The VA caregiver stipend for 2026 is $1,896.30 a month at level 1 and $3,034.08 at level 2 in most of the country (the "Rest of U.S." pay area), and more in higher-cost areas, up to $2,370.63 and $3,793.00 in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland area. The stipend equals the 2026 federal GS-4, step 1 salary for the veteran's locality divided by 12, times 0.625 or 1.00. This VA caregiver stipend calculator applies that formula to all 58 federal locality pay areas for primary family caregivers in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC).
The stipend is paid directly to the primary family caregiver of an eligible veteran. It goes along with other supports such as CHAMPVA health coverage for a caregiver who has no other health insurance, mental health counseling and caregiver training.
Monthly stipend = GS-4, step 1 annual rate for the veteran's locality / 12 x level multiplier
VA's regulations define the monthly stipend rate as the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule annual rate for grade 4, step 1, based on the locality pay area in which the eligible veteran resides, divided by 12. For level 1, the primary family caregiver's stipend is the monthly stipend rate multiplied by 0.625. For level 2, it is multiplied by 1.00, which applies when VA determines the veteran is unable to self-sustain in the community. That means the veteran needs personal care services each time he or she completes three or more of the seven activities of daily living and is fully dependent on a caregiver for them. It also covers a veteran who has a need for supervision, protection or instruction on a continuous basis.
VA's fact sheet gives this example: the GS-4, step 1 rate in Dallas, Texas for 2022 was $34,916 a year, so the level 1 stipend was about $34,916 / 12 x 0.625 = $1,818.54 a month and the level 2 stipend about $2,909.67. In 2026 the Dallas-Fort Worth rate is $39,582, so the same stipends are $2,061.56 and $3,298.50.
| Locality pay area | GS-4, step 1 (2026) | Level 1 monthly | Level 2 monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rest of U.S. | $36,409 | $1,896.30 | $3,034.08 |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | $37,563 | $1,956.41 | $3,130.25 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | $36,804 | $1,916.88 | $3,067.00 |
| Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | $38,502 | $2,005.31 | $3,208.50 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | $37,432 | $1,949.58 | $3,119.33 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | $36,776 | $1,915.42 | $3,064.67 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | $41,236 | $2,147.71 | $3,436.33 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | $38,073 | $1,982.97 | $3,172.75 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre, VT | $37,153 | $1,935.05 | $3,096.08 |
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | $37,221 | $1,938.59 | $3,101.75 |
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | $40,701 | $2,119.84 | $3,391.75 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | $37,924 | $1,975.21 | $3,160.33 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | $38,017 | $1,980.05 | $3,168.08 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $37,370 | $1,946.35 | $3,114.17 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | $37,992 | $1,978.75 | $3,166.00 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | $36,586 | $1,905.52 | $3,048.83 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK | $39,582 | $2,061.56 | $3,298.50 |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | $36,991 | $1,926.61 | $3,082.58 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | $37,765 | $1,966.93 | $3,147.08 |
| Denver-Aurora, CO | $40,596 | $2,114.38 | $3,383.00 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | $36,705 | $1,911.72 | $3,058.75 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | $40,160 | $2,091.67 | $3,346.67 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | $36,593 | $1,905.89 | $3,049.42 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | $37,146 | $1,934.69 | $3,095.50 |
| Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | $41,081 | $2,139.64 | $3,423.42 |
| Houston-The Woodlands, TX | $41,989 | $2,186.93 | $3,499.08 |
| Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | $37,918 | $1,974.90 | $3,159.83 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | $36,748 | $1,913.96 | $3,062.33 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | $37,003 | $1,927.24 | $3,083.58 |
| Laredo, TX | $37,818 | $1,969.69 | $3,151.50 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ | $37,190 | $1,936.98 | $3,099.17 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | $42,446 | $2,210.73 | $3,537.17 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | $38,776 | $2,019.58 | $3,231.33 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | $38,076 | $1,983.13 | $3,173.00 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | $39,694 | $2,067.40 | $3,307.83 |
| New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | $42,907 | $2,234.74 | $3,575.58 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | $36,773 | $1,915.26 | $3,064.42 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $36,680 | $1,910.42 | $3,056.67 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $40,120 | $2,089.58 | $3,343.33 |
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | $38,086 | $1,983.65 | $3,173.83 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | $37,644 | $1,960.63 | $3,137.00 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | $39,230 | $2,043.23 | $3,269.17 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | $38,020 | $1,980.21 | $3,168.33 |
| Reno-Fernley, NV | $36,552 | $1,903.75 | $3,046.00 |
| Richmond, VA | $38,033 | $1,980.89 | $3,169.42 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | $36,664 | $1,909.58 | $3,055.33 |
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV | $40,359 | $2,102.03 | $3,363.25 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX | $36,944 | $1,924.17 | $3,078.67 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $41,591 | $2,166.20 | $3,465.92 |
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | $45,516 | $2,370.63 | $3,793.00 |
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | $40,922 | $2,131.35 | $3,410.17 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID | $36,599 | $1,906.20 | $3,049.92 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | $37,333 | $1,944.43 | $3,111.08 |
| State of Alaska | $41,168 | $2,144.17 | $3,430.67 |
| State of Hawaii | $38,011 | $1,979.74 | $3,167.58 |
| Tucson-Nogales, AZ | $37,100 | $1,932.29 | $3,091.67 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC | $36,950 | $1,924.48 | $3,079.17 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | $41,659 | $2,169.74 | $3,471.58 |
OPM's 2026 tables include a 1% General Schedule increase effective January 2026. Places not located within another locality pay area, including U.S. territories and other non-foreign areas, are part of the Rest of U.S. area; Alaska and Hawaii have their own tables. OPM's locality pay area definitions list the counties in each area.
Under VA's fact sheet, a veteran, or a service member undergoing a medical discharge, may be eligible for a family caregiver if all of these are true:
VA published a final rule that extends the transition period for legacy participants, legacy applicants and their family caregivers (the legacy cohort) through September 30, 2028. During it, legacy participants will not see a stipend decrease based on a reassessment, with certain exceptions. Their stipend is based on the old clinical rating: 21 or higher pays 1.00 times the monthly stipend rate, 13 to 20 pays 0.625, and 1 to 12 pays 0.25. It is also not less than what they received the day before October 1, 2020, as long as the veteran stays at the same address.
When OPM updates the GS-4, step 1 rate, VA adjusts stipends prospectively. VA's fact sheet explains that if OPM announces an update in December with a January 1 effective date, the new stipend rate starts January 1; a later announcement means a later start. If the veteran moves, the change takes effect the first of the month after VA is notified, and VA must be told within 30 days. The stipend is paid for the prior month, and caregivers must be enrolled in direct deposit to receive it.
An overpayment is a payment VA made in excess of the amount due, and it is subject to collection even if it resulted from VA error; VA's Financial Services Center sends a letter with the amount and reason. For the veteran's own benefits, see our VA disability calculator and VA SMC rates calculator, which covers aid and attendance levels. For needs-based benefits, see VA pension rates.
In the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, level 1 is $1,896.30 a month and level 2 is $3,034.08. Amounts are higher in other areas, up to $2,370.63 and $3,793.00 in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland.
VA takes the OPM General Schedule annual rate for grade 4, step 1 in the veteran's locality pay area, divides it by 12, and multiplies by 0.625 for level 1 or 1.00 for level 2.
Level 2 applies when VA determines the veteran is unable to self-sustain in the community, meaning full dependence on a caregiver for three or more activities of daily living or a continuous need for supervision, protection or instruction.
No. It is based on the locality pay area where the eligible veteran resides. If the veteran moves, the new rate starts the first of the month after VA is notified.
VA adjusts it prospectively after OPM updates the GS-4, step 1 rate; when OPM announces the update in December with a January 1 effective date, the new stipend starts January 1.
VA extended the legacy transition period through September 30, 2028. Legacy participants will not see a stipend decrease based on a reassessment during that period, with certain exceptions.