Veterans approaching separation often notice depression, anxiety, or other mental health symptoms surfacing as they reflect on their time in service. These feelings do not need to involve a single traumatic event or a prior diagnosis in your medical record to be service-connectable—what matters is establishing (1) a current diagnosis, (2) an in-service event, injury, or pattern of duty-related stress, and (3) a medical nexus linking the two.
If you are within 180 days to 90 days of your separation date, you may be eligible to file through the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program, which allows VA to begin processing your claim before you leave service so a rating decision can potentially be issued closer to your separation date. If you are inside the 90-day window or already separated, you would file a standard claim using VA Form 21-526EZ instead.
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 →For mental health claims specifically, a current diagnosis from a psychiatrist, psychologist, or other qualified mental health provider is essential. If you have not yet been formally diagnosed, scheduling an appointment with a VA provider, military treatment facility, or private mental health professional is an important first step, since VA cannot service-connect a condition without a diagnosed disability on record. During your Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam, be honest and specific about how your symptoms developed over your career, including any occupational stressors, operational tempo, deployments, or duty-related pressures that contributed to your mental state, even if there was no single incident you can point to.
It can also help to submit a personal statement (VA Form 21-4138 or a written lay statement) describing how your military occupation affected your mental health over time, along with statements from family members or close friends who observed changes in your mood, behavior, or relationships during your service. These lay statements can carry real weight in establishing the connection between your duties and your current symptoms.
If you already have a rating decision and it did not adequately account for your mental health symptoms, you can file a Supplemental Claim (VA Form 20-0995) with new evidence, or a Higher-Level Review (VA Form 20-0996) if you believe the existing evidence was not properly considered.
The concrete next step is to get evaluated by a mental health provider as soon as possible, document how your military occupation affected your well-being, and file your claim—ideally through the BDD program if your separation date allows it.
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