How does VA combined rating math work?
The VA does not add your ratings. It starts with your highest rating, treats the rest of your body as healthy, then applies each additional rating to the remaining healthy percentage. A 50% and a 30% rating combine to 65%, which rounds to 70% (not 80%).
Why is my combined rating lower than the sum of my ratings?
Because the VA uses the whole-person theory. Once you are 50% disabled, only 50% of you remains for the next disability to affect. Each new rating shrinks against a smaller remaining base, so the total is always less than simple addition and can never exceed 100%.
How is the combined rating rounded?
After combining all ratings, the VA rounds the result to the nearest 10 percent. A combined value of 74% rounds down to 70%, while 75% rounds up to 80%. This rounding is the final step and directly sets your monthly compensation tier.
What is the bilateral factor?
When you have disabilities affecting both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles, the VA adds a 10% bilateral factor to those combined ratings before combining with other disabilities. This estimator shows the base combined value; the bilateral factor can raise it.