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Military veterans can qualify for over $3,000 in benefits from the VA.
If you’re a disabled veteran, use the following charts to determine how much financial assistance you can receive from the VA. These rates took effect on Dec. 1, 2011.
If you’re a disabled veteran, use the following charts to determine how much financial assistance you can receive from the VA.
10% – 20% (No Dependents)
| Percentage | Rate |
|---|---|
| 10% | $127 |
| 20% | $251 |
| Dependent Status | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran Alone | $389 | $560 | $797 | $1009 |
| Veteran with Spouse Only | $435 | $622 | $874 | $1102 |
| Veteran with Spouse & One Parent | $472 | $671 | $936 | $1176 |
| Veteran with Spouse and Two Parents | $509 | $720 | $998 | $1250 |
| Veteran with One Parent | $426 | $609 | $859 | $1083 |
| Veteran with Two Parents | $463 | $658 | $921 | $1157 |
| Additional for A/A spouse (see footnote b) | $42 | $56 | $71 | $84 |
| Dependent Status | 70% | 80% | 90% | 100% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran Alone | $1,272 | $1,478 | $1,661 | $2,769 |
| Veteran with Spouse Only | $1,380 | $1,602 | $1,800 | $2,924 |
| Veteran with Spouse & One Parent | $1,466 | $1,701 | $1,911 | $3,048 |
| Veteran with Spouse and Two Parents | $1,552 | $1,800 | $2,022 | $3,172 |
| Veteran with One Parent | $1,358 | $1,577 | $1,772 | $2,893 |
| Veteran with Two Parents | $1,444 | $1,676 | $1,883 | $3,017 |
| Additional for A/A spouse (see footnote b) | $99 | $112 | $127 | $141 |
| Dependent Status | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran with Spouse & Child | $469 | $667 | $931 | $1169 |
| Veteran with Child Only | $420 | $601 | $849 | $1071 |
| Veteran with Spouse, One Parent and Child | $506 | $716 | $993 | $1243 |
| Veteran with Spouse, Two Parents and Child | $543 | $765 | $1055 | $1,317 |
| Veteran with One Parent and Child | $457 | $650 | $911 | $1145 |
| Veteran with Two Parents and Child | $494 | $699 | $973 | $1219 |
| Add for Each Additional Child Under Age 18 | $23 | $30 | $38 | $46 |
| Each Additional Schoolchild Over Age 18 (see footnote a) | $74 | $99 | $124 | $148 |
| Additional for A/A spouse (see footnote b) | $42 | $56 | $71 | $84 |
| Dependent Status | 70% | 80% | 90% | 100% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran with Spouse & Child | $1,459 | $1,692 | $1,902 | $3,037 |
| Veteran with Child Only | $1,344 | $1,561 | $1,754 | $2,873 |
| Veteran with Spouse, One Parent and Child | $1,545 | $1,791 | $2,013 | $3,161 |
| Veteran with Spouse, Two Parents and Child | $1,631 | $1,890 | $2,124 | $3,285 |
| Veteran with One Parent and Child | $1,430 | $1,660 | $1,865 | $2,997 |
| Veteran with Two Parents and Child | $1,516 | $1,759 | $1,976 | $3,121 |
| Add for Each Additional Child Under Age 18 | $53 | $61 | $69 | $77 |
| Each Additional Schoolchild Over Age 18 (see footnote a) | $173 | $198 | $223 | $248 |
| Additional for A/A spouse (see footnote b) | $99 | $112 | $127 | $141 |
Photo courtesy US Army Environmental Command
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89 Comments
Thanks for the info.
If I as the veteran, (100%)’ passes, what would my spouse be entitled too?
Even beter what would an ex spouse be entitled to if its taken from retirement if she was awarded a portion in a divorce?
Unless laws have changed recently, disability is not considered community property and a state does not have the right to divide that benefit. In short, she shouldn’t be able to touch your disability.
Unfortunately in most states it’s whatever the Family Court Judge orders, often half if you were married the whole time in service. In Arizona, there’s a law that protects VA Disability in family court. So it really depends on your state and even your particular judge.
After my wife died (100% service connected) I recieved about $1000 a month but it took about 5 months to start being paid that. Also if she (your wife) was to remarry she would lose all of it and get nothing.
DOes that count if I am currently at 80% service connected as well? And will my daughter recieve anything?
What would she get…..The thanks of a Greatfull Nation…..and years and years of Red Tape from the V.A.
Sorry to say but The Veterans Administration is the most inept part of the Bureauracacy.
If death is caused by a service connected disability, she may be entitled to dependent indemnity compensation. Also, if you were totally disabled long enough, that in itself is a grantable DIC benefit.
I am rated at 100%SC for PTSD & Unemployable. I got this rating the frist part of 200 and we have been married 34 years.Will she be able to file for DIC after my death and whom should I get to take care of this matter for her? I am a Life Member of the VFW and the DAV here in Indiana.
did you file a new claim for unemployability at some point? That is probably my next step, but I don’t know what criteria you have to meet as far as VA is concerned.
I am rated as 40% service connected, and it’s deducted from my military retirement. So I actually have to pay for my own compensation. Why????
Same here. If you can get upgraded to 50% You would get concurrent pay where you get full taxable retirement and your $622 from the VA. (as I understand it)
If You are under 20yrs Active, its required that You either Waive your Military Retirement or the VA Compensation by Regulation…..I am 100% VA rated, and 40% DFAS, I had to waive the DFAS pay in order to draw the full 100% from VA~its best for me!
I’m 70% service connected disabled. I have a wife and a child. I retired after 22 years active duty. I don’t receive this much disability. What’s up?
Im also 70% Veteran Alone. I dont get anything close to that each month.
My paperwork says I am 80% service connected but they use different charts and i only get compensated for 60% monthly. That might be the difference. I have friends also with the same circumstances. They are service connected for a higher percentage than what they are actually getting paid for.
somehow they calculate how they want to. If you have different things wrong with you they don’t add them together. They are all corrupt.
I am 70% and I filed for unemployabity, I now receive 100% rate
System dosent make sense. My service connected disabilities ADD up to 130, but Im paid as 80.Its that new math that Ill never understand. I still have claims they dont/wont recognize. Its in my military med records. Need to “clean up the administration” and make it a real Veterans Administration instead of a civilian service denying Veterans!!!!!
Well, blame congress, they wrote the rules.
I stated on face book, cant get my wife certified as my dependent, Cant get whats due on claim for agent orange. I think the whole system is misleading, not veteran friendly. Even our great John Mccain cant help. Semper Fi all you folks there with same problem.
And as far a a COLA for your VA disablity, the Republicans fillibustered that, won’t be decided until after the election, Gee, thanks Repubs
greetings from florida
I am 90% disabeled with dependents, I get my disability pay but I am waiting for my dependent pay. First submitted in May 2011 and resubmitted again in January 2012. I know VA is busy but that is just crazy.
What’s funny though that when your dependent turns 18 they are extremely fast to turn off the money (even though they are still in high school…they did it same month he turned 18), we noticed it right away filled out the form, we got response…It will take 9 months to review!!! Interesting….
I filed to add my spouse and newborn son in Feb 2011. I resubmitted in August 2012…I have called a zillion times and finally received a letter stating that they were “behind” and the end of September was my time frame. However, I have yet to see a cent of it. This is absurd! Does anyone know if I will receive retro pay from the date of my marriage and the birth of my son or will it be based on when I filed the forms?
One of my friends, who is also a disabled vet, applied for spousal compensation in Jan. 2011, and finally started receiving it this last Feb. 2013. She said that they paid back to the date that she 1st filed. I didn`t apply for mine until December 2012, so I probably won`t get it until 2014, but as far as I know, they do pay back to the date you 1st submitted your form…that is if it gets approved.
My husband, Totally Hearing impaired (Deaf) Korean War Vet,Air Force, Korea, Intercept Enemy Code, Security Radio Operator. Applied for disability twice. No response from Vets Admin.
Contact your Congressman he will get things rolling
what is an “A/A Spouse”?
to figure disability
20% leaves 80 % not disabled
another 20% would be 20% of 80% not 100
which is 16% leaving 16 of 80 =64
30% added would be 30 percent of 64 which is 19 not 30 making it 45 30 % more would be 30 % of 45 not 100 so we wind up with 31 % not disabled or 70 % disabled 20+20+30++30=100% but formula = 70 % always % of amount disabled not total of disabilities added together
An AA spouse is a spouse who needs Aid and Attendence. In other words a disabled homebound spouse who needs a caregiver.
I joined the DAV they helped me!
I’ve been trying to get the VA to let me see a doctor at the Los Angeles Hospital and look into my Neurapathy/ Diabetes problem for 15 years. Absolutely no luck, I was exposed to Agent Orange while I was in Viet Nam and I have pretty much lost the use of both legs and my left arm and hand. According to my local VA Quack, it couldn’t possibly be related to agent orange because it took too long to affect me. BS. I think they figure if they hold out long enough I will just die and be out of their hair !
The problem with VA administration is you have people in there that have never seen a day of military service makin these decisions for us Veterans. Put thier asses out there and let me take years to decide thier case. No you cant have that so theres more money for me who doesnt deserve it. Its bullshit. They claim to be here for us but talk to all of the veterans and they would rather go private than the damn VA for proper treatment.
First of all thanks to all how have served, and thanks for the info I didn’t know each child was different pay, how do you go about add two? Do I have to go to the VA and reapply?
In answer to your question NO…I was able to add my twins born this yr over the phone. I had to mail in their orginal birth cert. But dont worry they send them back.
I haven’t been required to provide birth or marriage certificates for any of my children. I wonder why?
Ive been to DAV, PVA, VFW, all of them have been on my side. Five years later and two apoeals. All the VA can say is no. 80% disabled and they are too closed minded about what us Veterans have done for thier asses to sit behind a desk and say no. Then if you get a lawyer you still lose cuz they take it all from you. I throughly say if you havent served in the military, you shouldnt be allowed to work at the VA. If you work in claims, then you shouldhave been in same or worse to decide a claim. Not some Joe off the stret. System needs to be fixed cause its not bout the Veteran!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I totally agree!! We as Veterans must protest.
how do you put in for agent orange. they wont even talk to me about it. and ive got type 11 diabetis and thats where they said i got it. i had 20 percent for my ears and just for no reason, they took that away. can anyone tell me how to handle these fools?.
Do not try handling it on your own. Use a sevice rep from somewhere like the VFW or DAV. Most have offices at VA med centers but are notemployed by the VA. Thier sole job isto help the vet.
have the dav file a claim for you,they rep you for free,you should get 20% if you take meds for type 2,you have to prove boots on the ground in nam.
I’m collecting 20% and have been out of work now almost 7 years due to my injury. It’s going on almost 7 years now My lawyer has been trying to get me 100% due to unemployability. I’ll be dead before I ever see A Dime. Thanks Va!!! please send anything I may have coming to me in heaven.
I think its time to dump your lawyer! You need to know that you must be rated at least, either 60% or 70% disabled (not sure which) in order to apply for the 100% due to unemployability. So first, you need to get your percentage increased and yes, it takes time, but as your claim is being processed, the VA is supposed to let let you know periodically, that they are still working on your claim. If your lawyer is not a DAV lawyer or one that is affiliated with some other veteran service group — Dump him… Goog luck, I wish you well and many thanks for YOUR service.
i got tired of screwing around with VA so i went to my state rep (bud shuster) i couldn’t beleive it when he called me the next day i now have 100%.
Go to your county office and have the American Legion represent you, screw the lawyer, cause that is what he is doing to you!
most lawyers will take 30-40% off the top of any compensation you might receive…use a DAV representative, they are free, and know what they are doing.
Our problems with the VA have been going on for longer than I have dealt with them which is 38 years, stay after them, talk with congressmen and senators, that has helped me somewhat over the years but puts a black mark on the VA records about you.
the va mistreats all of our veterans who deserve and earned that money! you deserve more than that! its ashamed that people get housing food stamps and ssi and they arent even from this country! is that what we are fighting for!!! what a disgrace
Stevil,
You hit the nail on the head. I is a d…. shame. We as veterans have to wait months to years to receive what is owed to us because of back logs in the system. Why not hire those folks that r receiving food stamps to help process some of the thousands of va disability claims.
I am ashamed to read all the negatives. The Congress has hearings on every subject most are a waste of time and it is about time they mounted a VA hearing to hear all the gripes. Lets get all the service organizations to call for a hearing.
I am with you on this one!
The VA is broken. In the last month, I have been denied medical care (illegal) at my local clinic in Klamath Falls, OR because “your team’s doctor resigned and we have no one to see you”, then was told by them to pay and see the local e.r., had the urgent care doctor in Roseburg tell me it would be better if I saw a private doctor (same day after a 3hr each way drive and 11hr wait)and then he did not place the consultation I needed for my hearing, and a waiting room full of fed up vets getting angry.
Been trying to add my wife and stepchild to my comp since 2011. Was told my claim was not important and to wait. Been trying to file a claim for my carrier diminished hearing, but I don’t know if I want to go through the trouble.
My dad was a silver star 100% disabled vietnam vet. He (we) dealt with even worse problems with the VA. He is dead now. Thanks VA. Way to treat the US Commanding officer’s ex-bodyguard in NAM right?
Go VA! You are doing such a great job!
For those with disability compensation problems: If you haven’t got an open claim, file one today. Find the website that lists the exact verbiage required to get the level of compensation that most accurately describes your condition. Pay attention to phrases like “more likely than not”, “directly caused”, “causal factor”, “aggravates”, etc. Write a letter stating how the problems you have are related to military service. Now go find your own doctor to write a letter like yours or better yet just use yours and sign it. When you get turned down, appeal. Never miss a deadline. Follow the appeal process until it goes to the board. That takes the decision out of the r/o and into the legal system. The decision makers now are lawyers and you get a chance to submit further evidence. Now send your doctor letters (a different letter for each condition) to the board. When they see the right wording as previously mentioned you win. It only takes preponderance of the evidence or even a tie in competing opinions for you to win. These folks are lawyers, not doctors, and believe it or not are on your side. Give them what they need to give you what you want. Never lie to them, that’s a felony. Took me 7 years to finally get to 100% so don’t give up.
Kudos Southernvet! You are giving them the right recipe for success. Squeaky wheel does get the oil, complaining is not the proper way to squeak! Following protocol and the right paperwork will get it done. Getting educated on the system sure helps as well!
Like alot of you guys am still waiting on word from the VA on my agent orange,and a few other things,been a year now,am a vietnam vet,I sure hope they treat the next generation of soldiers alot better then they are treating us.Just remenber your congressman,if he did any time,all he has to do is fax his paper work over and he’s taken care of.like the man said send it to heaven. Semper Fi
Don’t worry they get a little better but not as well as they need to be. Viet Nam Vets are at the bottom of the list because they feel that we are used to getting treated like crap and will stand for it.
With a 100% compensation, how will the COLA increase affect my check every month? I am living month to month on my compensation and live on a very tight budget. So I am wondering how much of an increase I can expect.
Janice,
It depends on your disability rating. No two people will have the same situation and therefore will get different increases each month during 2013. On average, recipients will receive $500 more total in 2013.
-Christian L.
the VA were notified to adjust my disability compensation in Jan.31,2004 for my spouse(vietnamese) they claim,i never told them! my wife qualified for CHAMPVA as of that date.They never paid me the additional $150.00,until july 2008,i complained,filed a claim,along with documentation of notification. They denied me back pay,filed an appeal, a review officer in Winston-Salem VA denied me again!They owe me $8,000.00 in benefit pay for my wife. This is nothing more,than a swindle!
I was recently asked about paying an ex part of his disability after divorce. Excuse my opinion, but any spouse who goes after the veteran for a chunk of his disability for alimony should be ashamed of his/herself. Calculating the amount for child support is the law and the child/children is/are entitled, but the veteran shouldn’t be paying ANY of that to an ex who didn’t earn it. Just my 2 cents.
I have read the comments about the VA…it is such a shame…I have found that the military uses and when they are finished with us, we are nearly thrown out for the trash collector. We are not even a number. I was told that I had to resign from the military because I refused surgery!!! The post office did the same thing to me!!! What a system…..!!!
i was in the military active from 1971 till 1975 then i was in the army reserves from 1975 till 1980. then i joined the national guard from 1980 till 1992 a total of 21 years. i called about my retirement package and cannot get my records of my military time. when i call i keep getting passed on to other departments.i am 40%service connected and i have been trying to get a increase sinc 1992 every time i apply i get turned down. my case was reopened dec. of 2011.i was injured while i was in the army but they cannot finsd any record of my injurys.
I’m very happy with the help the VA gave me. It is true that it takes awhile, but it pays off at the end. I also got some help from the DAV.
Happy at the DAV? They have been nothing but a waist of time for me. I have been trying to remove them from my file but I can’t seem to. I have called our DAV regional office over 8 different times in the past 6 months and every time I call they are out on board meetings or vacations they don’t even keep accurate records I think they are in cahoots with the Oakland regional veterans office and like to lose stuff on purpose
Everyone is talking bad about the VA, I sit and think that I have ben on almost ten different deployments from 1991 thru 2012. I have been paralized from the neck down, been medivaced out of theater declared legally blind, my wife and kids left me because they say that I spend more time deployed than at home. two weeks a year since 2004 what a life. filed a claim with the VA and they gave me 40%. Now I got the other claim going since 2010 for PTSD, the sleep aphnea and the astmah, everytime i call them they talk about it only takes 180 days, now we are about to be in 2013 and still no decision. I got the Cpap machine, the three different inhalers, and they got me on all this S**t that is supposed to make me sleep. I am still up until two or three every night looking at the ceeling wondering if it will ever end. they got me comming to appointments every month now. I just feel like going in there and choking the S**t out of everylast one of them. then going to Waco and pulling a Vernon Howell
aka David Koresh on all of them then they will get someone in there to take care of bussiness. This don’t make any sense at all.
I have four childrens,and I ve had them since birth,I am a grandparent, how do I claim them as dependant? I am an honorable discharged vet with service connected disability,or their any help?
James, here’s a great walk through of how to add or remove dependents from you VA compensation benefits. http://themilitarywallet.com/add-or-remove-dependent-from-va-compensation-benefits/
Here is how ratings are done; I have spoken with a number of people at the VA and know this is fact: You start as 100% healthy; take your highest rating, say 40%. Subtract that from 100% and you have 60% remaining. 60% is now your whole rating. If you have an additional 10% rating, then 10% of 60% is only 6%. That would put you at 46% and would not meet the requirements for 50%. I agree it is a very confusing system of calculation, but that is the way it is.
I had a problem with malaria records that the va said was not found anywhere. I started digging and found that all records of patients were still aboard the hospital ship that had been decommissioned. It shows that sometimes all your records are not in one place. So anyone that was in nam and had malaria and put on a hospital ship search for that ship.
I figured out how they add up the %. Ready? Say someone has 3 things being rated for dissability at 70%, 20% and 10%. Normal math would equal 100%, Right?
Here is Fed Math.
70% dissabled = 30% able
20% of the remaining 30% that is able = 6
(6 minus the 30=24) dissabled and 24% able.
10% of the remaining 24% that is able = 2.4 (2.4 minus the 24 = 22.6)
The final number is 70%+6%+2.4=78.4% dissabled and 22.6 able. 78.4% rounded up to 80%
I hope this helps someone else understand why the % does not make sense
Can dual disabled veterans receive benefits with children?
Why does my previous link to the Disability Compensation Rate Tables on the VA site no longer work? I can’t find the tables anywhere. I’m talking about the list that shows current and also historic rates.
Is there a new place to get these?
They never told us about this when we were enlisting recruits but we’ve all been screwed by the lopsided VA compensation system. I could tell you manay more stories than what is posted here. Rest assured congress and the senate are all well taken care of while we suffer and pay taxes to help pay our own compensation.
I would like to find out if I can apply for VA benefits. I was in the Army from 1975 until 1978 and had mental problems ever since. In the last few years I also had a heart attack, tripple by-pass, back surgery etc. – I am fully disabled but never applied for VA benefits. Can somebody give me some information on this? Thank you for your help.
Hi Tom! Follow this link for more information about applying for your VA benefits. https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal?_nfpb=true&_nfxr=false&_pageLabel=Apply
There was supposed to be an increase of 1.7%, but it’s not on my check today what’s up with that? Did anyone else not get their raise?
I thinks we as Veterans need to start taking our stories about the no go VA system to our local/national media! Maybe this would get the ball rolling again. Remember the Walter Reed whistle blower.
i am 90% unemployale i draw 100% rate is my wife eligable for champ va
Hi Clayton, your spouse is eligible for CHAMPVA if she is not eligible for TRICARE and the VA has rated you permanently and totally disabled for a service-connected disability. Here’s a link with more information: http://www.va.gov/hac/forbeneficiaries/champva/champva.asp
I need help claiming reclaiming my disabilities. I have a 0% and don’t know how to resummit the paper work. any advises
Hello Luis! Here are a couple ways that you can file your claim with the VA. http://www.benefits.va.gov/COMPENSATION/apply.asp?expandable=0
I get VA Benefits 30%. When I die does my wife get any of this benefit ?
Thanks for the question James! The following link breaks down the requirements for surviving spouses applying for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC): http://benefits.va.gov/COMPENSATION/types-dependency_and_indemnity.asp
I’m 30% for PTSD. Nam vet. Found out DEC 2012 I had lung cancer and had part of lung removed 2/2013. Filed for Agent Orange. What can I expect? An increase? If so, how much?
Im 70% service connected with 4 dependents and one of the are disabled and i only revieve 1475 a month and was told i should be at 3000 a month or more any answers would help my va doesnt help me
We have been waiting 2 years for one child and 1year for another as they were taken off the claim the day they turned 18 but they’re both still in school .I’m very greatfull for the 70 % I’M receiving but I can’t understand what the delay is ?Iam an Airborne combat vet who just wants fair compensation and shouldn’t feel like I’M begging for scraps from a dumpster . It all starts at the local level in the voting booths . We keep sending the same people back to Washington expecting different results .I am told this is the definition of insanity?