What is a Special Monthly Compensation? 

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pays Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) to qualifying veterans with especially serious disabilities or combinations of disabilities. Certain disabilities and combinations of disabilities are more debilitating than regular disability compensation rates account for, so VA pays a higher rate of compensation.

The VA states there are over 70 possible combinations of SMC ratings. 

SPECIAL MONTHLY COMPENSATION LEVEL R:

In Need of Advanced Levels of Aid & Attendance

(38 U.S.C. § 1114(r) & 38 CFR § 3.350):

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pays Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) to qualifying veterans with especially serious disabilities or combinations of disabilities. Certain disabilities and combinations of disabilities are more debilitating than regular disability compensation rates account for, so VA pays a higher rate of compensation.

SMC-R ratings require a minimal combination of entitlement to both SMC-O and SMC-L

SMC-R1 is currently an extra $ 5,727.92/mo over 100% pay (2025)

SMC-R2 is currently an extra $ 7,133.36/mo over 100% pay (2025)

Special Monthly Compensation under level R is based on a veteran with one of two criteria:

• Must qualify for SMC-O OR SMC-N ½ and SMC-K together

• Requires the help of another person (aid and attendance)

– AND-

His or her disability (mental or physical) requires that another person regularly helps to keep him/her from harming himself/herself or others.

-OR-

Veteran is permanently bedridden and unable to get out of bed for any reason. This isn't a limited or short-lived situation where you choose to stay in bed or your doctor prescribed bed rest until you feel better. If you can get out of bed and move around, even on a restricted basis, you're not bedridden and won’t meet the criteria

• The difference between SMC-R1 and SMC-R2

SMC-R1 is given if the aid and attendance needed can be performed by a non-professional, like a family member or friend.

SMC-R2 is given if the aid and attendance must be provided by a licensed medical professional or a family member or other non-professional working on behalf of or under instruction of a licensed medical professional. To qualify for SMC-R2, VA must judge that the veteran would have to be hospitalized or put in a nursing home (or other institution) if he/she did not have professional care at home.

AID AND ATTENDANCE

The veteran’s condition is serious enough that they require the REGULAR help of another person (Not necessarily every day or every time):

a)        Due to inability of claimant to dress or undress himself (herself), or

b)        To keep himself (herself) ordinarily clean and presentable;

c)        Due to frequent need of adjustment of any special prosthetic or orthopedic appliances which by reason of the particular disability cannot be done without aid (this will not include the adjustment of appliances which normal persons would be unable to adjust without aid, such as supports, belts, lacing at the back, etc.);

d)        Due to inability of claimant to feed himself (herself) through loss of coordination of upper extremities or through extreme weakness;

e)        Due to inability to attend to the wants of nature; or

f)        Due to incapacity, physical or mental, which requires care or assistance on a regular basis to protect the claimant from hazards or dangers incident to his or her daily environment.