Combined ratings · 38 CFR §4.25
30% + 30% VA Disability = 50%
Not 60%. 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
51
Final rating
50%
Monthly (alone)
$1,132.90
The step-by-step math
- Start with the higher rating: 30%. You're considered 70% efficient.
- Apply the 30% rating to the remaining 70%: 30% × 70 = 21 additional points.
- Combined value: 30 + 21 = 51 — exactly what the §4.25 Table I shows for 30 and 30.
- Round to the nearest 10 (§4.25(a)): 51 → 50%.
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 50% pays
Effective 2025-12-01: $1,132.90/month for a veteran alone, $1,241.90 with a spouse, $1,322.90 with spouse and one child. Full dependent tables: 50% pay page.
What a third rating would do
| Add | Combined value | Final rating |
|---|---|---|
| +10% | 56 | |
| +20% | 61 | |
| +30% | 66 | |
| +40% | 71 | |
| +50% | 76 |
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 30% + 30% VA disability?
30% combined with 30% is a combined value of 51, which rounds to a 50% VA rating under 38 CFR 4.25. VA ratings combine rather than add: the 30% rating applies only to the 70% efficiency remaining after the 30% rating.
Why isn't 30% + 30% equal to 60%?
Because 38 CFR 4.25 combines ratings against your remaining efficiency. Starting at 30%, you have 70% efficiency left; the 30% rating takes 30% of that 70 (21 points), giving 51 — not 60.
How much does a 50% rating pay?
Effective 2025-12-01, 50% pays $1,132.90 per month for a veteran with no dependents, or $1,241.90 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