60% VA Benefits and How to Increase Your VA Disability from 60 to 100%

A 60 percent VA disability rating is often an important threshold for veterans: the point where medical conditions significantly interfere with daily living and employment. But what  if you’ve been underrated, or if the VA benefits you receive don’t match the severity of your health problems? This guide explains the benefits a 60% rating provides and what steps you can take if you are trying to increase your rating to 100%. 

What Is the Compensation for a 60% VA Disability Rating?

As of 2026, a single veteran with a 60% disability rating receives $1,435.02 per month. Married veterans with one child receive $1,663.02 (and more for each child) and there are additional amounts for dependent parents. You can calculate your monthly compensation based on the type and number of dependents with the VA Disability Calculator. 

The financial gap between 60% and 100% is over $2,500 per month, so making the jump to the maximum rating can make a huge difference in a veteran’s quality of life.
 

VA Health Care Benefits

If you have a rating of 50% or higher, you are placed in Priority Group 1 for VA healthcare, which gives you the highest priority for health care services without copayments. This is one of the most valuable aspects of having a 60% VA disability rating. You are entitled to:

• No-Cost Medical Care. Generally there are no copays for  VA hospital and outpatient care with no copayments for both service-connected and non-service-connected conditions, covering preventive and primary care, specialized treatments and mental health services. 
• Free Prescriptions. Medications for your conditions are provided at no cost. 
• Travel Reimbursement. You may be eligible for reimbursement for travel costs to and from your VA medical appointments. 
• Medical Equipment. Free mobility or sensory aids, CPAP machine, or other medical supplies if required for your disability. 

Other Benefits for 60% Disabled Veterans

Beyond monthly compensation and health care services, the benefits for veterans with a 60% rating include education and employment opportunities, financial assistance and various tax exemptions or discounts that lower living expenses and provide long-term support.

• CRDP Eligibility: If you are a military retiree with more than 20 years of service and  have a VA rating of 50% or higher, you qualify for Concurrent Retired and Disability Pay (CRDP), which allows you to receive both your full retirement pay and your full disability pay at the same time. 
• VA Home Loan Funding Fee Waiver: You may be exempt from the funding fee, which can save you several thousand dollars on a home purchase. 
• Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E): Veterans with at least a 20% rating and an employment handicap can access Chapter 31 benefits for education, job training, career counseling and assistance in transitioning to civilian employment. 
• 10-Point Hiring Preference: Disabled veterans (and in some cases their surviving spouses) receive a significant advantage when applying for government jobs. 
• State Benefits: Depending on where you live, your state may have laws and programs offering disabled veterans partial property tax relief, certain fee waivers and discounts.  

How to Increase VA Disability from 60% to 100%

Understand the Diagnostic Code and Rating Sheet

Familiarize yourself with the VA’s rating criteria for your condition from the VA rating code sheet. Determine if your symptoms warrant a higher rating (70%, 80%, 90%, or 100%). Increasing your VA disability rating from 60% to 100% is challenging, but it’s not impossible. 

File a VA Disability Claim or Appeal

If you believe your rating is incorrect, file an appeal (within a year of the VA decision) or a new disability claim (learn when to file a new claim vs. when to appeal). The earlier you file, the better, as it affects your claim’s effective date and potential compensation. To succeed, you should submit medical evidence as well as statements from family members, friends, or fellow veterans (buddy letters) who can attest to how your disability affects your daily life. These letters can help strengthen your claim by providing personal insights into your condition’s impact. 

Use Secondary Conditions

Secondary service connection is often one of the most effective ways to move from 60% to a higher rating. Secondary conditions are caused or aggravated by an already service-connected disability. Common examples include depression related to chronic pain, migraines related to a neck injury, or sleep problems related to PTSD. Keep in mind the VA does not add percentages together. It uses the “whole person” method, which accounts for the remaining level of efficiency after each disability is considered. 

Choose the Legal Paths That Best Suit You

Because of the way VA combines disability ratings, simply adding more 10% ratings is rarely enough to bridge the 40% gap. A good legal strategy can win higher ratings to achieve the desired increase in VA disability compensation. Get a free evaluation of your claim to see what best suits you – we’ll point you in the right direction even if we don’t take your case.

TDIU: An Overlooked Path to 100%

Total Disability Individual Unemployability allows veterans with a single service-connected condition rated at 60% to receive the same benefits as those with a 100% rating. If your disability makes it impossible for you to maintain a steady job, you may be eligible for TDIU. This benefit requires having: 

1. One service-connected disability rated at 60% OR
2. Two or more disabilities with at least one at 40% and a combined rating of 70%

Veterans rated at 60 percent sometimes qualify right away, but more often than not TDIU is obtained through several moderate ratings. For instance, a back condition and knee disabilities combined with sleep issues and depression caused by chronic pain may prevent someone from being productive and meeting workplace expectations. 

The focus is not on how sick you are, but on why you cannot work. Documenting your vocational history and obtaining a medical opinion linking your unemployment to your service-connected disability is key. A TDIU attorney can review your records and help you pursue the full benefits you deserve. 

Does Your Disability Qualify for an Increased Rating?

Certain disabilities commonly receive individual or combined ratings around 60 percent. Veterans with these disabilities often experience reduced work capacity, ongoing treatment requirements, and daily impairment that could justify an increase if properly documented. These include:

• Back or neck conditions with nerve involvement such as radiculopathy
• Migraine headaches with frequent prostrating attacks
• Diabetes mellitus type II requiring medication and activity regulation, especially with complications
• Sleep apnea requiring use of a CPAP machine combined with other conditions
• Significant knee, hip, or shoulder limitations that affect standing, walking, lifting, or reaching
• Chronic pain conditions that contribute to depression, anxiety, or reduced mobility 

Examples of Disability Combinations That Can Go Beyond 60% 

Back Condition at 40% plus Radiculopathy in Both Legs

Many veterans sit at 60% when they have a back condition with nerve involvement, such as a 40% lumbar spine rating plus 20% radiculopathy in one leg. When radiculopathy starts affecting the other leg, worsens from mild to moderate, or expands into additional nerve groups, the combined rating can climb quickly into the 80% to 90% range. The move to 100% is often driven by evidence of medical limitations and missed time at work or a record of work restrictions.  

If the veteran cannot sit or stand for sustained periods, needs a cane or brace, experiences falls or requires frequent treatment and flare-up care, fulfilling job responsibilities becomes very difficult. Secondary mental health conditions can also develop from chronic pain and loss of function, and those secondary ratings can be the difference between remaining at 80% or 90% and reaching the 100% rating or qualifying for unemployability.  
 

Migraines at 50% plus Depression or Anxiety

A veteran who has migraines rated at 50% and related mental disorders at 30% to 50% can start near 60% to 80% depending on other conditions. If migraines and mental health together prevent reliable employment, TDIU is commonly granted even when the combined rating is not yet 100%. This is because the veteran may be able to do a job on good days but still cannot maintain substantially gainful employment because they miss shifts, cannot tolerate light and noise, or must lie down for hours. Claims are strongest when migraine logs, employer records, and treatment notes align with the frequency and severity described in the rating criteria.

Get Expert Help with Your Case

Various combinations of disabilities can qualify for a higher rating or for VA unemployability. If you were denied or underrated, a VA-accredited attorney may be able to identify a path to maximum compensation and create the legal strategy best suited to your specific situation. Contact us for a free evaluation of your claim.