The VA benefit verification letters available through VA.gov (and formerly eBenefits) are generated from a template and pull the most current, active information in the veteran's record. If a rating changed during the year, the automatically generated letter will typically reflect the most recent effective date and current combined rating, not necessarily every historical rating date, because the system is designed to confirm present benefit status rather than serve as a full ratings history.
To get a letter that specifically states when a particular rating was assigned, veterans generally have two options. First, request a personalized letter from the VA regional office or through the eBenefits/VA.gov "Letters" tool by contacting the VA directly (by phone at the VA benefits hotline, through a formal written request, or by asking a Veterans Service Organization representative to submit an inquiry). VA regional offices can issue a customized benefit letter that includes specific rating effective dates when asked, since the online generator has limited customization.
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 →Second, veterans can pull their official rating decision letter (the one originally mailed after the 2024 decision) from their VA.gov claims status page under "Track Claims" or through the document upload/download section, or by requesting a copy of the rating decision (sometimes called the "Notification Letter" or "Rating Decision") through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request or through eBenefits' document library. This document explicitly states the effective date of the rating and is often what county tax assessors are actually looking for, since it separates the rating date from the payment date.
County and state tax offices vary in what they will accept, so it helps to ask them directly whether a copy of the original VA rating decision letter (showing the effective date) would satisfy their requirement, since that document already contains the exact information requested. Some counties also accept a letter from a Veteran Service Officer confirming the rating date based on the official VA records.
As a next step, contact the VA regional office or a local Veteran Service Officer and request either a customized benefit letter listing the 2024 rating effective date or a copy of the original 2024 rating decision letter, then confirm with the county tax office that this document meets their documentation requirement.
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