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What your rating unlocks

Common federal benefits by rating level. Each level also gets everything above it.

  1. 1

    Any rating (0%+)

    • • VA health care for your service-connected conditions
    • • Commissary and exchange access (since 2020)
    • • SMC-K can be added even at 0%
  2. 2

    10% and up

    • • Tax-free monthly compensation
    • • VA home loan funding fee waived
    • • 10-point federal hiring preference
    • • Veteran Readiness & Employment (usually 20%+, or 10% with a serious employment handicap)
  3. 3

    30% and up

    • • Extra monthly pay for a spouse, children and dependent parents
    • • 30% or more federal hiring preference
  4. 4

    50% and up

    • • VA health care Priority Group 1: no copays for care or medications
  5. 5

    100% (permanent & total)

    • • CHAMPVA health coverage for your spouse and children
    • • Survivors' & Dependents' Educational Assistance (Chapter 35)
    • • Property tax relief in many states (rules vary by state)

Special monthly compensation (SMC)

Extra pay on top of your regular rate for specific losses, such as loss or loss of use of a hand, foot, eye or reproductive organ, or needing help with daily activities.

SMC-K · 2026
$139.87 / month per award

Added at any rating from 0% to 100%. You can receive up to 3 SMC-K awards. You can add them in the calculator.

Higher SMC levels (L through S) replace the regular rate and are not estimated here.

VA.gov SMC rates

Can't work? Ask about TDIU

Individual Unemployability pays at the 100% rate if service-connected conditions keep you from steady work. Usually you need one condition at 60%, or a combined 70% with one condition at 40% or more.

Estimate your rating