Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) is additional compensation paid above the regular disability rate for Veterans with severe disabilities — specific anatomical losses, need for aid and attendance, or permanent housebound status. SMC rates are set independently of the standard rating schedule and are significantly higher than the 100% rate.
SMC is not automatic. The VA does not always identify eligibility on its own. Veterans must claim it, and many who qualify are never told they do. The most commonly missed is SMC-S (housebound), which applies to any Veteran rated 100% who has a second SC condition independently ratable at 60% or higher.
SMC-S Quick Check
SMC-S (housebound) is the most commonly missed benefit for highly-rated Veterans. Answer three questions to see if you may qualify.
1. Are you currently rated at 100% — either schedular or via TDIU?
SMC Levels — Overview
| Level | Description | Current Rate |
|---|---|---|
| SMC-K | Specific loss (add-on per item) | VA.gov ↗ |
| SMC-S | Housebound (100% + 60%, or permanently housebound) | VA.gov ↗ |
| SMC-L | A&A Level 1 / bilateral loss | VA.gov ↗ |
| SMC-L½ | Intermediate | VA.gov ↗ |
| SMC-M | Bilateral loss — higher level | VA.gov ↗ |
| SMC-M½ | Intermediate | VA.gov ↗ |
| SMC-N | Bilateral amputations / high loss | VA.gov ↗ |
| SMC-N½ | Intermediate | VA.gov ↗ |
| SMC-O/P | Extreme bilateral loss | VA.gov ↗ |
| SMC-R1 | A&A — Higher Level (skilled care) | VA.gov ↗ |
| SMC-R2 | A&A — Highest Level (full-time skilled care) | VA.gov ↗ |
| SMC-T | TBI needing A&A (in lieu of institutional care) — pays at the SMC-R2 rate | VA.gov ↗ |
SMC rates change every December 1 with the annual COLA and vary by dependents. See the current published figures: Official rates on VA.gov ↗
Eligibility by Level
SMC-K is not a tier — it is an add-on that stacks on top of any other rating or SMC level. It applies for each qualifying loss or loss of use.
Qualifies when:
- ▸Loss or loss of use of one foot
- ▸Loss or loss of use of one hand
- ▸Loss of sight of one eye (only light perception remains)
- ▸Loss or loss of use of a creative organ (reproductive organs)
- ▸Absence of or complete loss of use of a breast (Veteran or surviving spouse)
- ▸Loss of bladder control requiring catheter or similar appliance
SMC-S pays compensation above the 100% rate for Veterans who are permanently housebound or who have a 100% rating plus a separate 60%+ condition. It is the most commonly overlooked SMC benefit.
Qualifies when:
- ▸Path 1 — 100% rating (schedular or TDIU) PLUS at least one other SC condition independently ratable at 60% or higher
- ▸Path 2 — Permanently and substantially confined to home or immediate premises due to SC disabilities, with confinement reasonably certain to continue throughout the Veteran's lifetime
SMC-L applies when a Veteran requires regular assistance with personal functions — bathing, dressing, feeding — due to SC disability, or meets certain bilateral loss criteria.
Qualifies when:
- ▸Loss or loss of use of both feet
- ▸Loss or loss of use of one hand and one foot
- ▸Blindness in both eyes with visual acuity of 5/200 or less
- ▸Permanently bedridden
- ▸So helpless as to require regular Aid & Attendance from another person
Half-step tiers (L½, M½, N½) apply when a Veteran qualifies for one level of SMC due to one disability and a higher level due to another. The half-step is the midpoint between the two levels.
Qualifies when:
- ▸SMC-L½: Qualifies for SMC-L from one condition and SMC-M criteria from another
- ▸SMC-M: Loss or loss of use of both hands, or both hands and one foot
- ▸SMC-M½: Qualifies for M from one condition and N criteria from another
- ▸SMC-N: Bilateral amputations at or above the elbow and knee, or combinations
- ▸SMC-N½: Qualifies for N from one condition and O criteria from another
SMC-O covers the most severe combinations of bilateral amputations and blindness. SMC-P is the transitional level between O and R for Veterans who qualify for O plus an additional aid and attendance need.
Qualifies when:
- ▸Bilateral amputations above both knees and both elbows
- ▸Loss of both hands combined with loss of sight
- ▸Combinations of bilateral loss reaching the highest schedular level
- ▸SMC-P: All combinations creating an entitlement between SMC-O and R1
SMC-R1 applies when a Veteran who already qualifies for SMC-L or higher requires a higher level of Aid & Attendance — specifically, the need for regular daily personal services rendered by a skilled professional, such as daily wound care, medication management, or skilled nursing.
Qualifies when:
- ▸Veteran qualifies for SMC-L or higher based on underlying disability
- ▸AND requires a higher level of A&A — regular daily personal services by a licensed or trained professional
SMC-R2 is the highest SMC tier. It applies when the Veteran requires the level of care required for SMC-R1 and that care must be provided in a professional facility or by a full-time attendant at home with the Veteran unable to be left unattended.
Qualifies when:
- ▸Veteran qualifies for SMC-R1
- ▸AND requires full-time professional care at a level that cannot safely be provided otherwise
SMC-T is a separate top-level benefit for Veterans with a service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI) who need regular aid and attendance and who, without that in-home care, would require hospitalization or nursing-home / residential institutional care. It was created so severe-TBI Veterans can receive the highest level of support while being cared for at home, and it pays at the SMC-R2 rate.
Qualifies when:
- ▸In need of regular aid and attendance for the residuals of a service-connected traumatic brain injury
- ▸Not already eligible for the higher-level aid & attendance benefit under SMC-R2 (38 U.S.C. 1114(r)(2))
- ▸Without that regular in-home aid and attendance, would require hospitalization, nursing home care, or other residential institutional care
How to Claim SMC
File VA Form 21-526EZ and specifically state the SMC level you believe you qualify for, citing the applicable regulation (e.g., "SMC-S under 38 CFR §3.350(i)").
For SMC-K: provide medical evidence documenting the specific loss or loss of use. A C&P exam may be scheduled.
For SMC-S (housebound path 2): obtain a physician's statement documenting that you are permanently and substantially confined to your home due to SC conditions.
For SMC-L and higher (A&A): obtain a physician's statement documenting the specific personal functions you cannot perform independently and the level of care required.
Work with a VSO or accredited claims agent — SMC claims are frequently mishandled and benefit from professional review. The VA does not proactively identify SMC eligibility.
Source: 38 C.F.R. §3.350 (special monthly compensation) and §3.352 (criteria for aid and attendance and housebound status). For current published rates, see VA.gov SMC Rates. For the housebound and A&A medical criteria, see 38 CFR §3.352.