VA disability, claims and pension guides
How ratings work, how to file and win a claim, how to appeal, and the need-based pension for wartime veterans.
Start here: ratings and compensation
VA Disability Compensation Guide: Rates, Eligibility and How to Apply
VA disability compensation is a tax-free monthly payment to veterans with a service-connected condition rated 10% or higher.
Understanding VA Disability Ratings: How They Work and What Yours Means
A VA disability rating is a percentage from 0% to 100%, in 10% steps, that VA assigns to each service-connected condition using the Schedule for Rating Disabilities (38 CFR Part 4).
VA Disability Rating Schedule Guide: How 38 CFR Part 4 Works
The VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD, 38 CFR Part 4) assigns each service-connected condition a diagnostic code and a set of criteria tiers from 0% to 100% in 10% steps, based on average loss of earning capacity.
100% VA Disability Benefits: What Total Disability Gets You in 2026
A 100% VA disability rating pays $3,938.58 per month in 2026 for a veteran alone ($4,158.17 with a spouse), plus free VA health care with no copays, dental care, and for Permanent & Total ratings, CHAMPVA for dependents, Chapter 35 education benefits, and most state property-tax exemptions.
Filing your first claim
How to File Your First VA Disability Claim
To file your first VA disability claim, submit an Intent to File (VA Form 21-0966) to lock in your effective date, gather your DD214, medical records and any lay statements, then file VA Form 21-526EZ online at VA.gov, by mail, in person at a regional office, or through an accredited VSO.
Medical Evidence Requirements for VA Disability Claims
VA needs three kinds of evidence for a disability claim: proof of a current diagnosed condition, proof of an in-service event, injury or illness, and a medical link between them.
C&P Exam Preparation: What to Expect and How to Prepare
A C&P (Compensation and Pension) exam is a medical evaluation VA or a contractor such as QTC, VES or Optum/LHI schedules to document the diagnosis, severity and service link of a claimed condition.
Increases and secondary claims
Gathering New Evidence for a VA Rating Increase or Supplemental Claim
New and relevant evidence is evidence VA has not previously considered that tends to prove or disprove a matter in your claim, such as a new diagnosis, updated treatment records, a nexus letter or a buddy statement.
How to Establish Secondary Service Connection for a VA Claim
Secondary service connection (38 CFR 3.310) lets VA compensate a condition that was caused or aggravated by an already service-connected disability.
Common VA Secondary Conditions: The Complete List by Primary Disability
A secondary condition is a disability caused or aggravated by a service-connected condition, compensable under 38 CFR 3.310.
Medical Nexus Letters for VA Claims: The Complete Guide
A nexus letter is a written medical opinion from a qualified clinician stating that a veteran's condition is 'at least as likely as not' caused or aggravated by military service or a service-connected disability.
Appeals
VA pension (need-based)
VA Pension Eligibility Requirements (2026)
To qualify for VA Veterans Pension you need at least 90 days of active duty with one day during a recognised wartime period (24 months if you enlisted after September 7, 1980), a discharge that is not dishonorable, and you must be 65 or older, permanently disabled, in a nursing home, or receiving SSDI/SSI.
VA Pension Asset and Income Limits for 2026
For December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026, the VA pension net worth limit is $163,699.
VA Aid and Attendance Benefits: 2026 Rates, Eligibility and How to Apply
VA Aid and Attendance is an added monthly payment for wartime veterans or surviving spouses who receive VA pension and need help with daily activities, are bedridden, in a nursing home, or nearly blind.
Tools
VA Disability Rating Estimator
A VA disability rating estimator predicts the combined percentage VA is likely to assign by applying the VA combined ratings table (38 CFR 4.25) to each of your conditions, then rounding to the nearest 10%.
VA Benefits Scorecard: Find the Benefits You're Missing
Most veterans with a discharge other than dishonorable qualify for some VA benefits: health care, disability compensation for service-connected conditions, the GI Bill (Post-9/11 or Montgomery), a VA home loan with no down payment, life insurance, and burial benefits, plus state-level benefits like property-tax exemptions.
Also relevant
- VA Survivors Pension: 2026 Rates, Net Worth Limit and How to Qualifyin Family, Survivors & Caregivers
- VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC): 2026 Rates and Eligibilityin Family, Survivors & Caregivers