50% VA Disability Benefits and How to Get More

When you reach 50 percent disability, the VA system changes in ways you’ll feel immediately. Priority Group 1 healthcare with no copays takes effect, and military retirees with 20 or more years of service become eligible for Concurrent Retired and Disability Pay for the first time. 

You also have several options to increase disability compensation and other benefits, potentially going from 50% VA disability to as high as 100%. This veterans guide will show you how. 

How Much Does 50% VA Disability Pay?

As of 2026, a single veteran with a 50 percent VA disability rating receives $1,132.90 per month. Veterans with a spouse receive $1,241.90 per month, with additional amounts for dependent children and parents. 

Use Hill & Ponton’s VA Disability Calculator to determine your exact monthly compensation based on your family situation. 

What Specific Benefits Become Available at the 50% Rating?

Priority for VA Health Care

Veterans with a 50% rating or higher are placed in VA Health Care Priority Group 1, the highest priority the VA assigns. This typically means reduced or eliminated copays for the treatment of medical conditions, service-connected or not. Benefits include: 

• Preventive and primary medical care 
• In-patient and outpatient treatment 
• Mental health care and counseling 
• Prescription medications and medical supplies 
• Medical equipment such as wheelchairs or braces 
• Vision and hearing aids 
• Emergency care at non-VA facilities 
• Travel reimbursement for medical appointments

CRDP Eligibility

A 50 percent rating is the minimum required to qualify for Concurrent Retired and Disability Pay (CRDP), which allows receiving both retirement pay and VA disability compensation simultaneously, with no offset to either payment. 

Below this threshold, military retirees must choose between retirement pay and VA compensation. At 50% and above, you can receive both in full. To be eligible, you must:

1. Be a 20-year or more military retiree,
2. Have a service-connected condition rated at 50 percent or higher, and
3. Receive both retired pay and VA compensationents

Other Benefits for 50% Disabled Veterans

Veterans are entitled to many other disability benefits beyond compensation and health care. VA benefits include access to education, employment opportunities, and other forms of assistance designed to improve quality of life and long-term stability. 

Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)

If your service-connected disabilities affect your ability to work, VR&E provides job training, career counseling, education assistance, and help transitioning to employment suited to your limitations. 

Veteran Hiring Preference

Veterans with a service-connected disability receive a 10-point preference in federal employment applications, a meaningful advantage when applying for government jobs. Additionally, your state may have specific programs for assisting veterans who seek work. 

Home Loan Benefits

The VA guarantees a portion of home loans made by private lenders, giving you access to favorable terms including no required down payment. Veterans receiving VA compensation for a service-connected disability are exempt from the VA funding fee, which can save several thousand dollars on a home purchase.

Tax Relief and Discounts

Many states offer partial property tax exemptions based on disability rating. Tax relief for vehicles and other discounts or financial assistance may also be available, depending on the state’s laws and programs for veterans.

Commissary and Exchange Privileges

You may use military commissaries, exchanges, and morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) facilities on military bases, providing access to discounted goods and services. 

How to Increase a 50% VA Rating

Going from 50% VA disability to 60%, 70% or even higher requires proving that existing disabilities have worsened, that new service-connected conditions exist, or that your combined disabilities make consistent work impossible. The four main paths are:

1. Appeal of the Existing Rating. If the VA underrated your conditions, you have one year from the date of the decision letter to file an appeal.
2. New Claims. If you have developed new conditions related to your military service, file claims for those conditions. Each additional service-connected disability contributes to your overall combined rating. 
3. Secondary Disability Claims. Many conditions arise from or are aggravated by a primary service-connected disability. Secondary claims are one of the most effective strategies for pushing a 50% rating higher.  
4. VA Unemployability. If your disabilities prevent you from keeping a steady job that earns above the poverty threshold, you may qualify for TDIU (Total Disability Individual Unemployability), which pays at the 100% rate.

Does Your Disability Qualify for an Increased Rating?

Veterans commonly reach a 50 percent combined rating from one or more of the following conditions. With updated medical evidence, secondary claims, and the right legal strategy, many of these can support a path to a higher rating or TDIU: 

• PTSD or major depressive disorder with significant occupational and social impairment 
• Sleep apnea requiring CPAP use, often combined with cardiovascular or fatigue-related conditions 
• Chronic back or neck conditions such as degenerative disc disease, with or without radiculopathy 
• Traumatic Brain Injury with cognitive, behavioral, or neurological residuals 
• Diabetes mellitus type II with complications such as peripheral neuropathy or retinopathy 
• Migraine headaches with frequent attacks that disrupt work and daily functioning 
• Significant joint limitations in the knee, hip, or shoulder affecting mobility and physical capacity

Examples of Disability Combinations That Can Go Beyond 50%

Back + Radiculopathy + Depression

A veteran rated 50% for a lumbar spine condition can increase the overall rating when the back problem starts causing nerve symptoms in the legs. VA often rates radiculopathy as a separate condition from the back. 

If a medical provider documents that service-connected chronic pain causes depression or anxiety, that mental health condition may be granted secondary service connection and its own rating.

PTSD + Migraines

A veteran at 50% for PTSD can increase their combined rating if they later develop frequent, prostrating migraines that are well documented and separately service connected. 

Diabetes + Neuropathy or Kidney Disease

A 50% combined rating due to diabetes and its complications (such as hypertension) can  increase significantly if diabetes causes serious kidney dysfunction or peripheral neuropathy, especially when neuropathy affects both legs (and sometimes both arms). 

Free Book: The Road to VA Compensation Benefits

Set yourself up for success and avoid common mistakes that delay many VA benefits claims. VA attorney Matthew Hill’s book covers the essential information to navigate the VA system. And we’ll mail to you for free.  

Content Reviewed by

Attorney Shelly M. Mark

Shelly is an attorney passionate about serving underserved communities, including veterans, homeless individuals, and those in need. With experience in VA disability claims and social security law, she has worked with non-profits and as an Equal Justice Works Fellow.