About VetBenefitHub
Free, accurate VA benefits tools built so every veteran can understand and maximize the compensation they've earned — without the jargon.
Built by a Veteran
VetBenefitHub is built and owned by a U.S. veteran. That's not a marketing line — it's the reason this site exists. Navigating the VA benefits system is genuinely confusing, and the tools that existed weren't accurate, weren't free, or weren't built by people who actually understood the system from the inside.
Everything here — the calculators, the guides, the rate tables — is built with firsthand knowledge of how the VA system works and what veterans actually need to know.
Our Mission
VetBenefitHub exists for one reason: to help veterans understand and maximize their VA benefits without the confusion, jargon, and bureaucracy.
We build free, accurate calculators and plain-English guides covering VA disability compensation, GI Bill, SMC, TDIU, CRSC, and more. Every tool is updated for the current COLA year and reflects the latest VA policy.
We are not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. We do not provide legal advice. For free official help with a claim, always work with a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) or accredited claims agent.
What We Offer
- 13 free calculators — disability, back pay, SMC, TDIU, GI Bill, VA loan, Aid & Attendance, CRSC vs CRDP, and more
- 26 in-depth guides — ratings math, appeals, condition-specific guides, PACT Act, P&T status
- 2026 rate tables — updated for every COLA year, with sources cited
- No sign-up, no paywalls, no tracking — fully private, fully free
Methodology
Transparency is core to everything we build. Here is exactly how the numbers work.
Disability compensation rates
We use the VA's official published rate tables for each year, sourced directly from va.gov and cross-verified against the VetsGuardian published 2026 rate tables. When the VA publishes a new COLA, we update every number before the rates take effect on December 1.
Combined ratings formula (38 CFR 4.25)
We implement the VA's "whole person" method exactly as specified in 38 CFR 4.25. Starting from 100% efficiency, each rating takes a proportional bite out of what remains. The final unrounded value is rounded to the nearest 10%.
Bilateral factor (38 CFR 4.26)
Per 38 CFR 4.26, when a veteran has service-connected disabilities involving paired body parts — both knees, both hips, both shoulders, both ears, both eyes, or any other bilateral limb or organ — those ratings are first combined together under 38 CFR 4.25, then a 10% bonus (of the combined value) is added before the result is folded into the rest of the ratings. Our calculator auto-detects bilateral pairs whenever you enter a left-side and right-side rating for the same body part.
SMC rates (38 USC 1114)
Special Monthly Compensation rates are sourced from the VA's published SMC tables and updated with each COLA. SMC-K stacks on top of all other compensation; SMC-L through R-2 replace the base disability rate.
Back pay estimates
Our back pay tool estimates the retroactive lump sum using the current year's monthly rate multiplied by the number of months between your effective date and decision date. This is a simplification — if your effective date spans multiple COLA years, the VA technically uses each year's rate for its period. For long-pending claims, the actual back pay will be modestly higher than our estimate.
Sources
Disclaimer
VetBenefitHub is an independent website and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), any government agency, or any veterans service organization.
The information and calculators on this site are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute legal or financial advice. Results from our calculators are estimates only and should not be relied upon as official VA determinations.
For official VA benefit decisions, contact the VA directly at 1-800-827-1000 or visit va.gov. For free help filing a claim, find a VSO at the VA's accreditation search.
Contact
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