Combined ratings · 38 CFR §4.25
20% + 20% VA Disability = 40%
Not 40%. VA ratings combine against your remaining efficiency — here is the exact math, straight from the §4.25 combined ratings table.
By Mario Bailey — U.S. Air Force veteran · current Air National Guard member. Data updated 2026-06-08.
Combined value
36
Final rating
40%
Monthly (alone)
$795.84
The step-by-step math
- Start with the higher rating: 20%. You're considered 80% efficient.
- Apply the 20% rating to the remaining 80%: 20% × 80 = 16 additional points.
- Combined value: 20 + 16 = 36 — exactly what the §4.25 Table I shows for 20 and 20.
- Round to the nearest 10 (§4.25(a)): 36 → 40%.
Note: if these are paired limbs — both knees, both arms — the bilateral factor (§4.26) adds 10% of the combined value before rounding, which can change the result. Use the full calculator with body parts selected.
What 40% pays
Effective 2025-12-01: $795.84/month for a veteran alone, $882.84 with a spouse, $947.84 with spouse and one child. Full dependent tables: 40% pay page.
What a third rating would do
| Add | Combined value | Final rating |
|---|---|---|
| +10% | 42 | |
| +20% | 49 | |
| +30% | 55 | |
| +40% | 62 | |
| +50% | 68 |
Notice how each added rating moves the needle less — that's the combining math working against you as the numbers climb. Model your exact set of ratings.
Frequently asked questions
What is 20% + 20% VA disability?
20% combined with 20% is a combined value of 36, which rounds to a 40% VA rating under 38 CFR 4.25. VA ratings combine rather than add: the 20% rating applies only to the 80% efficiency remaining after the 20% rating.
Why isn't 20% + 20% equal to 40%?
Because 38 CFR 4.25 combines ratings against your remaining efficiency. Starting at 20%, you have 80% efficiency left; the 20% rating takes 20% of that 80 (16 points), giving 36 — not 40.
How much does a 40% rating pay?
Effective 2025-12-01, 40% pays $795.84 per month for a veteran with no dependents, or $882.84 with a spouse, per the va.gov rate tables.
SOURCE: 38 CFR §4.25 Table I via eCFR; VA compensation rates, va.gov · retrieved 2026-06-08 · payment rates effective 2025-12-01