VA rounds your combined rating to the nearest 10%, and it does this only once, at the very end. Combined values ending in 1 to 4 round down, and values ending in 5 to 9 round up. So a combined value of 58 becomes 60%, 64 stays at 60%, and 95 or higher becomes 100%. Your monthly pay follows the rounded rating.
What is the VA rounding rule?
VA states it plainly on its page about disability ratings: combined values ending in 1 to 4 round down and those ending in 5 to 9 round up. The rule itself is in 38 CFR 4.25. It says the combined value is converted to the nearest number divisible by 10, with values ending in 5 adjusted upward, and that this is the last step in the process.
VA does not round to the nearest 5%. Ratings run from 0% to 100% in steps of 10.
How much does rounding change monthly pay?
The table shows what each combined value becomes and what a veteran with no dependents is paid. These are 2026 rates, effective Dec 1, 2025 through Nov 30, 2026. VA will publish new rates effective Dec 1, 2026.
| Combined value | Official rating | Monthly pay (veteran alone) |
|---|---|---|
| 64 | 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 65 | 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 74 | 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 75 | 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 84 | 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 85 | 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 94 | 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 95 | 100% | $3,938.58 |
One point can cross a cutoff, and the gaps at each one are different:
- 64 to 65: $373.43 more per month ($4,481.16 a year).
- 74 to 75: $293.70 more per month ($3,524.40 a year).
- 84 to 85: $260.15 more per month ($3,121.80 a year).
- 94 to 95: $1,576.28 more per month ($18,915.36 a year).
The last jump is large because the 100% rate is much higher than the 90% rate. Dependents add to these figures once your rating is 30% or higher.
Where in the math does the rounding happen?
Only at the end. While VA combines your ratings two at a time, each in-between number comes straight from the combined ratings table as a whole number. Take ratings of 50%, 30% and 10%:
- 50 and 30 combine to 65. Keep it as 65. Do not turn it into 70.
- 65 and 10 combine to 69.
- Round 69 to the nearest 10 and the combined rating is 70%.
Rounding early can give you the wrong answer. Try 70%, 10% and 10%. Combined the VA way, 70 and 10 make 73, and 73 and 10 make 76, which rounds to 80%. If you round 73 down to 70 after the first step, you end up at 70%. A calculator that skips the table’s whole-number steps can also land a point off near a cutoff. For a reference grid, see the VA combined rating table guide.
Does 95% round up to 100%?
Yes. A combined value of 95 ends in 5, so it rounds up to 100%, and anything higher does too. A value of 94 rounds down to 90%. Reaching 95 usually takes a high starting point. For example, 90% combined with 50% gives 95, and 80% combined with 80% gives 96.
What does this mean for your own numbers?
Knowing the cutoffs helps you read a calculator result for what it is: an estimate with a raw value and a rounded rating. It does not predict what rating VA will assign to any condition, and VA decides each one based on the evidence. The bilateral factor is the one common rule that can change the running total before rounding. For the full picture of how ratings combine, see our guide to VA ratings and combined math, or try the free VA disability calculator.
If you think your combined rating was worked out incorrectly, a VA-accredited representative can review the decision with you at no cost. Woobie is an educational platform and cannot review your rating.
Frequently asked questions
If I am one point below a cutoff, do I get the higher rate?
No. VA pays at the rounded rating, so a combined value of 74 is paid at 70% and a value of 75 is paid at 80%. The raw number matters only as the step that leads to the rounding.
Does VA round the rating for each condition too?
Not in the same way. Ratings for individual conditions run from 0% to 100% in steps of 10, so there is nothing to round on a single condition. Rounding comes in when VA combines several ratings into one.
Does the bilateral factor change how rounding works?
The bilateral factor is added to the combined value of the paired ratings before they are combined with your other ratings, so it can change the running total. Rounding to the nearest 10% still happens only once, at the end.
Why does a calculator show a different result than my decision letter?
Common causes are rounding after every step, leaving out a bilateral factor, or entering a rating that differs from the letter. Some tools also skip the whole-number values in VA’s table. Check each rating against the letter, and ask a free accredited VSO representative to look at the decision if the numbers still do not match.
See where your ratings land. Use Woobie’s free VA disability calculator to estimate your combined rating and monthly pay. Try the free calculator →