Why 60%, 30% and 10% make an 80% VA rating
If you have three ratings of 60%, 30% and 10%, you may see two different answers online: 70% on some calculators and 80% on others. Both come from the same method. The difference is a rounding step, and the VA’s own rule says which one is right.
The math, step by step
The VA does not add ratings. It works from the ability that is left.
- A 60% rating leaves 40% of your ability.
- A 30% rating applies to what is left: 30% of 40 is 12, so 28 remains. The combined rating so far is 72.
- A 10% rating applies to that 28: 10% of 28 is 2.8, so 25.2 remains. The combined rating is 74.8 if you keep the decimals.
Where the answers split
Calculators that keep decimals stop at 74.8 and round it to the nearest 10, which is 70%.
The VA works from a published table, the Combined Ratings Table in 38 CFR 4.25. The table holds whole numbers. For 72 combined with 10, it gives 75. The rule says to carry the value found in the table into the next step, and at the end to convert to the nearest number divisible by 10, with a final 5 adjusted upward. So 75 becomes 80%.
Why the table is the reference
The rule is written around the table, not around decimals. A result that skips the table can differ by a full 10 points in a few cases, and a 10 point difference changes the monthly amount. The calculator on this site follows the table and checks itself against every cell of it.
What to do with this
- Use the calculator with your own ratings and read the steps it shows. You can compare each step with the table.
- Your rating decision comes from the VA, not from any calculator. If a decision letter does not match what you expected, an accredited representative can explain it, often at no cost.
- The method is explained with more examples in how ratings are combined.