30 Percent VA Disability Benefits in 2026
A 30% VA disability rating pays $552.47 a month in 2026 for a veteran alone, $617.47 with a spouse, and $666.47 with a spouse and one child. 30% is the first rating where the VA pays more for your family. It also moves you to VA health care Priority Group 2. Here is every benefit at 30%, the rule behind it, and how veterans usually move up.
TL;DR
- 30% pays $552.47 a month alone, $617.47 with a spouse and $666.47 with a spouse and one child, effective December 1, 2025.
- 30% is where dependents start to count. The VA does not add them for you. File VA Form 21-686c, plus VA Form 21-674 for a child 18 to 23 in school.
- The VA places 30% and 40% ratings in health care Priority Group 2.
- Veterans rated 30% or more can be hired into federal jobs without competing, under 5 U.S.C. 3112.
- The next big step is 50%, which pays $1,132.90 alone and moves you to Priority Group 1.
How much does 30% VA disability pay in 2026?
These are the VA's 2026 rates at 30%, effective December 1, 2025, after a 2.8% cost-of-living increase.
| Family status at 30% | Monthly pay | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran alone | $552.47 | $6,629.64 |
| With spouse | $617.47 | $7,409.64 |
| With spouse and 1 child | $666.47 | $7,997.64 |
| With 1 child only | $596.47 | $7,157.64 |
| With spouse and 1 parent | $669.47 | $8,033.64 |
| With 1 parent only | $604.47 | $7,253.64 |
| Each additional child under 18 | +$32.00 | +$384.00 |
| Each additional child over 18 in school | +$105.00 | +$1,260.00 |
| Spouse receiving Aid and Attendance | +$61.00 | +$732.00 |
Example: a married veteran at 30% with two children under 18 gets $666.47 (spouse and one child) plus $32 for the second child, or $698.47 a month. See every combination on the VA disability pay chart for 2026.
What benefits come with a 30% VA rating?
Added pay for dependents
Under 38 U.S.C. 1115, veterans rated 30% or more get added compensation for a spouse, children and dependent parents. The VA says it will consider dependents when you first reach 30%, but you still need to give it the paperwork:
- VA Form 21-686c for a spouse or a child under 18.
- VA Form 21-686c and VA Form 21-674 for a child 18 to 23 in school full time.
File within a year of a marriage, birth or adoption. The VA says that if you were already at 30% and file within that year, it can pay back to the date of the event. If you wait longer, it may only pay from when it got your claim. If you and your spouse are both veterans rated 30% or more, you can each get the added amount for the other.
VA health care, Priority Group 2
The VA's priority groups page places veterans with a service-connected disability rated 30% or 40% in Priority Group 2. That is a step up from Priority Group 3 at 10% and 20%.
VA home loan funding fee exemption
The VA says you do not pay the funding fee if you receive compensation for a service-connected disability. For a first-time buyer with less than 5% down, the fee is 2.15% of the loan, so a $300,000 loan saves $6,450.
Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
At 20% or more, you are entitled to VR&E if the VA finds an employment handicap (38 CFR 21.40(a)). That is an easier bar than the serious employment handicap needed below 20%. VR&E can cover training, school and job help for a career that works with your conditions.
Federal hiring without competing
Federal agencies can appoint veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more under 5 U.S.C. 3112, without a competitive exam (5 CFR 316.402(b)(4)). Your VA rating letter is the proof.
State benefits
Many states offer programs for disabled veterans, such as reduced vehicle fees, license discounts, or property tax relief. The rating each state requires varies a lot, and some programs only start at higher ratings. Check your state veterans agency and county assessor.
What conditions are commonly rated 30%?
A 30% rating can be one condition or several combined. A few single conditions with a 30% level that veterans see often:
- PTSD and other mental health conditions at the level of occasional decrease in work efficiency (38 CFR 4.130). See our PTSD rating guide.
- Migraines with prostrating attacks about once a month over the last several months (38 CFR 4.124a, DC 8100). See our migraine rating guide.
- Sleep apnea with persistent daytime sleepiness (38 CFR 4.97, DC 6847). See our sleep apnea rating guide.
How do veterans move up from 30%?
- File for an increase when a condition gets worse. The new rating depends on the exact words in the rating schedule and what your C&P exam records. Prepare with our C&P exam tips.
- Claim secondary conditions. Under 38 CFR 3.310, a condition caused or made worse by a service-connected condition is also service connected. PTSD, for example, is often linked to sleep problems, high blood pressure or digestive issues. See VA secondary conditions.
- Claim conditions you never filed, including any on the PACT Act presumptive lists.
How does another rating combine with 30%?
Ratings combine under 38 CFR 4.25. Each new rating applies only to what is left after the ones above it, and the final number rounds to the nearest 10.
- 30% + 10%: 30 leaves 70. 10% of 70 is 7. Combined value 37, which rounds to 40%.
- 30% + 20%: 20% of 70 is 14. Combined value 44, which rounds to 40%.
- 30% + 30%: 30% of 70 is 21. Combined value 51, which rounds to 50%.
Run your own numbers in the VA disability calculator.
30% vs 40% vs 50%: what changes at the next tier?
| 30% | 40% | 50% | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran alone | $552.47 | $795.84 | $1,132.90 |
| With spouse | $617.47 | $882.84 | $1,241.90 |
| With spouse and 1 child | $666.47 | $947.84 | $1,322.90 |
| Each additional child under 18 | $32.00 | $43.00 | $54.00 |
| Health care priority group | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Going from 30% to 50% adds $580.43 a month for a veteran alone, or $656.43 for a veteran with a spouse and one child. The move to Priority Group 1 comes with it. Read what else changes on the 50 percent VA disability benefits page.
At 30% your family becomes part of your benefits. Our Family Benefits Guide covers every dependent benefit by rating, the forms, and the deadlines that cost families back pay.
Get the Family Benefits Guide ($37)
Sources
- VA: 2026 compensation rates
- VA: Add or remove a dependent
- VA: Priority groups
- VA: Funding fee and closing costs
- 38 CFR 21.40, VR&E basic entitlement
- 5 CFR 316.402, appointment of 30% disabled veterans
- 38 U.S.C. 1115, added compensation for dependents
- 38 CFR 3.310, secondary service connection
- 38 CFR 4.25, combined ratings table
Frequently asked questions
How much is 30% VA disability with a spouse in 2026?
$617.47 a month, effective December 1, 2025. With a spouse and one child it is $666.47.
How do I add my spouse and kids at 30%?
File VA Form 21-686c, online or by mail. For a child 18 to 23 in school full time, also file VA Form 21-674. File within a year of a marriage, birth or adoption to be paid back to that date.
What health care priority group is 30%?
Priority Group 2. The VA places ratings of 30% and 40% there. At 50% or more you move to Priority Group 1.
Do 30% disabled veterans get federal hiring help?
Yes. Agencies can appoint veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more without a competitive exam, under 5 U.S.C. 3112.
Is 30% VA disability taxed?
No. The IRS says not to include VA disability compensation in your gross income.
What is the next rating after 30%?
40%, which pays $795.84 a month for a veteran alone. Most veterans aim past it to 50%, which pays $1,132.90 and moves you to Priority Group 1.