VA combines disability ratings with the whole person method, not by adding them up. It ranks your ratings from highest to lowest, applies each one to the efficiency that is left, and rounds only the final value to the nearest 10. That is why a 50% rating and a 30% rating combine to 65%, which rounds to 70%, and why two 50% ratings combine to 75%, which rounds to 80%.
How does the VA combined ratings formula work step by step?
VA’s rule is 38 CFR 4.25, and its combined ratings table does the arithmetic. Here is the same logic by hand, using ratings of 50%, 30% and 10%.
- Rank your ratings from highest to lowest. Here that is 50%, 30%, 10%. The order you list them in does not matter, because VA always starts with the highest.
- Apply the highest rating to 100%. You start as a whole person at 100%. A 50% rating leaves 50% of your efficiency.
- Apply the next rating to what is left. A 30% rating takes 30% of the remaining 50, which is 15. Your combined value is now 65, and 35 points of efficiency remain.
- Repeat for each remaining rating. A 10% rating takes 10% of the remaining 35, which is 3.5. The combined value is about 68.5, which VA’s table shows as 69.
- Round the final value. VA rounds to the nearest 10. Values ending in 1 to 4 round down and values ending in 5 to 9 round up, so 69 becomes a 70% combined rating.
| Step | Rating applied | Efficiency left | Combined value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50% | 50 | 50 |
| 2 | 30% | 35 | 65 |
| 3 | 10% | 31.5 | 68.5 (69 in VA’s table) |
| Final | Round to the nearest 10 | Not applicable | 70% |
The ratings in this example are for illustration only. Your own numbers depend on how VA rated your conditions.
When does VA round your combined rating?
VA rounds once, at the end, not after each pair. The text of 38 CFR 4.25 gives the example of 60%, 40% and 20%: the first two combine to 76, adding the 20% brings the value to 81, and the final rating is 80%. A value of exactly 95 rounds up to 100%, and a value of 94 rounds down to 90%.
How does the bilateral factor change the math?
If you have service-connected disabilities in both arms, both legs or paired skeletal muscles, VA combines the two sides first and adds 10% of that value before combining with your other ratings. Under 38 CFR 4.26, the 10% is added, not combined. For two knees rated 10% each, the sides combine to 19, 10% of 19 is 1.9, and the result is about 21, which then enters the table as one disability. Our guide to the VA bilateral factor covers the rest.
Why does a new rating add less as your combined rating rises?
Each rating applies only to the efficiency that is left, so the same rating adds fewer points the higher your combined value already is. A 10% rating added to a combined value of 50 adds 5 points. Added to a combined value of 90, it adds 1. This is just how the formula works, and it is the reason adding up ratings in your head always overshoots VA’s number.
To check your own result, use the combined ratings table on VA’s disability ratings page, read our walkthrough of the VA combined rating table, or try the free VA disability calculator for an estimate. Our guide to VA ratings and combined math has the wider picture.
Frequently asked questions
Why did I get 70% when my ratings add up to 90%?
VA does not add ratings. It applies each rating to the efficiency left after the earlier ones, so the combined value is always lower than the sum. For example, 50% and 30% combine to 65, which rounds to 70%.
Does a 0% rating change my combined rating?
No. A 0% rating means VA recognizes the condition as service-connected but not currently severe enough for compensation, so it adds nothing to the combined value. It does record the connection, and you can ask for an increase if the condition gets worse.
Is there a limit on how many conditions I can claim?
VA does not set a limit. Each condition must be connected to your service and supported by evidence, and VA decides each one separately before combining the ratings.
Where can I find VA’s combined ratings table?
VA publishes the combined ratings table on its About Disability Ratings page, and the rule behind it is 38 CFR 4.25. Use it to check any calculator result against VA’s own method.
See where your ratings land. Use Woobie’s free VA disability calculator to estimate your combined rating and monthly pay. Try the free calculator →