2026 VA Disability Compensation
Data last updated September 23, 2026
60% VA Disability Pay
60% VA disability pays $1,435.02 a month to a veteran with no dependents in 2026 (effective December 1, 2025).
A 60% rating reflects substantial service-connected impairment. Under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a), individual unemployability can be assigned when service-connected disabilities prevent substantially gainful work and there is one disability rated 60% or more, or two or more disabilities with one rated 40% or more and a combined rating of 70% or more. Use this page to look up exact monthly VA disability pay for the chosen rating, with adjustments for a spouse, children, and dependent parents.
Source: 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a)
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The 2027 VA disability increase
VA is required by law to match the percentage of the cost-of-living adjustment made to Social Security benefits, so the 2027 increase in VA disability compensation will be the same percentage Social Security announces. Social Security sets it from consumer price data; the September 2026 figures are scheduled for release on October 14, 2026.
VA has not published its 2027 rate table yet, so every amount on this page is a 2026 rate. VA's new rates typically take effect December 1 and are first paid in the December 2026 benefit, deposited Thursday, December 31, 2026.
Sources: VA.gov compensation rates; Social Security: cost-of-living adjustment; BLS: CPI release schedule
60%: single veteran, no dependents
$1,435.02
$17,220.24/year · tax-free · effective December 1, 2025
60% VA disability pay with a spouse, children or parents
VA's monthly rates for each household, then the amounts it adds for each further dependent.
| Household | Monthly amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran alone (no dependents) | $1,435.02 |
| With spouse | $1,566.02 |
| With 1 child (no spouse) | $1,523.02 |
| With spouse and 1 child | $1,663.02 |
| Added for | Monthly amount |
|---|---|
| Each additional child under 18 | $65.00 |
| Each additional child over 18 in a qualifying school program | $211.00 |
| Each dependent parent | $105.00 |
| Spouse receiving Aid and Attendance | $121.00 |
What a 60% VA rating can open
Each rule applies at this combined rating, subject to the other conditions its source sets; the citation is the rule.
- VA pays additional compensation for a spouse, children, and a parent who depends on the veteran for support. (38 U.S.C. § 1115)
- A veteran with this rating who applies for VA health care is placed in priority group 1, the first in its order of priority, as is a veteran whose rating is based on unemployability. (38 C.F.R. § 17.36(b))
- The VA home loan funding fee may not be collected from a veteran who is receiving VA disability compensation. (38 U.S.C. § 3729(c)(1))
- A military retiree entitled to retired pay who has a combat-related disability that VA compensates can apply to their branch of service for Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC); DFAS says the VA rating must be at least 10%. (10 U.S.C. § 1413a; DFAS: Combat-Related Special Compensation)
- A military retiree entitled to retired pay whose service-connected disabilities are rated 50% or more can be paid both retired pay and VA compensation (Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay, CRDP), except a member retired for disability under chapter 61 with fewer than 20 years of service; a chapter 61 retiree with 20 or more years is paid concurrently only the retired pay they would have received had they not been retired for disability. (10 U.S.C. § 1414; DFAS: Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay)
- VA can assign a total rating based on unemployability when service-connected disabilities prevent substantially gainful work, with one disability rated 60% or more, or two or more with one rated 40% or more and a combined rating of 70% or more; for a veteran unemployable by service-connected disabilities who falls below those thresholds, § 4.16(b) says the case should be submitted for extra-schedular consideration. (38 C.F.R. § 4.16)
The gap to 100%
60% vs. 100%: $2,503.56 more every month
+$2,503.56
per month
+$30,042.72
per year
+$767,431.00
over 20 years, tax-free*
Ratings rarely jump to 100% from a single condition. They get there through the combined-ratings math, often by service-connecting secondary conditions (like sleep apnea, radiculopathy, or depression) linked to conditions already rated.
*Projected with an estimated 2.5%/year COLA, see the lifetime value calculator for your own numbers.
Where 60% sits on the 2026 pay scale
Every tier links to its full breakdown.
Monthly compensation, single veteran with no dependents. 2026 rates. Hover or tap a bar for the exact amount.
Lower tier
50% VA pay
$1,132.90 /mo single
Higher tier
70% VA pay
$1,808.45 /mo single
Common conditions the schedule can rate at 60%
Each of these can be rated 60% under its own diagnostic code. A single rating is one input: VA pays on the combined rating, after all separate ratings are combined under 38 CFR 4.25. Ordered by how many service-connected disabilities of each kind veterans receiving compensation have, from the VBA Annual Benefits Report (FY2025).
Common questions about 60% VA disability pay
- What's the 60% VA disability pay rate for 2026?
- For 2026 (effective December 1, 2025), a single veteran rated 60% receives $1,435.02 per month, or $17,220.24 per year. VA disability compensation is tax-free at the federal and state level.
- How much does a 60% rated veteran with a spouse and one child receive?
- A veteran rated 60% with a spouse and one child receives $1,663.02 per month under the 2026 VA rates.
- Is 60% the same as a "combined" rating?
- 60% can be either a single condition rating or a combined rating across multiple conditions. The VA combines individual ratings using the official combined-ratings formula in 38 CFR 4.25, then pays at the nearest 10% tier (95%+ rounds up to 100%).
- Will my 60% rate change in 2027?
- VA is required by law to match the percentage of the cost-of-living adjustment made to Social Security benefits, so the 2027 increase in VA disability compensation will be the same percentage Social Security announces. Social Security sets it from consumer price data; the September 2026 figures are scheduled for release on October 14, 2026. VA has not published its 2027 rate table yet, so every amount on this page is a 2026 rate. VA's new rates typically take effect December 1 and are first paid in the December 2026 benefit, deposited Thursday, December 31, 2026.
- When is the 60% payment deposited each month?
- On the first business day of the month, covering the previous month's benefits. When the 1st falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the deposit arrives on the last business day before it. A few months each year are paid "early" for that reason.
Combine multiple conditions
If you have multiple service-connected conditions, the VA combines them using the official combined-ratings formula. Use our combined rating calculator to see what tier you'd land on.
Open combined rating calculatorStuck at 60%? Find what's missing.
Every tier you climb is worth real money each month. Vetrify maps your service history and current conditions, flags secondary conditions veterans at 60% commonly qualify for, and organizes the evidence for your next claim.
- Find conditions you can claim
- See your projected rating and pay
- Build an organized evidence packet
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