Most years, the VA adjusts disability benefit rates to reflect inflation. This adjustment, known as a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), can help VA benefits keep pace with rising living costs. As a result, veterans who receive VA disability benefits should know what increases in benefit rates they can expect in 2026.
What Is the 2026 COLA and Why Does It Matter?
By law, the VA must increase disability benefits rates by the same percentage that the Social Security Administration increases its disability and retirement benefits. This increase, called a “cost-of-living” adjustment, ensures that inflation does not significantly erode the purchasing power of government benefit amounts. For 2026, the Social Security Administration announced a COLA of 2.8 percent. The SSA bases the annual COLA on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), as calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 2026 COLA will go into effect for veterans’ VA disability checks starting with their January 2026 payments.
Updated VA Disability Compensation Rates
Veterans who receive disability compensation from the VA should see a 2.8 percent increase in all financial benefits they receive. For example, veterans with a 20 percent disability rating will see their monthly compensation increase to $356.66, up from the 2025 rate of $346.95. A veteran with no dependents who has a disability rating of 50 percent will see their monthly compensation payment rise from $1,102.04 in 2025 to $1,132.90 in 2026. A veteran with no dependents who has a 100 percent disability rating or TDIU will see their monthly payments increase from $3,831.30 in 2025 to $3,938.58 in 2026.
Dependents and Special Monthly Compensation
A veteran’s disability compensation rate depends on their disability rating or combined disability rating and the dependents living in their household, such as a spouse, parent, or child. The VA establishes base rates for veterans who have a spouse, a child, a parent, a spouse and a parent, a spouse and two parents, a child and a parent, a child and two parents, a spouse and a child, a spouse, child, and parent, or a spouse, child, and two parents. The VA also provides additional payments to veterans for each additional child under 18 or child over 18 in a qualifying school program. The VA also provides payments (called Aid and Attendance) to disabled veterans who need help with daily activities, such as bathing, dressing, or eating.
Certain veterans may also qualify for higher compensation rates, called special monthly compensation. Veterans may qualify for special monthly compensation for specific disabilities if they need help with daily activities or cannot leave the home due to their service-connected disability.
What Veterans Should Do
Veterans receiving VA disability benefits should review their benefit statements for their January 2026 payment to ensure they receive the correct benefit rate based on their disability rating, dependents, and special monthly compensation designation (if applicable). The VA’s website has charts listing the 2026 compensation rates. If a veteran receives less compensation than they expected, they should reach out to the VA for clarification or correction. Veterans who have difficulties obtaining the correct benefit can also contact a VA disability lawyer for assistance.
Contact Our Firm Today
Veterans who receive VA disability benefits should expect to see increases in their benefit checks starting in January 2026. Contact Veterans Law Attorneys today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a VA disability lawyer to learn more about what VA disability benefits rates for 2026 will look like and to discuss what steps you should take to ensure you receive the full scope of benefits you deserve.
