VA Combined Rating Calculator
Combine multiple VA disability ratings into one rating using the official VA math, including the bilateral factor, and see how it rounds.
Free · No sign-up · Runs in your browser · Last reviewed November 2026
Advertisement
About the VA Combined Rating Calculator
VA disability ratings are not added together. The VA uses combined ratings math (sometimes called the whole-person method): it starts with your highest rating, treats the remaining percent of the person as 100%, and applies the next rating to what is left. That is why a 50% and a 30% rating combine to 65%, not 80%. The final number is rounded to the nearest 10. This VA combined rating calculator follows that method, lets you enter any number of ratings and applies the bilateral factor when you have paired conditions such as both knees or both arms.
How to use it
- Enter your individual disability ratings separated by commas, such as 50, 30, 20.
- If you have conditions on both arms, both legs or paired muscles, enter those ratings in the bilateral box.
- Press Calculate combined rating to see the step-by-step math and the rounded VA rating.
How VA combined math works
- Sort ratings from highest to lowest.
- Start with the highest rating as your first combined value.
- For each next rating, take that percentage of the remaining efficiency (100 minus the current combined value) and add it.
- Round the final result to the nearest 10.
Example: 50%, 30% and 20%. 50% leaves 50%. 30% of 50 is 15, so combined is 65%. 20% of the remaining 35 is 7, so combined is 72%, which rounds to 70%.
Combined rating examples
| Ratings | Exact combined | VA combined rating |
|---|---|---|
| 50, 30, 20 | 72.0% | 70% |
| 70, 50, 30, 10 | 90.5% | 90% |
| 40, 40, 40 | 78.4% | 80% |
| 30, 20 | 44.0% | 40% |
| 10, 10, 10 | 27.1% | 30% |
The bilateral factor
When you have disabilities of both arms, both legs or paired skeletal muscles, the VA first combines those ratings with each other, then adds 10% of that combined value, and treats the result as a single rating before combining it with your other disabilities. Enter those paired ratings in the bilateral box.
Good to know
- Your monthly VA compensation is based on the final combined rating and your dependents.
- A 0% rating does not change the combined number.
- This calculator estimates the math. The VA makes the official decision.
Frequently asked questions
How does the VA combine ratings?
It applies each rating, highest first, to the remaining percentage of the whole person, then rounds the result to the nearest 10. Ratings are not simply added.
What are 50 and 30 combined by the VA?
50% and 30% combine to 65%, which rounds to 70%.
How does VA rounding work?
The combined value rounds to the nearest multiple of 10. A result such as 65% rounds to 70% and 64% rounds to 60%.
What is the bilateral factor?
A 10% increase applied to the combined value of ratings for paired limbs or muscles, before they are combined with your other ratings.
Why is my combined rating lower than the sum?
Because each new rating applies only to the efficiency you have left, so the total can never reach 100% from partial ratings alone.
Does 100% combined mean 100% permanent and total?
No. Permanent and total is a separate designation for a 100% rating that is not expected to improve.
Last reviewed: November 2026. Estimates only. The VA decides your official combined rating.