A veteran rated 100% disabled by the Department of Veterans receives $3,831.00 per month as of December 2025. Over the course of a year, that's $45,972. The IRS doesn't tax a penny of it.
VA disability compensation is completely tax-free at both federal and state levels. You don't report it on your tax return. You don't pay income tax on it. You never will.
With tax season fast approaching, it’s never a bad thing to know where you stand on each of your income sources.
What's Tax-Free
VA disability compensation for service-connected conditions is tax-free regardless of your rating percentage. A veteran rated 10% receiving $171.23 per month gets the same tax treatment as a veteran rated 100% receiving $3,831.00.
Not only is VA disability compensation tax-free:
- Special Monthly Compensation for severe disabilities is tax-free.
- Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for surviving spouses is tax-free.
- Veterans Pension payments are tax-free.
- GI Bill education benefits and training allowances are tax-free.
- Grants for home modifications to accommodate disabilities are tax-free.
- Grants for adaptive vehicles are tax-free.
- Clothing allowances for veterans whose prosthetics or medications damage clothing are tax-free.
If VA disability is your only income, you probably don't need to file a tax return at all. If you have other taxable income such as wages or military retirement pay, you still file, but you don't report the VA disability.
The Exception
Military retirement pay is taxable. This confuses some veterans who receive both military retirement and VA disability compensation. The retirement pay shows up on a 1099-R from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). You pay federal income tax on military retirement unless offset by VA disability through concurrent retirement and disability pay or Combat-Related Special Compensation.
Combat-Related Special Compensation received after an award for concurrent retirement and disability may qualify for a tax refund if you already paid taxes on it. File an amended return to get that money back.
When It Still Counts as Income
The IRS doesn't tax VA disability, but other entities treat it as income for their purposes.
Mortgage lenders count VA disability as income when qualifying you for a loan. They often "gross up" the amount by 125 percent because it's tax-free, making it worth more than taxable wages. This helps you qualify for larger loans.
Family courts in most states count VA disability as income for child support and alimony calculations. The Supreme Court ruled in Rose v. Rose that VA benefits support the veteran's family, not just the veteran. Courts can garnish VA disability for child support or alimony obligations.
Means-tested programs such as Medicaid, housing assistance and Supplemental Security Income count VA disability toward income limits when determining eligibility. The benefits aren't taxable, but they're still income for these programs.
Social Security Disability Insurance doesn't reduce based on VA disability. You can receive both. However, if your total income including SSDI exceeds certain thresholds, you may pay taxes on the SSDI portion.
State Property Tax Breaks
Many states exempt disabled veterans from property taxes. Requirements vary by state. Some offer full exemption for veterans rated 100% permanent and total. Others offer partial exemptions based on rating percentage or income limits.
Check your state's veterans affairs office for specific property tax benefits. These can save thousands annually but require application and proof of VA disability rating.
The Bottom Line
VA disability compensation is tax-free income. Don't report it to the IRS. Don't pay taxes on it. If someone tells you VA disability is taxable, they're wrong.
The 2.8% cost of living adjustment effective Dec. 1, 2025, is also tax-free. Retroactive payments are tax-free. Future increases are tax-free.
Tax-free means exactly that. The federal government and state governments don't tax VA disability compensation under any circumstances.
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