20% VA disability pay in 2026
A 20% rating is paid at one flat rate: $356.66 per month, $4,279.92 per year, tax free. Unlike ratings of 30% and above, a 20% rating does not increase for a spouse, children, or dependent parents, so the number is the same for every household. The rate took effect 2025-12-01 after a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment, and it sits $176.24 above the 10% rate of $180.42.
What a 20% rating comes with
Even at 20%, the rating establishes service connection, which is what unlocks everything else: VA health care for the rated condition, a 10-point preference in federal hiring, the waiver of the VA home loan funding fee for veterans receiving compensation, and the right to file for an increase if the condition worsens. The compensation itself is $356.66 a month, paid on the first business day of each month for the month before, and it is not counted as income for federal tax.
| Rating | Monthly, veteran alone | Dependent additions |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | None |
| 20% | $356.66 | None |
| 30% | $552.47 | Spouse, children, parents |
Which ratings combine to 20%
The VA combines ratings rather than adding them (combined = a + b x (100 - a) / 100, then rounded to the nearest 10). A combined value from 15 to 24 is paid at 20%. Two-rating combinations that land there include 10 + 10 (19).
What the next step is worth
Moving from 20% to 30% raises the base amount from $356.66 to $552.47, a difference of $195.81 a month or $2,349.72 a year, and 30% is also where dependent additions begin. A combined value of 25 rounds up, so a new secondary condition rated 10% or 20% is sometimes enough, while 10% pays $180.42.
Back pay at 20%
If your claim was granted at 20% with an effective date months before the decision, the VA owes the monthly rate for each month in between. Twelve months at the veteran-alone rate is $4,279.92. Enter the effective and decision dates in the calculator to see the estimate; the VA pays from the first of the following month and uses each year's rate for the months it covers.
Other ratings
10% VA disability pay, 30% VA disability pay, 40% VA disability pay, 50% VA disability pay, 60% VA disability pay, 70% VA disability pay, 80% VA disability pay, 90% VA disability pay, 100% VA disability pay. To combine several ratings and add the bilateral factor, use the VA disability calculator.
Estimate built from the 2026 rate tables (verified against va.gov on 2026-09-14) and 38 CFR 4.25 and 4.26. Special Monthly Compensation, TDIU, and offsets are not included. Your VA decision letter controls.