Whether a spouse or family member can receive direct compensation for caregiving duties depends on which VA program is being considered, and disability percentage alone does not automatically determine eligibility.
The Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC), which provides a monthly stipend to a designated primary family caregiver, currently requires that the veteran have a single or combined VA disability rating of 70 percent or higher for a condition incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, along with a clinical determination that the veteran needs in-person personal care services for at least six continuous months due to an inability to perform one or more activities of daily living, or because of a need for supervision or protection due to residual neurological or psychiatric symptoms. A veteran rated at 60 percent, without a combined rating reaching 70 percent and without a qualifying service-connected need for hands-on care, would generally not meet PCAFC's eligibility threshold, even if the caregiving need is very real day to day.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
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Analyze my claim free →Separately, Special Monthly Compensation for Aid and Attendance (38 CFR 3.350) is not the same as the caregiver stipend, and is paid to the veteran, not the caregiver, when the veteran's service-connected disabilities leave them needing regular aid and attendance from another person for basic functions such as bathing, dressing, feeding, or protection from the hazards of daily life. Eligibility for SMC is based on functional impact, not a specific overall percentage, so it is worth having a VA examiner evaluate the veteran's actual limitations regardless of the 60 percent rating.
Even when PCAFC eligibility is not met, VA's General Caregiver Support Program is open to caregivers of veterans enrolled in VA health care regardless of disability percentage, and offers non-monetary support such as caregiver training, peer support, respite care referrals, and counseling, which can meaningfully ease burden even without a stipend.
Because eligibility turns on specific medical and functional findings rather than the 60 percent rating alone, the concrete next step is to contact the veteran's VA primary care team or local VA Caregiver Support Coordinator to request a clinical needs assessment, and separately file a claim for Special Monthly Compensation (aid and attendance) using VA Form 21-2680 if daily care needs are significant.
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