30% VA disability pay in 2026
A 30% rating pays $552.47 per month to a veteran with no dependents, which is $6,629.64 per year, tax free. The amount rises with each dependent the VA has on file: $617.47 with a spouse, $596.47 with one child and no spouse, and $666.47 with a spouse and one child. The rates below took effect 2025-12-01 after a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment and stay in force until the next COLA on December 1.
30% pay chart by dependents
Each row is the VA's published amount for that household. A spouse and the first child are built into the base row; parents, additional children, and Aid and Attendance are added on top.
| Household | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran alone | $552.47 | $6,629.64 |
| With spouse | $617.47 | $7,409.64 |
| With spouse and one child | $666.47 | $7,997.64 |
| With one child, no spouse | $596.47 | $7,157.64 |
| With one parent | $604.47 | $7,253.64 |
| With two parents | $656.47 | $7,877.64 |
| With spouse and one parent | $669.47 | $8,033.64 |
| With spouse and two parents | $721.47 | $8,657.64 |
| With spouse, one child, and one parent | $718.47 | $8,621.64 |
| With spouse, two children under 18 | $698.47 | $8,381.64 |
| With spouse and one child in school (18 to 23) | $666.47 | $7,997.64 |
| With spouse receiving Aid and Attendance | $678.47 | $8,141.64 |
Added amounts at 30%
| Addition | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Each additional child under 18 (after the first) | $32.00 |
| Each additional child aged 18 to 23 in school | $105.00 |
| Each dependent parent | $52.00 |
| Spouse receiving Aid and Attendance | $61.00 |
For example, a 30% veteran with a spouse, two children under 18, and one dependent parent starts from the "with spouse and one child" row ($666.47), adds one more child ($32.00) and one parent ($52.00), for $750.47 a month. Enter your own household in the calculator above to see the lines.
Which ratings combine to 30%
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 25 to 34 is paid at 30%. Two-rating combinations that land there include 20 + 10 (28).
Three-rating examples: 10 + 10 + 10 = 27. Ratings for both arms, both legs, or paired muscles get a 10% bilateral factor first, which can lift a combined value of 24 or 23 into the 30% band.
What the next step is worth
Moving from 30% to 40% raises the base amount from $552.47 to $795.84, a difference of $243.37 a month or $2,920.44 a year. A combined value of 35 rounds up, so a new secondary condition rated 10% or 20% is sometimes enough, while 20% pays $356.66.
Back pay at 30%
If your claim was granted at 30% 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 $6,629.64, and $7,409.64 with a spouse. 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, 20% 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.