Combined ratings · 38 CFR §4.25
90% + 80% VA Disability = 100%
Not 110%. 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
98
Final rating
100%
Monthly (alone)
$3,938.58
The step-by-step math
- Start with the higher rating: 90%. You're considered 10% efficient.
- Apply the 80% rating to the remaining 10%: 80% × 10 = 8 additional points.
- Combined value: 90 + 8 = 98 — exactly what the §4.25 Table I shows for 90 and 80.
- Round to the nearest 10 (§4.25(a)): 98 → 100%.
What 100% pays
Effective 2025-12-01: $3,938.58/month for a veteran alone, $4,158.17 with a spouse, $4,318.99 with spouse and one child. Full dependent tables: 100% pay page.
Frequently asked questions
What is 90% + 80% VA disability?
90% combined with 80% is a combined value of 98, which rounds to a 100% VA rating under 38 CFR 4.25. VA ratings combine rather than add: the 80% rating applies only to the 10% efficiency remaining after the 90% rating.
Why isn't 90% + 80% equal to 170%?
Because 38 CFR 4.25 combines ratings against your remaining efficiency. Starting at 90%, you have 10% efficiency left; the 80% rating takes 80% of that 10 (8 points), giving 98 — not 170.
How much does a 100% rating pay?
Effective 2025-12-01, 100% pays $3,938.58 per month for a veteran with no dependents, or $4,158.17 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 90%
90+10 · 90+20 · 90+30 · 90+40 · 90+50 · 90+60 · 90+70 · 90+80 · 90+90 · full calculator