Free VA Claim Tools

Three free tools for the questions that come up most in a VA disability claim: what your ratings add up to, how long you have to respond to a decision, and what VA looks for at each rating level. Each one is built from the regulations VA itself applies and shows how it reached its answer.

Calculator VA Combined Rating & Compensation Calculator VA doesn’t add your ratings together. Enter each one and see your combined rating and estimated monthly payment, with every step of the math shown. Combines ratings the way VA does (38 C.F.R. § 4.25)Applies the bilateral factor for both arms or both legs (§ 4.26)Includes spouse, children, parents, and Aid and Attendance2026 rates, effective December 1, 2025 Calculate your rating → Deadlines Decision Review Deadline Finder Enter the date on your decision letter to see your deadline and which review options are still open to you. Supplemental Claim, Higher-Level Review, and Board appealAdjusts for weekends and federal holidaysShows which option fits your situation Find your deadline → Reference VA Rating Criteria Lookup See what VA requires for each rating level, quoted from the rating schedule, and what evidence shows where you fall. PTSD and mental health, sleep apnea, tinnitus, GERDMigraines, back, knee, radiculopathy, and moreCurrent criteria, including the 2024 digestive changes Look up a condition →

How to use these tools

Start with the rating criteria if you’re preparing a claim, so you know what your evidence needs to show. Use the calculator to see how a new or increased rating would change your combined rating and pay. If you’ve received a decision you disagree with, check the deadline finder first. Missing the one-year window can cost you back pay.

Want the full picture of what VA needs and how to provide it? Read Chapter 2 of the Field Guide free.

These tools give estimates and general information, not legal advice or a VA decision. Your own decision letter and rating decision control.

VA Claims Field Guide is a private educational publisher. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. We do not prepare, present, or prosecute claims for VA benefits and we are not a substitute for a VA-accredited representative, whose services are free. Nothing here is legal or medical advice, and no outcome is guaranteed.

In crisis? Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net. 24/7, no enrollment required.