VA Benefits Guides & Articles
Plain-English guides to help every veteran understand their disability compensation, appeals, GI Bill, and more. All rates updated for 2026.
Featured guides
Start here, the most important articles for veterans navigating VA claims.
2026 VA Disability Pay Rates, Complete Tables
Every rating tier, family additions, and what the 2.8% COLA means for your monthly check.
How to Calculate Your VA Disability Rating
Step-by-step guide to the whole-person method, bilateral factor, and final rounding.
How to Appeal a VA Disability Rating Decision
The 3 AMA lanes, Supplemental Claim, Higher-Level Review, and Board Appeal.
VA C&P Exam Tips: How to Prepare
What to bring, what to say, and the mistakes that sink claims at C&P exams.
VA Permanent & Total (P&T) Disability Guide
What P&T unlocks, CHAMPVA, Fry Scholarship, property tax exemptions, and more.
Does 100% P&T Get Full VA Healthcare?
Service-connected vs all conditions, no copays, dental, and CHAMPVA for family explained.
PACT Act & Burn Pit Benefits
Presumptive conditions for post-9/11 vets exposed to burn pits and toxic substances.
The VA claims process
Everything you need to file, track, and understand your VA disability claim from start to finish.
How to File a VA Disability Claim: Step by Step
The 5 ways to file, the forms you need, evidence, and how to protect your effective date.
Intent to File: Lock In Your Effective Date
How an ITF protects up to a year of back pay, the 365-day rule, and common mistakes.
VA Claim Status: The 8 Stages Explained
What each phase means, which one takes longest, and what moving backward really means.
How Long Does a VA Claim Take?
Average processing time, what slows claims down, and concrete ways to speed yours up.
Condition-specific rating guides
Learn exactly how the VA rates each of these common service-connected conditions.
VA Disability Rating for PTSD: 2026 Guide
Rating scale (0-100%), evidence needed, C&P exam tips, and 2026 pay.
VA Rating for Depression & Anxiety: 2026 Guide
Rating criteria, how the VA evaluates mental health, and secondary service connection.
VA Disability Rating for TBI: 2026 Complete Guide
Residual conditions, rating levels under 38 CFR 4.124a, and PTSD overlap.
VA Disability Rating for Back Pain: 2026 Guide
Range of motion criteria, secondary conditions, and C&P exam documentation.
VA Disability Rating for Knee Conditions: 2026 Guide
Limited motion, instability, replacement ratings, and the bilateral factor.
VA Rating for Shoulder Conditions: 2026 Guide
Rotator cuff, SLAP tears, range-of-motion requirements, and bilateral shoulders.
VA Disability Rating for Hearing Loss: 2026 Guide
Audiogram-based ratings, speech recognition, and combining with tinnitus.
VA Disability Rating for Tinnitus: 2026 Guide
Why it's always 10%, bilateral ears, secondary conditions, and monthly pay.
VA Disability Rating for Sleep Apnea: 2026 Guide
CPAP = 50% and $1,133/mo. How to connect to service and secondary conditions.
VA Disability Rating for Migraines: 2026 Guide
Rating scale (0-50%), TBI/PTSD connection, and documenting frequency.
VA Disability Rating for Hypertension: 2026 Guide
Rating scale, Agent Orange presumption, and secondary heart disease claims.
VA Rating for Diabetes (Type II): 2026 Guide
Agent Orange presumptive, insulin requirements, secondary conditions.
Benefits programs
Deep dives into specific VA benefit programs and how to maximize them.
TDIU: Individual Unemployability, 2026 Guide
100% pay rate even if your combined rating is lower. Who qualifies and how to apply.
How to Get 100% VA Disability: 5 Paths in 2026
Schedular 100%, TDIU, temporary 100%, P&T status, all five routes explained.
CRSC vs CRDP: Military Retirement + VA Disability in 2026
Which concurrent receipt program pays you more, side-by-side comparison.
What Is SMC-K? The VA Benefit Most Veterans Miss
Automatic $139+/mo bonus for anatomical losses most veterans never claim.
VA Back Pay Calculator: Estimate Your Retroactive Benefits
How effective dates work and how to maximize your retroactive lump sum.
VA Combined Ratings Explained: Why 50% + 50% ≠ 100%
The whole-person method step by step, and how to verify the VA's math.
Nexus Letter for VA Claims: What It Is and How to Get One
Who can write one, what to include, and when you need it for your claim.
VA Disability Benefits for MST (Military Sexual Trauma)
How to file a claim, qualifying conditions, nexus requirements, and tips.
Free 2026 VA Calculators
Put the numbers from these guides to work, 13 free tools updated for 2026 rates.
See all 13 tools →