How VA Combined Ratings Work: VA Math and the Bilateral Factor
Quick answer
VA doesn’t add ratings together. It combines them with the table in 38 CFR 4.25: start with the highest rating, apply each next rating to the “remaining” efficiency, and round only once at the end to the nearest 10 (5s round up). For example, 50% and 30% combine to 65, which becomes 70%. Ratings on both arms or both legs get the bilateral factor under 38 CFR 4.26.
VA combined rating calculator
Enter each separate disability percentage. Tick Bilateral for ratings affecting both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles. Calculations run in your browser; nothing you enter is stored or sent.
Estimate only, based on 38 CFR §4.25 (combined ratings table) and §4.26 (bilateral factor), reviewed October 5, 2026. Your official combined rating is the one in your VA decision. This tool does not determine service connection, TDIU, SMC, or any entitlement.
How the math works
- Order the ratings from highest to lowest.
- Start with the highest. A 50% rating leaves you “50% efficient.”
- Apply the next rating to what remains. 30% of the remaining 50 is 15, so 50 + 15 = 65.
- Repeat for each additional rating.
- Round once at the end to the nearest 10: 65 becomes 70%.
VA’s own example: ratings of 60%, 40% and 20% combine to 76, then 81, which converts to 80%.
The bilateral factor
When there are compensable disabilities affecting both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles, VA combines those ratings first, then adds (not combines) 10% of that value before combining with everything else. Since a 2023 amendment, if including a bilateral disability would produce a lower combined result, VA removes it from the bilateral calculation to reach the result most favorable to the Veteran.
| Step | Example: 60%, 20%, and 10% on each knee |
|---|---|
| Combine bilateral ratings | 10 and 10 combine to 19 |
| Add the bilateral factor | 19 + 1.9 = 20.9, treated as 21 |
| Combine everything | 60 with 21 = 68; 68 with 20 = 74 |
| Round once | 74 becomes 70% |
What this means in practice
- A new rating doesn’t always raise your combined percentage, especially a small rating added to a high combined value.
- A higher individual rating from an increase claim or a new secondary condition may move you to the next 10%.
- Combined rating affects your monthly compensation rate and can matter for TDIU schedular thresholds.
This page and calculator are educational. Your official combined rating is the one in your VA decision letter. If you think VA combined your ratings incorrectly, a Higher-Level Review is designed for errors in the existing record.
Working with someone on your claim? Learn what a VA-accredited representative is and how to verify one before you sign anything.
Common questions
Why doesn’t VA add my ratings together?
VA’s combined ratings table treats each disability as reducing your remaining efficiency, so each additional rating applies to what is left rather than to 100%.
When does VA round my combined rating?
Only once, after all ratings are combined. The combined value is converted to the nearest number divisible by 10, and values ending in 5 are rounded up.
What is the bilateral factor?
For compensable disabilities affecting both arms, both legs or paired skeletal muscles, VA adds 10% of their combined value before combining with other ratings.
Can 0% ratings change my combined rating?
No. Non-compensable (0%) ratings don’t change the combined percentage, though they keep the condition service-connected.
Does the calculator store my information?
No. It runs entirely in your browser; nothing you enter is saved or sent.
Is the calculator result my official rating?
No. It is an estimate. VA’s decision controls, and the tool does not determine service connection, TDIU, SMC or any entitlement.