SMC Visual Guide Library

24 printable one-page charts covering Special Monthly Compensation from end to end: what SMC is and how the levels relate to each other, the qualifying losses behind SMC-K and the rules on when a K award can be added, housebound compensation and how it differs from the aid-and-attendance levels, the SMC-L through O combinations, the intermediate rates, the two higher-level aid-and-attendance tiers and the predicates they require, the separate TBI route, the evidence each level actually turns on including VA Form 21-2680, the 2026 rate ladder, the appeal and effective-date questions, and research on the outcomes recorded in published Board decisions.

24 visual guides. 6 research charts refresh from RateMyVSO's analysis of 1.9M+ published BVA decisions, each printing its own denominator and, where its source is a weekly file, that file's own data date. The other 18 state 38 CFR 3.350 and 3.352, the forms, and the rate table, and change only when those do.

How to use this library

Every guide is a single tall image sized for printing or saving to your phone. Select any card to open the full-resolution image, or use the download link under it. Use the filter to narrow to one part of the question. The level and evidence charts summarize the published rules; the research charts report what RateMyVSO measured in published Board decisions, with the denominator printed on the chart itself.

These charts catalogue the published rules and what appears in published Board decisions. Every SMC level has its own legal predicate and these charts keep them apart, because that is where most SMC confusion starts: SMC-K is an add-on for a specified loss, SMC-S turns on a single total plus 60 percent or on being housebound, the L through O ladder turns on anatomical losses and aid and attendance, SMC-R requires entitlement to SMC-O or the maximum SMC-P rate, and SMC-T is a separate TBI route that requires neither. Compensation aid and attendance is not the same benefit as pension aid and attendance. In the research charts, a level being mentioned in a decision is not a claim, a grant, or a veteran, and a grant rate counts granted against granted plus denied, so remands and procedural outcomes are excluded and it is not a share of everything filed. Denial themes overlap and do not add to 100 percent. The 2026 rate chart changes every December 1. These charts are not legal or medical advice. For the full written guidance, start with the SMC guide.

All 24 visual guides

Overview of SMC-K, SMC-S, SMC-L through O, and SMC-R and T, emphasizing that each level has a separate legal predicate. — Core Guide **SMC in One Page** View full size · Download PNG

Map of SMC levels from K through T, including intermediate half-step rates and the distinct roles of SMC-P, R, and T. — Core Guide **SMC Level Map** View full size · Download PNG

Summary of qualifying SMC-K loss or loss of use involving organs, hands, feet, senses, and breast tissue. — Levels **SMC-K Loss and Loss of Use** View full size · Download PNG

Rules for adding one to three SMC-K awards and the exclusions for SMC-O, Q, and R. — Levels **SMC-K Addition Rules** View full size · Download PNG

Comparison of statutory housebound and housebound-in-fact routes for SMC-S. — Levels **SMC-S Housebound** View full size · Download PNG

Decision path showing when single-disability TDIU may satisfy the total-disability requirement for SMC-S. — Levels **TDIU and SMC-S** View full size · Download PNG

Regulatory aid and attendance factors for SMC-L, including personal functions, safety, bedridden status, and the whole disability picture. — Levels **SMC-L Aid and Attendance** View full size · Download PNG

Overview of the exact paired-loss and functional combinations used for SMC-M, N, and O. — Levels **SMC-M, N, and O Combinations** View full size · Download PNG

Explanation of intermediate and next-higher rates under SMC-P and the cap at the SMC-O amount. — Levels **SMC-P Intermediate Rates** View full size · Download PNG

Comparison of SMC-R1 and R2 predicates, care needs, eligible caregivers, and supervision. — Levels **SMC-R1 and R2** View full size · Download PNG

Decision path for SMC-T based on service-connected TBI residuals and the need to avoid institutional care. — Levels **SMC-T for TBI Residuals** View full size · Download PNG

Evidence framework for loss of use of a hand, foot, eye, or reproductive organ. — Evidence **Loss of Use Evidence** View full size · Download PNG

Evidence checklist for regular aid and attendance, including daily tasks, supervision, clinical findings, and caregiver statements. — Evidence **Aid and Attendance Evidence** View full size · Download PNG

Evidence guide for single-total disability, actual travel pattern, service-connected causation, and permanence. — Evidence **Housebound-in-Fact Evidence** View full size · Download PNG

Guide to documenting diagnoses, functional limits, care frequency, and safety risks on VA Form 21-2680. — Evidence **VA Form 21-2680 Guide** View full size · Download PNG

Veteran-alone 2026 monthly SMC rates from K through T, effective December 1, 2025. — Rates **2026 SMC Rate Ladder** View full size · Download PNG

Review framework for SMC entitlement, level, effective date, and duty-to-maximize disputes. — Filing **SMC Appeals and Effective Dates** View full size · Download PNG

Twelve-item SMC file review covering ratings, TDIU basis, loss of use, care needs, housebound evidence, and effective date. — Filing **SMC Claim Checklist** View full size · Download PNG

Board decision-level SMC mentions by level, with ruled-outcome counts shown separately. — Research **SMC Board Volume by Level** View full size · Download PNG

Grant rates among decided Board outcomes for selected SMC levels. — Research **SMC Board Grant Rates by Level** View full size · Download PNG

Grant rates among decided Board outcomes for extracted SMC pathways. — Research **SMC Board Grant Rates by Pathway** View full size · Download PNG

Counts of evidence labels cited in the extracted SMC Board corpus. — Research **Evidence Cited in SMC Decisions** View full size · Download PNG

Overlapping themes identified in analyzed denied SMC Board decisions. — Research **Common SMC Denial Themes** View full size · Download PNG

Comparison of statutory housebound and housebound-in-fact Board grant rates among decided pathway issues. — Research **SMC-S Board Pathway Comparison** View full size · Download PNG

Common Questions

Can I download, print, and share these guides?

Yes. Every guide has a free full-resolution PNG download, sized for printing on letter paper or reading on a phone. Share them freely; please keep the footer attribution intact so readers can find the underlying data.

How current are the research numbers?

The research charts are regenerated every week from the same data files that power this site's live SMC statistics. Each chart prints the generation date of its own data sources in the footer, so you always know exactly when its numbers were produced.

Do these charts predict my claim?

No. They report what happened in published Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions, which are appeals, not initial claims, and are described with their exact sample on each chart. An observed grant share is a description of past decided cases, never a probability for any individual claim.

Related Tools and Guides

SMC Guide

The written guidance behind these charts, level by level.

SMC Pay Calculator

Work out the actual monthly figure, including dependents and SMC-K.

SMC Board Research

The live analysis behind the research charts.

BVA Decision Search

Search the published Board decisions these research charts are built from.

Educational use only. These visual guides catalogue published VA rules and observed outcomes in published Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions. They are not legal or medical advice, do not predict any individual claim, and are not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sample sizes and data dates are printed on each chart.