impairment. If 50% + 50% added to 100%, every veteran with two moderate conditions would be totally disabled on paper. The 38 CFR 4.25 "combined ratings table" preserves the meaning of 100% by combining ratings against the function you have left.
Why does the VA round my combined rating?
38 CFR 4.25(a) requires the final combined value to be expressed as a multiple of 10. A combined raw score of 74 becomes 70%; a combined raw score of 75 becomes 80%. Compensation tables only publish values for the 10/20/30/.../100 brackets.
Do I get extra money for my spouse and kids?
Yes, but only if your combined rating is 30% or higher. The "with dependents" rates add to the base veteran-alone rate. At 10% and 20%, the dependent adjustment is zero by statute (38 CFR 3.4(b)(1)).
What's the difference between 70% and 100% TDIU?
Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) lets a veteran with a combined rating below 100% receive 100%-level compensation when their service-connected conditions prevent substantially gainful employment. The combined rating stays at 70% (or wherever it lands), but the monthly check matches the 100% bracket. Full TDIU guide →
Is this site affiliated with the VA?
No. VetDisabilityCalc is an independent reference site. We are not VA-accredited and we do not prepare, present, or represent claims. For accredited representation, use the official VA Office of General Counsel directory of accredited attorneys, claims agents, and VSO representatives.