VA Combined Ratings Calculator: How the Math Works (2026)
Quick Answer
The VA does not add disability percentages together. A veteran with 70% PTSD and 50% back pain is not 120% disabled — they are 85% disabled under VA math (rounded to 90%). This “whole person” method means you need to understand exactly how your ratings combine to know your true compensation.
How VA Combined Ratings Work
The VA uses the “whole person” method to combine ratings. Here is how it works step by step:
- Start with 100% (a whole, healthy person)
- Apply the highest rating first — e.g., 70% PTSD means 70% disabled, leaving 30% of a “whole person”
- Apply the next rating to the remaining percentage — e.g., 50% back pain × 30% remaining = 15% additional disability
- Add: 70% + 15% = 85% combined
- Round to the nearest 10% — 85% rounds to 90%
Combined Ratings Table: Two Conditions
Find your highest rating in the left column, then find your second rating across the top. The intersection is your combined rating (before rounding).
| 1st Rating → 2nd Rating ↓ |
10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | 19 | 28 | 37 | 46 | 55 | 64 | 73 | 82 | 91 |
| 20% | 28 | 36 | 44 | 52 | 60 | 68 | 76 | 84 | 92 |
| 30% | 37 | 44 | 51 | 58 | 65 | 72 | 79 | 86 | 93 |
| 40% | 46 | 52 | 58 | 64 | 70 | 76 | 82 | 88 | 94 |
| 50% | 55 | 60 | 65 | 70 | 75 | 80 | 85 | 90 | 95 |
| 60% | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 96 |
| 70% | 73 | 76 | 79 | 82 | 85 | 88 | 91 | 94 | 97 |
| 80% | 82 | 84 | 86 | 88 | 90 | 92 | 94 | 96 | 98 |
| 90% | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 |
After combining, round to the nearest 10% (values ending in 1-4 round down; 5-9 round up). A combined value of 95% rounds to 100%.
Common Combined Rating Examples
| Conditions | Individual Ratings | Combined (VA Math) | Rounded Rating | Monthly Pay (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTSD + Back Pain | 70% + 30% | 79% | 80% | $2,102.15 |
| PTSD + Sleep Apnea | 50% + 50% | 75% | 80% | $2,102.15 |
| Tinnitus + Hearing Loss + Knee | 10% + 10% + 10% | 27% | 30% | $552.47 |
| Back + Knee + Tinnitus | 40% + 20% + 10% | 57% | 60% | $1,435.02 |
| PTSD + TBI + Back + Sleep Apnea | 70% + 40% + 20% + 30% | 91% | 90% | $2,362.30 |
| PTSD + TDIU qualifying | 60% single condition | TDIU eligible | 100% rate | $3,938.58 |
The “Scheduler” Problem: Why 95% Is Not 100%
Under VA math, it is mathematically impossible to reach 100% through combined ratings alone unless you have a single condition rated at 100%. A veteran with 90% combined can add a 10% condition and only reach 91% — which rounds to 90%. This is why TDIU exists: it allows veterans whose combined rating is below 100% to receive the 100% pay rate if their conditions prevent gainful employment.
Bilateral Factor
If you have disabilities on both sides of your body (e.g., both knees, both shoulders), the VA adds a 10% bilateral factor to the combined rating of those paired conditions before combining with other disabilities. This can meaningfully increase your final combined rating.
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