Navigating the VA disability system with a 10% service-connected rating?
Our 2025 guide is designed to streamline your understanding of the benefits available at this rating level, focusing on compensation, additional benefits for dependents, and strategies to enhance your rating.
In this article, we will explore:
- Compensation for a 10% VA Disability Rating
- Dependent benefits at the 10% VA Disability Rating
- Prime benefits of a 10% VA Disability Rating
- Social Security considerations with a 10% VA Disability Rating
- The path to Extraschedular TDIU for 10% rated veterans
- How to increase your VA Disability Rating from 10%
Let’s dive into the specifics of 10% VA disability benefits.
What is the Compensation for a 10% VA Disability Rating?
For 2025, veterans with a 10% VA disability rating can expect to receive $175.51 monthly. This rate reflects the latest adjustments to ensure veterans’ compensation keeps pace with living costs.
Considering a rating increase? Moving to a 50% rating could significantly boost your monthly benefits to over $900 a month!
Strategies to Increase Your 10% VA Disability Rating
Looking to elevate your rating?
Here are your options:
- File an Appeal: Within one year of your rating decision to contest it.
- Submit a New Claim: For an increased rating or additional conditions.
- Pursue TDIU: If your disability impairs your ability to work, despite the 10% rating.
- Secondary Service Connection: For conditions caused by or worsening due to your service-connected disability.
Did the VA Deny Your Disability Claim?
Let our team review your case today!
Get a Free Case EvaluationKey Benefits at a 10% VA Disability Rating
A 10% rating unlocks specific VA benefits, including:
- Free Medical Treatment for service-connected disabilities, including mental health services and readjustment counseling.
- Assignment to VA Healthcare Priority Group 3, influencing copay amounts for inpatient, outpatient care, and medication related to service-connected conditions.
- No Copay for Inpatient or Outpatient Care for those rated 10% or higher.
- Free Medication for treating your service-connected disability. There may be copays for medications for non-service-connected conditions.
- Travel Allowance for appointments related to service-connected disabilities, covering transportation costs like plane tickets, mileage, train tickets, taxi or bus fares, as well as meals and lodging.
- Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Services, providing job training, resume development, work readiness assistance, and supportive rehabilitation services for veterans whose service-connected disabilities make it hard to work.
- VA Funding Fee Exemption for VA home loans, saving on costs since VA loans don’t require down payments and have favorable terms.
- VA Life Insurance (VALife), offering guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance with up to $40,000 coverage for veterans with service-connected disabilities.
- Federal Employment Preference, giving a 10-point preference in federal job applications to improve hiring chances.
- Commissary Access, allowing tax-free shopping at on-post commissaries, potentially leading to significant savings.
Learn more about all the benefits available to you and your family as a veteran by clicking below.
Social Security with a 10% VA Disability
While a 10% rating may qualify you for Social Security benefits, eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) depends on your overall disability status and income.
10% VA Disability and Extraschedular TDIU
Though directly qualifying for TDIU typically requires a higher rating, veterans with a 10% rating may explore extraschedular consideration for TDIUcan if their service-connected disability uniquely hinders employment.
TDIU represents an opportunity for veterans to maximize their disability compensation.
Learn more about how it could benefit your situation by clicking below for further information.
Click here to learn all you need to know about IU benefits.
Cassandra Crosby, an Accredited Agent and claims advocate for Matthew Hill & Shelly Mark’s teams, reviewed the information provided in this post.