80% VA disability pay in 2026
A 80% rating pays $2,102.15 per month to a veteran with no dependents, which is $25,225.80 per year, tax free. The amount rises with each dependent the VA has on file: $2,277.15 with a spouse, $2,219.15 with one child and no spouse, and $2,406.15 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.
80% 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 | $2,102.15 | $25,225.80 |
| With spouse | $2,277.15 | $27,325.80 |
| With spouse and one child | $2,406.15 | $28,873.80 |
| With one child, no spouse | $2,219.15 | $26,629.80 |
| With one parent | $2,242.15 | $26,905.80 |
| With two parents | $2,382.15 | $28,585.80 |
| With spouse and one parent | $2,417.15 | $29,005.80 |
| With spouse and two parents | $2,557.15 | $30,685.80 |
| With spouse, one child, and one parent | $2,546.15 | $30,553.80 |
| With spouse, two children under 18 | $2,493.15 | $29,917.80 |
| With spouse and one child in school (18 to 23) | $2,406.15 | $28,873.80 |
| With spouse receiving Aid and Attendance | $2,438.15 | $29,257.80 |
Added amounts at 80%
| Addition | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Each additional child under 18 (after the first) | $87.00 |
| Each additional child aged 18 to 23 in school | $281.00 |
| Each dependent parent | $140.00 |
| Spouse receiving Aid and Attendance | $161.00 |
For example, a 80% veteran with a spouse, two children under 18, and one dependent parent starts from the "with spouse and one child" row ($2,406.15), adds one more child ($87.00) and one parent ($140.00), for $2,633.15 a month. Enter your own household in the calculator above to see the lines.
Which ratings combine to 80%
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 75 to 84 is paid at 80%. Two-rating combinations that land there include 50 + 50 (75), 60 + 40 (76), 60 + 60 (84), 70 + 20 (76), 70 + 30 (79), 70 + 40 (82), 80 + 10 (82), 80 + 20 (84), along with a single 80% rating.
Three-rating examples: 40 + 40 + 30 = 75, 40 + 40 + 40 = 78, 50 + 30 + 30 = 76, 50 + 40 + 20 = 76, 50 + 40 + 30 = 79, 50 + 40 + 40 = 82, 50 + 50 + 10 = 78, 50 + 50 + 30 = 83. Ratings for both arms, both legs, or paired muscles get a 10% bilateral factor first, which can lift a combined value of 74 or 73 into the 80% band.
What the next step is worth
Moving from 80% to 90% raises the base amount from $2,102.15 to $2,362.30, a difference of $260.15 a month or $3,121.80 a year. A combined value of 85 rounds up, so a new secondary condition rated 10% or 20% is sometimes enough, while 70% pays $1,808.45.
Back pay at 80%
If your claim was granted at 80% 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 $25,225.80, and $27,325.80 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, 50% VA disability pay, 60% VA disability pay, 70% 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.