VeteranPlug

Combined ratings · 38 CFR §4.25

80% + 20% VA Disability = 80%

Not 100%. VA ratings combine against your remaining efficiency — here is the exact math, straight from the §4.25 combined ratings table.

Mario Bailey, U.S. Air Force veteran · current Air National Guard member

By Mario Bailey — U.S. Air Force veteran · current Air National Guard member. Data updated 2026-06-08.

Combined value

84

Final rating

80%

Monthly (alone)

$2,102.15

The step-by-step math

  1. Start with the higher rating: 80%. You're considered 20% efficient.
  2. Apply the 20% rating to the remaining 20%: 20% × 20 = 4 additional points.
  3. Combined value: 80 + 4 = 84 — exactly what the §4.25 Table I shows for 80 and 20.
  4. Round to the nearest 10 (§4.25(a)): 84 → 80%.

What 80% pays

Effective 2025-12-01: $2,102.15/month for a veteran alone, $2,277.15 with a spouse, $2,406.15 with spouse and one child. Full dependent tables: 80% pay page.

What a third rating would do

Adding a third rating to 80 + 20
AddCombined valueFinal rating
+10% 86 90%
+20% 87 90%
+30% 89 90%
+40% 90 90%
+50% 92 90%

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 80% + 20% VA disability?

80% combined with 20% is a combined value of 84, which rounds to a 80% VA rating under 38 CFR 4.25. VA ratings combine rather than add: the 20% rating applies only to the 20% efficiency remaining after the 80% rating.

Why isn't 80% + 20% equal to 100%?

Because 38 CFR 4.25 combines ratings against your remaining efficiency. Starting at 80%, you have 20% efficiency left; the 20% rating takes 20% of that 20 (4 points), giving 84 — not 100.

How much does a 80% rating pay?

Effective 2025-12-01, 80% pays $2,102.15 per month for a veteran with no dependents, or $2,277.15 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

Other combinations with 80%

80+10 · 80+20 · 80+30 · 80+40 · 80+50 · 80+60 · 80+70 · 80+80 · full calculator