Vet Kept

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VA math calculator

VA doesn't add your ratings together. Enter each rating and see how VA combines them, step by step, with the bilateral factor.

  • The formula in 38 CFR 4.25, tested against every value in VA's combined ratings table.
  • The bilateral factor for both arms or both legs, from 38 CFR 4.26.
  • Every step shown, so you can check it against your decision letter.

Your ratings

One row for each rated condition Enter each rating on your VA decision. For a condition of an arm or a leg, say which one. If one rating covers both legs or both arms, such as flat feet in both feet, pick Both legs or Both arms. VA may add a bilateral factor when both arms or both legs are rated. Set a row to 0% to leave it out.
Combined value Before rounding
Rounded to the nearest 10 Values ending in 5 round up (38 CFR 4.25)

Your combined VA rating

70%

Seventy percent

Combined value 72 ยท rounded to 70VA math

How VA math works

VA starts from a whole, healthy person: 100% "efficient". Your highest rating takes its share first. Each next rating takes its share of what is left, not of the whole.

Take 50% and 30%. After the 50%, half of you is left. 30% of that half is 15, so the two combine to 65. VA then rounds to the nearest 10, and 65 rounds up to 70%.

1. OrderPut the ratings in order, highest first.
2. CombineCombine the first two with VA's combined ratings table. Combine that result with the next rating, and so on.
3. Round onceOnly at the end, round to the nearest 10. A value ending in 5 rounds up: 65 becomes 70, 64 becomes 60.
Bilateral factorWhen both arms or both legs have ratings of 10% or more, those ratings are combined first and 10% of that value is added. The result counts as one rating.

The bilateral factor, with VA's own example

This is the example in 38 CFR 4.26: ratings of 60%, 20%, 10% and 10%, where the two 10% ratings are for the left and right leg.

Combine the two legs: 10 and 1019
Add 10% of 19 (1.9), not combined20.9, rounded to 21
Order of severity60, 21, 20
60 combined with 2168
68 combined with 2074
Rounded to the nearest 1070%

Which conditions count

"Arms" and "legs" mean the whole limb: an arm includes the forearm and hand, a leg includes the thigh and foot. A right thigh and a left foot count as both legs (38 CFR 4.26(a)).

Both sides must be rated

The factor applies only when each side has a rating of at least 10%. A 0% rating on one side doesn't count (38 CFR 4.26(c)).

Arms and legs together

If both arms and both legs have ratings, all four limbs are combined in one group before the 10% is added (38 CFR 4.26(b)).

When the factor would lower the result

Since April 2023, if leaving some bilateral ratings out of the factor gives a higher combined rating, VA combines them separately instead (38 CFR 4.26(d)). The calculator checks this for you.

VA's manual rounds a bilateral value to the nearest whole number, with .5 and up rounding up (M21-1, Part V, Subpart iv, Chapter 1, Section C). If one rating covers both legs or both arms, such as flat feet in both feet, the factor applies only together with another rating on an arm or leg, as in the manual's examples. The calculator covers arms and legs. The rule also covers paired skeletal muscles, which the calculator doesn't ask about, and VA's manual says the factor may not apply to some skin conditions.

VA's combined ratings table (38 CFR 4.25)

Find the higher value in the left column and the next rating in the top row. Where they meet is the combined value. Our calculator gives the same answer for every cell.

Show the full table
Value102030405060708090
19273543516068768492
20283644526068768492
21293745536168768492
22303845536169778492
23313846546269778592
24323947546270778592
25334048556370788593
26334148566370788593
27344249566471788593
28354250576471788693
29364350576572798693
30374451586572798693
31384552596672798693
32394652596673808693
33404653606773808793
34414754606774808793
35424855616874818794
36424955626874818794
37435056626975818794
38445057636975818894
39455157637076828894
40465258647076828894
41475359657176828894
42485459657177838894
43495460667277838994
44505561667278838994
45515662677378848995
46515762687378848995
47525863687479848995
48535864697479849095
49545964697580859095
50556065707580859095
51566166717680859095
52576266717681869095
53586267727781869195
54596368727782869195
55606469737882879196
56606569747882879196
57616670747983879196
58626671757983879296
59636771758084889296
60646872768084889296
61656973778184889296
62667073778185899296
63677074788285899396
64687175788286899396
65697276798386909397
66697376808386909397
67707477808487909397
68717478818487909497
69727578818588919497
70737679828588919497
71747780838688919497
72757880838689929497
73767881848789929597
74777982848790929597
75788083858890939598
76788183868890939598
77798284868991939598
78808285878991939698
79818385879092949698
80828486889092949698
81838587899192949698
82848687899193959698
83858688909293959798
84868789909294959798
85878890919394969799
86878990929394969799
87889091929495969799
88899092939495969899
89909192939596979899
90919293949596979899
91929394959696979899
92939494959697989899
93949495969797989999
94959596969798989999

Download the table as a CSV file

To cite this page: Vet Kept, "VA math calculator: combined rating with bilateral factor," https://vetkept.com/va-math-calculator/, updated November 7, 2026. Table from 38 CFR 4.25.

Questions people ask

Why doesn't VA add my ratings together?

VA combines ratings so the total can't go past 100%. Each rating applies to the part of you the earlier ratings left, so 50% and 30% combine to 65, which rounds to 70%, not 80%.

How does VA round the combined rating?

Once, at the very end, to the nearest 10. Values ending in 5 or more round up and values ending in 1 to 4 round down, so 65 becomes 70% and 64 becomes 60%.

What is the bilateral factor?

When both arms or both legs have ratings of 10% or more, VA combines those ratings first and adds 10% of the combined value. That total counts as one rating when VA combines it with your other ratings.

Can two ratings of 50% make 100%?

No. 50% and 50% combine to 75, which rounds to 80%.

Will my result match my VA decision?

It uses the same table and rules. Your decision letter is what counts. If your result differs, check that you entered every rating and marked each arm or leg condition.

Updated November 7, 2026. Sources: 38 CFR 4.25 (combined ratings table); 38 CFR 4.26 (bilateral factor, amended April 2023); M21-1, Part V, Subpart iv, Chapter 1, Section C (applying the bilateral factor and rounding); VA, "About disability ratings". Not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.