2024 VA Disability Calculator: Estimate Benefits for Veterans
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VA disability benefits range from $171.23 to $4,433.39 per month in 2024. Your monthly benefit is based on your disability rating, marital status, dependents and your spouse’s Aid and Attendance status.
Knowing your monthly VA disability benefits amount can help you plan your finances and prepare for any changes that could affect your monthly payment. Use this VA disability benefits calculator to estimate your monthly benefits.
Disclaimer
Your actual benefit may be lower or higher than the estimate made with this calculator. The VA does not disclose its formula for calculating benefits, only the rates for each situation. This means we can only estimate how much your situation will qualify for in benefits. This calculator does not include rate increases based on cost-of-living adjustments. Contact your local VA office to find out the exact amount you qualify for in VA disability benefits.
Calculate your estimated VA disability benefits
How to use this VA disability calculator
Select your marital status. The VA uses your marital status to determine if you need additional money to support a spouse. If you answered yes, continue to step 2. If you answered no, skip to step 3.
If you indicated that you’re married, indicate whether your spouse receives Aid and Attendance benefits. Receiving Aid and Attendance benefits means that your spouse needs physical assistance, which may increase your VA benefit.
Select your disability rating. The more severe your disability, the higher your VA disability payments will be. If you have multiple qualifying disabilities, use your combined disability rating that was provided by the VA.
Indicate if you claim parents as dependents. Your VA benefits may be higher if you claim one parent as dependent or both parents as dependents on your tax return. If you answered yes, continue to step 5. If you answer no, skip to step 6.
Select how many parents you claim as dependents. The VA increases your benefit for each parent you claim as a dependent.
Indicate if you claim children as dependents. Biological, adopted and step-children are included. Children who are 18-23 must be unmarried and enrolled in an approved college or university to qualify as a dependent. If you selected yes, continue to step 7. If you select no, the calculator will show you your final VA disability benefits estimate.
Answer whether you claim children who are under 18 years old. Your benefit will increase for each child you claim. If yes, continue to step 7. If no, skip to step 9.
Indicate how many children you claim under 18 years of age. The VA adjusts your benefit for each child under 18 that you claim.
Answer whether you claim children who are 18 years of age or older, unmarried and enrolled in a college or university. Your benefit will increase for each child you claim. If yes, continue to step 10. If no, the calculator will show you your final VA disability benefits estimate.
Indicate how many children 18 or older you claim as a dependent. The VA adjusts your benefit for each child 18 or older that you claim.
How VA disability is calculated
Monthly VA disability benefits are based on four factors:
Marital status.
Spouse’s Aid and Attendance status.
Disability rating.
Type and number of dependents.
Each of these changes a VA disability benefit by a different amount.
The VA disability benefits calculator accounts for these four aspects of a veteran’s financial situation. The calculator is based on the VA’s published disability rates for the year. Each of the four factors has a specific benefit tied to it.
Because the estimate is based on answers to individual questions, you can change your answers to see how changes in your situation affect your VA disability benefits.
How combined disability ratings are calculated
If you have multiple disabilities, the VA consolidates them into a combined disability rating that determines your benefit. The VA uses a formula to determine the combined rating. The rating accounts for the severity of each disability and how physically capable the VA determines you are.
The VA doesn’t combine disabilities by adding them up. You’ll need to use the VA’s formula or a calculator or speak with the VA to do the math.
Why has my VA disability benefit changed?
Several factors go into the VA’s calculation of disability rates. Events that can increase your benefit include:
A federal cost-of-living adjustment.
Adding a qualifying dependent, such as a spouse, parent or child when your disability rating is higher than 20%.
Getting a higher disability rating or combined disability rating.
Having a spouse who qualifies for Aid and Attendance.
Situations that can cause the VA to decrease your disability benefit include:
Getting divorced.
No longer claiming a parent or child as a dependent.
Your spouse no longer qualifying for Aid and Attendance.
Receiving other types of benefits, including military retirement pay, separation pay or disability severance pay.
Being incarcerated for a felony for more than 60 days.
Next steps: More answers about VA disability benefits
Understanding how your monthly VA benefit is calculated can make the process easier to follow and less surprising when your rate is adjusted after changes in your financial situation.
Topics you might be interested in reading more about include:
If you are applying for VA disability benefits, these resources might help you understand how to apply and what to expect with your specific situation.
If you depend on VA disability benefits as a major part of your monthly income and are struggling to afford basic necessities such as food and shelter, you can apply for other government assistance or organizational programs. These include:
You can see a list of additional government programs on USAgov for a variety of support options.
