United States · VA compensation · 50% rating · Effective December 1, 2025
VA disability pay at 50 percent.
Every 50% row from the VA rate table, the add-ons for extra children and Aid and Attendance, and a calculator for your own dependents.
Short answer: A veteran rated 50% with no dependents receives $1,132.90 a month under the VA rates effective December 1, 2025 (the VA page was last updated November 2, 2026 and still shows these). With a spouse it is $1,241.90; with a spouse and one child $1,322.90; with one child and no spouse $1,205.90. Each additional child under 18 adds $54.00, each additional child over 18 in a qualifying school program adds $176.00, and a spouse receiving Aid and Attendance adds $101.00. The VA had not posted the December 1, 2026 rates when this page was built.
Your dependents at a 50% rating
Result
Press Calculate to see the figures.
The 50% rows from the VA table
| Dependent status | Monthly rate at 50% |
|---|---|
| Veteran alone (no dependents) | $1,132.90 |
| With spouse (no parents or children) | $1,241.90 |
| With spouse and 1 parent (no children) | $1,329.90 |
| With spouse and 2 parents (no children) | $1,417.90 |
| With 1 parent (no spouse or children) | $1,220.90 |
| With 2 parents (no spouse or children) | $1,308.90 |
| Veteran with 1 child only (no spouse or parents) | $1,205.90 |
| With 1 child and spouse (no parents) | $1,322.90 |
| With 1 child, spouse and 1 parent | $1,410.90 |
| With 1 child, spouse and 2 parents | $1,498.90 |
| With 1 child and 1 parent (no spouse) | $1,293.90 |
| With 1 child and 2 parents (no spouse) | $1,381.90 |
| Added amount at 50% | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Each additional child under age 18 | $54.00 |
| Each additional child over age 18 in a qualifying school program | $176.00 |
| Spouse receiving Aid and Attendance | $101.00 |
These are the figures on the VA.gov veteran rates page, effective December 1, 2025. The table's child rows already include one child; the added amounts apply to each child beyond the first. The 10% ($180.42) and 20% ($356.66) ratings have no dependent rows at all, which is why the dependent math starts at 30%.
How the VA builds the number
The VA works from a basic rate chosen by who your dependents are, then adds fixed amounts. Its own worked example, at 70%, starts with the basic rate of $2,074.45 for a veteran with a spouse and one child, adds $76 for each of two more children under 18 and $141 for a spouse receiving Aid and Attendance, for a total of $2,367.45. At 50% the same family uses $1,322.90 as the basic rate, $54 per extra child and $101 for Aid and Attendance. Parents are dependents only when they rely on you for support; the rows above are the only parent combinations the table lists.
What changes on December 1, 2026
VA compensation rises each December 1 with the cost-of-living adjustment, and the VA publishes rounded per-cell amounts rather than a percentage you can apply yourself. When this page was built on November 11, 2026 the VA page still showed the December 1, 2025 rates and had no December 1, 2026 table, so this page does not project the new figures; the VA disability rates table linked above is where the new table will be reflected once the VA posts it. The compensation is not taxable federal income.
Worked example
A veteran rated 50% with a spouse, three children under 18 and a spouse who receives Aid and Attendance: basic rate with 1 child and spouse $1,322.90, plus 2 additional children under 18 x $54 = $108.00, plus $101.00 for Aid and Attendance, total $1,531.90 a month, or $18,382.80 over 12 months (DERIVED). The same veteran with no spouse and one child in college: $1,205.90 basic (1 child only), and because the one child is the child already counted in the row, no add-on applies; a second child in school would add $176.00.
Method
The calculator picks the 50% basic rate for your combination of spouse, first child and parents from the VA table, adds $54.00 for each child under 18 beyond the first, $176.00 for each child over 18 in school beyond the first, and $101.00 when the spouse receives Aid and Attendance, then multiplies by 12 for the DERIVED annual figure. Figures read on November 11, 2026 from VA.gov (rates effective December 1, 2025; page updated November 2, 2026). It does not decide who counts as a dependent.
What this does not cover
- The December 1, 2026 rates, which the VA had not posted when this page was built.
- Special Monthly Compensation, Individual Unemployability and other benefits paid above the schedular rate.
- Whether a child, spouse or parent qualifies as a dependent under VA rules.
- Combined ratings: use the combined rating calculator linked above first.
Figures read from the sources below on November 11, 2026. Last updated November 11, 2026.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Current Veterans disability compensation rates (effective December 1, 2025) (retrieved November 11, 2026; page last updated November 2, 2026)
Common mix-ups
-
Often assumedEach child adds the same amount on top of the basic rate.
What the source saysThe VA table's child rows already include one child ($1,322.90 with spouse and 1 child at 50%). Only additional children add $54.00 under 18 or $176.00 over 18 in a qualifying school program. [1]
-
Often assumedThe 2027 rate is the 2026 rate times the COLA.
What the source saysThe VA publishes rounded per-cell amounts each December 1. On November 11, 2026 its page still showed the rates effective December 1, 2025, so no 2027 figure is stated here. [1]
-
Often assumedAny rating gets dependent add-ons.
What the source saysThe 10% ($180.42) and 20% ($356.66) ratings have no dependent rows; dependent amounts start at 30%. [1]
Checked against these sources on .
Frequently asked questions
How much is VA disability at 50% in 2026?
$1,132.90 a month for a veteran alone, under the rates effective December 1, 2025.
How much is 50% VA disability with a spouse?
$1,241.90 a month with a spouse and no children; $1,322.90 with a spouse and one child.
How much does each child add at 50%?
The first child is in the basic rate. Each additional child under 18 adds $54.00; each additional child over 18 in a qualifying school program adds $176.00.
What is the Aid and Attendance add-on at 50%?
$101.00 a month when your spouse receives Aid and Attendance.
Are the 2027 rates out?
No. On November 11, 2026 the VA page still showed the December 1, 2025 rates; the December 1, 2026 table had not been posted.
Is 50% VA disability pay taxable?
VA disability compensation is not taxable federal income.
Does 50% with two parents pay more?
Yes: $1,308.90 with two dependent parents and no spouse or children, $1,417.90 with a spouse and two parents.
Not legal or financial advice
This page is general information from an unofficial guide, not legal or financial advice, and it is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA decides your rating, your dependents and your payment. Nothing you type is sent anywhere. It runs in your browser.