70% VA disability pay in 2026
A 70% rating pays $1,808.45 per month to a veteran with no dependents, which is $21,701.40 per year, tax free. The amount rises with each dependent the VA has on file: $1,961.45 with a spouse, $1,910.45 with one child and no spouse, and $2,074.45 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.
70% 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 | $1,808.45 | $21,701.40 |
| With spouse | $1,961.45 | $23,537.40 |
| With spouse and one child | $2,074.45 | $24,893.40 |
| With one child, no spouse | $1,910.45 | $22,925.40 |
| With one parent | $1,931.45 | $23,177.40 |
| With two parents | $2,054.45 | $24,653.40 |
| With spouse and one parent | $2,084.45 | $25,013.40 |
| With spouse and two parents | $2,207.45 | $26,489.40 |
| With spouse, one child, and one parent | $2,197.45 | $26,369.40 |
| With spouse, two children under 18 | $2,150.45 | $25,805.40 |
| With spouse and one child in school (18 to 23) | $2,074.45 | $24,893.40 |
| With spouse receiving Aid and Attendance | $2,102.45 | $25,229.40 |
Added amounts at 70%
| Addition | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Each additional child under 18 (after the first) | $76.00 |
| Each additional child aged 18 to 23 in school | $246.00 |
| Each dependent parent | $123.00 |
| Spouse receiving Aid and Attendance | $141.00 |
For example, a 70% veteran with a spouse, two children under 18, and one dependent parent starts from the "with spouse and one child" row ($2,074.45), adds one more child ($76.00) and one parent ($123.00), for $2,273.45 a month. Enter your own household in the calculator above to see the lines.
Which ratings combine to 70%
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 65 to 74 is paid at 70%. Two-rating combinations that land there include 50 + 30 (65), 60 + 20 (68), 60 + 30 (72), 70 + 10 (73), along with a single 70% rating.
Three-rating examples: 30 + 30 + 30 = 66, 40 + 30 + 20 = 66, 40 + 30 + 30 = 71, 40 + 40 + 10 = 68, 40 + 40 + 20 = 71, 50 + 20 + 20 = 68, 50 + 30 + 10 = 69, 50 + 30 + 20 = 72. Ratings for both arms, both legs, or paired muscles get a 10% bilateral factor first, which can lift a combined value of 64 or 63 into the 70% band.
What the next step is worth
Moving from 70% to 80% raises the base amount from $1,808.45 to $2,102.15, a difference of $293.70 a month or $3,524.40 a year. A combined value of 75 rounds up, so a new secondary condition rated 10% or 20% is sometimes enough, while 60% pays $1,435.02.
Back pay at 70%
If your claim was granted at 70% 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 $21,701.40, and $23,537.40 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, 50% VA disability pay, 60% 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.