50% VA disability pay in 2026
A 50% rating pays $1,132.90 per month to a veteran with no dependents, which is $13,594.80 per year, tax free. The amount rises with each dependent the VA has on file: $1,241.90 with a spouse, $1,205.90 with one child and no spouse, and $1,322.90 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.
50% 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 | $1,132.90 | $13,594.80 |
| With spouse | $1,241.90 | $14,902.80 |
| With spouse and one child | $1,322.90 | $15,874.80 |
| With one child, no spouse | $1,205.90 | $14,470.80 |
| With one parent | $1,220.90 | $14,650.80 |
| With two parents | $1,308.90 | $15,706.80 |
| With spouse and one parent | $1,329.90 | $15,958.80 |
| With spouse and two parents | $1,417.90 | $17,014.80 |
| With spouse, one child, and one parent | $1,410.90 | $16,930.80 |
| With spouse, two children under 18 | $1,376.90 | $16,522.80 |
| With spouse and one child in school (18 to 23) | $1,322.90 | $15,874.80 |
| With spouse receiving Aid and Attendance | $1,342.90 | $16,114.80 |
Added amounts at 50%
| Addition | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Each additional child under 18 (after the first) | $54.00 |
| Each additional child aged 18 to 23 in school | $176.00 |
| Each dependent parent | $88.00 |
| Spouse receiving Aid and Attendance | $101.00 |
For example, a 50% veteran with a spouse, two children under 18, and one dependent parent starts from the "with spouse and one child" row ($1,322.90), adds one more child ($54.00) and one parent ($88.00), for $1,464.90 a month. Enter your own household in the calculator above to see the lines.
Which ratings combine to 50%
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 45 to 54 is paid at 50%. Two-rating combinations that land there include 30 + 30 (51), 40 + 10 (46), 40 + 20 (52).
Three-rating examples: 20 + 20 + 20 = 49, 40 + 10 + 10 = 51. Ratings for both arms, both legs, or paired muscles get a 10% bilateral factor first, which can lift a combined value of 44 or 43 into the 50% band.
What the next step is worth
Moving from 50% to 60% raises the base amount from $1,132.90 to $1,435.02, a difference of $302.12 a month or $3,625.44 a year. A combined value of 55 rounds up, so a new secondary condition rated 10% or 20% is sometimes enough, while 40% pays $795.84.
Back pay at 50%
If your claim was granted at 50% 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 $13,594.80, and $14,902.80 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, 30% VA disability pay, 40% 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.