Special Monthly Compensation at the L rate (SMC-L) for Aid and Attendance is not a separate benefit you apply for with its own unique form. Instead, it is an increased compensation rate that VA can grant once you already have a service-connected disability rating and can show, through medical and lay evidence, that you need regular aid and attendance from another person or meet the criteria for being permanently housebound or requiring such care due to your service-connected conditions.
The key medical evidence for this is VA Form 21-2680, Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance. Having your primary care provider complete this form is the central piece of evidence VA will look at. Lay statements, such as VA Form 21-10210 from someone who observes your daily functioning, and your own personal statement describing specific examples of how your service-connected conditions affect your ability to safely manage medication, bathe, dress, cook, or otherwise care for yourself, are also valuable supporting evidence.
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 →To actually file, you do not need a special SMC claim form. You can submit this as a claim for increased benefits by filing VA Form 21-526EZ (Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits) if you do not already have an open claim, and attach the completed 21-2680 and lay statements. If you already have service-connected disabilities and are simply asking VA to reconsider your rate based on aid and attendance needs, you can submit the evidence directly through VA.gov by uploading documents to an existing claim, mail them to the VA Evidence Intake Center, or bring them to a VA regional office. Working with an accredited Veterans Service Officer (VSO) through organizations like DAV, VFW, or American Legion, or a VA-accredited attorney or claims agent, can help ensure the paperwork is submitted correctly and nothing is missed, and there is no cost to use a VSO.
Because SMC-L determinations are fact-specific and depend heavily on how the medical evidence documents your functional limitations, outcomes vary significantly based on the details in the 21-2680 and supporting statements.
As a next step, contact a VSO to help submit the completed VA Form 21-2680, the lay statements, and a formal claim for increased compensation so the request for SMC-L is properly filed and tracked.
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