Who qualifies: Veterans, and some spouses and surviving spouses, whose service-connected conditions cause things like loss of use of a hand, foot, eye or creative organ, being housebound, or needing help from another person with daily tasks.
What it is
The regular disability rating chart tops out at 100%. But some injuries take away more than a percentage can capture. Losing a hand. Going blind. Needing someone to help you bathe and dress every day. Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) is how VA pays for those bigger losses.
SMC comes in letter levels. The most common ones are:
- SMC-K: A smaller add-on paid on top of your regular rating, at any level from 0% to 100%. It covers things like loss or loss of use of a creative (reproductive) organ, one hand, one foot, or sight in one eye, and some other losses. You can get up to three K awards.
- SMC-S (housebound): For veterans with one condition rated 100% plus other conditions that add up to 60% on their own, or who are basically confined to home because of service-connected conditions.
- SMC-L: For things like loss of use of both feet, one hand and one foot, blindness in both eyes at a set level, being permanently bedridden, or needing help from another person with daily living (called "aid and attendance").
- SMC-M, N, O and P: Higher levels for more severe combinations of losses.
- SMC-R.1 and R.2: The highest levels, for veterans who need a very high level of daily care, often from a licensed health care provider.
- SMC-T: For veterans with severe traumatic brain injury who need daily help.
Spouses can matter too. If your spouse needs aid and attendance, your monthly payment can go up as well.
Who qualifies
You qualify based on what your service-connected conditions do to your body and daily life. There's no separate service rule. If your VA records show the loss, you may already be eligible.
How to apply, step by step
- Check your decision letters. Look for any SMC letters. If you have a serious loss and see nothing, it may have been missed.
- Gather medical evidence. You need records showing the loss, loss of use, or the daily help you need. For aid and attendance or housebound status, VA Form 21-2680 filled out by your doctor is the standard tool.
- File a claim. You can file for SMC through a standard disability claim on VA.gov, or ask VA to review your current rating. A VSO can help you list exactly which SMC levels you think apply.
- Go to your exams. Explain plainly what you can't do. Who helps you dress, cook, bathe or take medicine? How often?
- Review the decision. SMC math is complicated. If something looks off, use a decision review within one year to protect your effective date.
Mistakes to avoid
- Assuming VA already added it. VA is supposed to consider SMC on its own, but it's often overlooked. Ask.
- Ignoring SMC-K. Many veterans with erectile dysfunction caused by a service-connected condition or its medicine qualify for SMC-K and never claim it.
- Downplaying daily needs. If a family member helps you every day, say so. That help is evidence.
- Not checking a spouse's needs. A spouse who needs aid and attendance can raise your pay.
Related benefits
See our guides on TDIU, the caregiver program, the automobile allowance, Specially Adapted Housing grants, and HISA grants for home changes.
Last reviewed November 2026. WeSpeakVA is not the VA. Rules and amounts change, so confirm on VA.gov or with an accredited representative.