KEY TAKEAWAYS
- A single veteran rated 70% receives $1,808.45 a month in 2026 ($21,701.40 a year), tax-free. Dependents raise the amount, to $2,320.45 with a spouse, child and two parents.
- A 70% combined rating with one condition rated 40% or higher meets the schedular test for TDIU, which pays at the 100% rate ($3,938.58 for a single veteran) if you cannot hold substantially gainful work.
- A 70% rating puts you in VA Priority Group 1: no copays for outpatient care, inpatient care or medications. Extended care copays can still apply after 21 days.
- Veterans receiving VA compensation are exempt from the VA funding fee at any rating, so a 70% rating means no funding fee on a VA loan.
- You can work and earn any amount at 70%. Income limits apply only if you are paid under TDIU. Full dental care (Class IV) and CHAMPVA for family are tied to 100%, TDIU or P&T status, not 70% alone.
- 70% VA Disability Pay Rates for 2026
- TDIU Eligibility at 70%
- Healthcare Benefits at 70%
- Other Federal Benefits at 70%
- State Benefits for 70% Disabled Veterans
- How Veterans Reach a 70% Rating
- 70% VA Rating, Military Retirement and TRICARE
- How to Increase Your Rating Above 70%
- Frequently Asked Questions
A 70% VA disability rating pays $1,808.45 a month in 2026 for a single veteran with no dependents, tax-free, and the amount rises with a spouse, children or dependent parents. It is also the rating where the VA’s unemployability rules start to matter: with one condition at 40% or higher, you meet the schedular test for Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU), which pays at the 100% rate. This guide lists the full 2026 pay chart, what a 70% rating gets you in health care, dental, loans and state benefits, and how to move higher.
70% VA Disability Pay Rates for 2026
VA disability compensation is tax-free at the federal level and is not taxed by any state. The rates below took effect December 1, 2025, with the 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment, and come from the VA’s current compensation rate tables. Rates reset each December 1, so check the VA page after the next COLA is announced.
70% VA Disability Pay Chart (2026)
| Dependent status | Monthly payment | Annual payment |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran alone (no dependents) | $1,808.45 | $21,701.40 |
| With spouse only | $1,961.45 | $23,537.40 |
| With spouse and 1 parent | $2,084.45 | $25,013.40 |
| With spouse and 2 parents | $2,207.45 | $26,489.40 |
| With 1 parent (no spouse) | $1,931.45 | $23,177.40 |
| With 2 parents (no spouse) | $2,054.45 | $24,653.40 |
| With 1 child only (no spouse) | $1,910.45 | $22,925.40 |
| With spouse and 1 child | $2,074.45 | $24,893.40 |
Spouse and Children at 70%
The table above lists one child. Each additional child under 18 adds $76.00 a month. These totals include a spouse:
| Family | Monthly payment | Annual payment |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse and 1 child | $2,074.45 | $24,893.40 |
| Spouse and 2 children | $2,150.45 | $25,805.40 |
| Spouse and 3 children | $2,226.45 | $26,717.40 |
| Spouse and 4 children | $2,302.45 | $27,629.40 |
Other Add-Ons at 70%
- Each additional child under 18: +$76.00 a month
- Each child over 18 in a qualifying school program: +$246.00 a month
- Spouse receiving Aid & Attendance: +$141.00 a month
- Each dependent parent: +$123.00 a month (the difference between the VA’s table rows)
Example: a veteran rated 70% with a spouse and three children under 18 receives $2,074.45 (spouse and one child) + $76.00 + $76.00 = $2,226.45 a month. To estimate pay for your own combination of ratings, use our VA disability calculator.
Dependent amounts apply at a combined rating of 30% or higher, and they are already included in the 70% figures above. For rates at other levels, see our guides to 50% VA disability, 80% VA disability and 100% VA disability.
TDIU Eligibility at 70%: Getting Paid at the 100% Rate
For many veterans, the most valuable thing about a 70% rating is eligibility for Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU). TDIU pays at the 100% rate to veterans who cannot hold substantially gainful employment because of service-connected conditions. For a single veteran, that is $3,938.58 a month instead of $1,808.45, a difference of $2,130.13 a month or about $25,562 a year. Our full TDIU guide covers the claim in more detail.
TDIU Schedular Requirements
You meet the schedular requirements for TDIU if you have either:
- One service-connected condition rated 60% or higher, or
- A combined rating of 70% or higher with at least one condition rated 40% or higher
The second path is often called the “70-40 rule,” and it is why a 70% combined rating matters. Veterans who do not meet either test can still apply, and VA can consider TDIU on an extraschedular basis, but those claims are harder to win.
What “Substantially Gainful Employment” Means
VA treats work as substantially gainful when it pays more than the U.S. Census Bureau’s poverty threshold for one person. VA applies the one-person threshold whatever your family size, so there is no extra allowance for dependents, and the Census threshold is not the same figure as the HHS poverty guideline that many sites quote. Our TDIU guide covers the current threshold and how VA applies it. Earning less than that, or working in a protected setting such as a sheltered job or a family business with real accommodations, counts as marginal employment and does not by itself end TDIU.
TDIU Work Rules
- Marginal employment (earning under the threshold) is allowed
- Protected employment (an accommodating or sheltered environment) can be allowed even above the threshold, judged case by case
- Substantially gainful employment can lead VA to propose reducing or ending TDIU. VA generally looks at whether earnings stay above the threshold for 12 consecutive months, and you get notice and time to respond
How to Apply for TDIU
- VA Form 21-8940: Veteran’s Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability
- VA Form 21-4192: Request for Employment Information, which your former employers complete
- Supporting evidence: medical records, work history, vocational opinions and buddy statements showing how your conditions prevent work
Download forms on VA.gov.
TDIU vs. 100% Schedular
| Factor | TDIU | 100% schedular |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly pay (single veteran) | $3,938.58 | $3,938.58 |
| Can work without restrictions? | No, income limits apply | Yes |
| Comprehensive VA dental care (Class IV) | Yes, when paid at the 100% rate | Yes |
| VA funding fee exempt? | Yes | Yes |
| CHAMPVA and Chapter 35 for family | Only if P&T | Only if P&T |
TDIU alone does not make you Permanent and Total (P&T), but VA can designate it permanent if your unemployability is not expected to improve. P&T status is what unlocks CHAMPVA for your family. See our 100% VA disability guide for the full list.
Healthcare Benefits at 70%
Priority Group 1 Enrollment
Veterans rated 50% or higher are placed in Priority Group 1, the highest priority for VA health care. Per the VA’s copayment page, Priority Group 1 veterans pay no copay for outpatient or inpatient care and no copay for any medications. The main exception is long-term care: the first 21 days in a 12-month period are free, and copays can apply after that depending on the level of care and your finances. Enrollment is not automatic for everyone, so apply through our VA health care enrollment guide if you have not yet.
Dental Care
A 70% rating does not by itself qualify you for comprehensive VA dental care. Per the VA’s dental benefits booklet:
- Class IV (any needed dental care) covers veterans rated 100% service-connected, or unemployable and paid at the 100% rate. That includes TDIU, but not a 70% rating.
- Class I covers any service-connected dental condition rated 10% or higher.
- Class III covers dental conditions VA clinically determines are associated with and aggravating a service-connected medical condition.
Many 70%-rated veterans without a dental disability must buy dental coverage, such as the VA Dental Insurance Program (VADIP). See our VA dental eligibility guide for every class.
Mental Health Services
All enrolled veterans have access to VA mental health services, including:
- Individual and group therapy
- Psychiatry and medication management
- PTSD treatment programs
- Substance use disorder treatment
- Veterans Crisis Line: 988, then press 1
Other Federal Benefits at 70%
VA Home Loan: No Funding Fee at 70%
Veterans with a 70% rating can use the VA home loan with no down payment and no private mortgage insurance. You also do not pay the funding fee. The VA exempts veterans who receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability, and it does not set a minimum rating. That means a 70% rating gets the same exemption as 100%, which can save thousands on a first-time purchase. Our VA funding fee guide lists the other exemptions, and our VA loans for disabled veterans guide covers the rest of the loan benefits.
VA HOME LOAN
Your Rating Waives the Funding Fee
At 70% you pay no funding fee and no down payment. On a $400,000 loan that is roughly $8,600 you keep. See what you qualify for with a VA-specialist lender.
Check My VA Loan Eligibility →Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
The VR&E program (Chapter 31) helps veterans with service-connected disabilities prepare for, find and keep suitable work. Per the VA, veterans need a service-connected rating of at least 10% and a discharge that is not dishonorable, so a 70% rating clears the rating test. Check the eligibility page for the basic eligibility period, which depends on your discharge date. VR&E can provide:
- Career counseling and planning
- Training and education, including college
- Resume development and job placement
- Self-employment assistance
- A monthly subsistence allowance during training
Education Benefits
Your rating does not change GI Bill eligibility, which comes from your service time. A 70% rating can add VR&E (Chapter 31) as an option. Chapter 35 education benefits for your spouse and children require P&T status, not 70% alone. See our guide to education benefits for disabled veterans for how they fit together.
Life Insurance
- Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife): whole life coverage from $10,000 to $40,000, in $10,000 increments. Any service-connected rating qualifies, including 70%, and there are no health questions and no medical exam. Apply at any time if you are 80 or younger. Coverage has a two-year waiting period: you pay premiums during it, and if you die before it ends your beneficiary receives the premiums paid plus interest rather than the face value.
- Veterans’ Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI): for veterans who have received a Specially Adapted Housing grant
VALife replaced Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance (S-DVI), which stopped accepting new applications after December 31, 2022. If you see S-DVI described as open elsewhere, that information is out of date. Learn more at VA Life Insurance.
State Benefits for 70% Disabled Veterans
State benefits vary widely, and many of the biggest ones, such as full property tax exemptions, require a 100% rating or P&T status. A 70% rating still earns something in several states. Check your state in our state-by-state veteran benefits guides.
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Property Tax Exemptions
- Texas: a veteran rated 70% to 100% can exempt up to $12,000 of a property’s value under Texas Tax Code 11.22, per the Texas Comptroller. The exemption can apply to any one property you own, not only your homestead. See our Texas veteran benefits guide.
- Florida: an honorably discharged veteran with a disability of 10% or more can receive an exemption of up to $5,000 off a property’s value. Veterans who are 65 or older with a combat-related disability can qualify for a tax discount that matches their VA rating, and total and permanent disability can qualify for a homestead exemption. See our Florida veteran benefits guide.
- California: the Disabled Veterans’ Exemption is aimed at veterans rated 100% or paid as unemployable, so a 70% rating alone generally does not qualify. See our California veteran benefits guide.
Rules, amounts and application deadlines change, so confirm with your county assessor.
State Income Tax
No state taxes VA disability compensation. Some states offer extra tax relief on other income for disabled veterans.
Other State Perks
Some states offer reduced vehicle fees, special license plates, and discounted hunting and fishing licenses for disabled veterans. The rating required differs by state, so check your state’s page rather than assuming 70% qualifies.
How Veterans Reach a 70% Rating
Few veterans reach 70% through one condition. VA does not add ratings together. It uses combined ratings that account for overlap, then rounds to the nearest 10. Our VA disability ratings guide explains the method in full. Common ways to land on 70%:
TRENDING: See Today’s VA Loan Rates
- 50% + 30% = 65%, which rounds up to 70%
- 60% + 30% = 72%, which rounds to 70%
- 50% + 20% + 20% = 68%, which rounds to 70%
- 40% + 40% + 30% = 74.8%, which rounds to 70%
The same math can work against you: 50% + 50% = 75%, which rounds up to 80%, not 100%. A 70% veteran who adds a 30% condition reaches 79%, which rounds to 80%.
Conditions That Often Contribute to a 70% Rating
- PTSD and other mental health conditions: 70% is a rating level for mental disorders, described as occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas. See our PTSD VA disability guide.
- Sleep apnea: sleep apnea that requires a CPAP machine is rated at 50%, which often combines with other conditions to reach 70%. See our sleep apnea rating guide.
- Migraines: 50% is the maximum schedular rating for migraines, so reaching 70% takes other conditions.
Conditions you can connect to ones you already have often add rating points. Our secondary conditions guide covers how that works.
70% VA Rating, Military Retirement and TRICARE
A VA rating and a military disability rating are not the same thing. The VA rates service-connected conditions and pays tax-free compensation. If you were medically retired, the Department of Defense makes its own separate determination, and your military retired pay is a different payment. How the two interact depends on your years of service and your ratings. See our military retirement benefits guide for how retired pay works.
TRICARE: a 70% VA rating does not by itself make you eligible for TRICARE. TRICARE eligibility comes from military service status, such as retirement or medical retirement. VA health care is separate, and a 70% rating puts you in Priority Group 1 for it. Family members of veterans rated P&T may qualify for CHAMPVA. Our CHAMPVA vs. TRICARE guide explains the difference.
Social Security Disability is a separate program too. Our guide to VA disability and SSDI covers how the two can be received together.
How to Increase Your Rating Above 70%
If your conditions have worsened or you have new service-connected conditions, you may be able to raise your rating. Our guide to increasing your VA rating covers the process in detail.
TRENDING: See Today’s VA Loan Rates
File for an Increase
- Gather recent medical evidence that documents worsening symptoms
- File online at VA.gov
- Attend your Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam
- VA evaluates your current condition severity and issues a decision
File for Secondary Conditions
Secondary conditions are caused or aggravated by conditions you already have service connected. Common examples:
- PTSD leading to sleep apnea, depression or substance use disorder
- Back injury leading to radiculopathy (nerve damage in the legs)
- Knee injury leading to hip problems from an altered gait
- Diabetes leading to peripheral neuropathy
See our VA secondary conditions guide and our overview of how to file a VA disability claim.
Appeal a Previous Decision
If you think a rating decision was wrong, you have three review options:
- Supplemental Claim: submit new and relevant evidence
- Higher-Level Review: a senior reviewer examines the same evidence
- Board Appeal: appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals
A rating you have held for a long time also gets protection. See our guide to the preservation of VA disability ratings.
RELATED READING
VA Individual Unemployability (TDIU) →
Who qualifies, how to apply and what the income limit means.
How to enroll in Priority Group 1 care and what it covers.
How ratings are assigned, combined and rounded.
Frequently Asked Questions
A veteran rated 70% with no dependents receives $1,808.45 a month ($21,701.40 a year) in 2026, tax-free. With a spouse the amount is $1,961.45, and with a spouse and one child it is $2,074.45. Each additional child under 18 adds $76.00. These are the VA rates effective December 1, 2025.
Yes. There are no work restrictions with a 70% schedular rating. You can work any job and earn any amount while receiving your full compensation. Income limits apply only if you are paid under TDIU, which measures earnings against the Census Bureau poverty threshold for one person. Our TDIU guide explains how that threshold works.
No. Veterans who receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability are exempt from the VA funding fee, and VA sets no minimum rating for the exemption. A 70% rating is exempt exactly like 100%. See our VA funding fee guide for the other exemptions and how to claim a refund if you already paid.
You meet the schedular requirements if your 70% combined rating includes at least one condition rated 40% or higher. You must also be unable to hold substantially gainful employment because of service-connected conditions. Apply with VA Form 21-8940. See our TDIU guide.
Not comprehensive care. Class IV dental care requires a 100% rating, or unemployable and paid at the 100% rate. At 70% you qualify only if you have a service-connected dental condition rated 10% or higher (Class I), or VA determines a dental problem is aggravating a service-connected medical condition (Class III). See our VA dental eligibility guide.
No, not by itself. TRICARE eligibility comes from military status, such as retirement or medical retirement, rather than a VA rating. A 70% rating gives you VA health care in Priority Group 1. Our CHAMPVA vs. TRICARE guide explains which program covers whom.
Pay is the biggest difference: $1,808.45 compared with $3,938.58 a month for a single veteran. A 100% rating, especially with P&T status, also adds CHAMPVA for dependents, Chapter 35 education benefits for family, and Class IV dental care. See our 100% VA disability guide.
This article is provided by USMilitary.org, an independent educational resource. We are not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. For official benefit information, visit VA.gov or contact your local VA office. This content is for informational purposes only.
