VA Disability Pay 2027: 3.6% COLA and What Veterans Should Know
The VA disability COLA for 2027 is 3.6%, matching Social Security. When the raise lands, who gets it, and why VA’s new rate tables are not out yet.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2026 — Veterans who receive VA disability compensation are set for a 3.6% increase in 2027. The Social Security Administration announced the 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) on Oct. 14, and the Department of Veterans Affairs says on its disability rates page that it is “required by law to match the percentage of cost-of-living adjustments made to Social Security benefits.” This guide to the VA disability COLA explains where the number comes from, when it reaches veterans’ bank accounts, and what VA has not yet published.
This article is general information, not legal or financial advice. For questions about a specific award, contact VA or an accredited Veterans Service Organization representative.
How the 3.6% figure was calculated
The COLA is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes each month. According to the SSA, the adjustment measures the rise in the average CPI-W for July through September against the same three months of the previous year.
A COLA explainer posted by VA’s Pacific West network (VISN 20 NewsFlash) lays out the math. The third-quarter 2025 average was 317.265, and BLS reported a third-quarter 2026 average of 328.746. That gap, rounded to the nearest tenth, is 3.6%.
For comparison, the 2026 adjustment was 2.8%, the VA network said in its 2026 COLA bulletin.
When veterans will see the increase
Under the annual COLA bill described below, the new VA rates would take effect on Dec. 1, 2026. The VISN 20 explainer says veterans, families and dependents “will see the updated amount reflected in their monthly payments effective January 1, 2027.”
The same explainer lists the VA benefits that rise with the COLA:
- Service-connected disability compensation
- Clothing allowance
- Automobile allowance
- Medal of Honor pension
- Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses and children
- Other survivor benefits
What Congress has to do
The automatic link to Social Security is not self-executing for every VA payment. Each year Congress passes a Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act. The 2026 version, S. 4487, was introduced on May 11, 2026, by Sen. Jerry Moran with 15 bipartisan cosponsors. As introduced, it directs the VA secretary to raise compensation, dependents’ allowances, the clothing allowance and DIC, effective Dec. 1, 2026, “by the same percentage” as Social Security benefits.
The bill also requires VA to publish the new dollar amounts in the Federal Register. Peter’s World could not confirm the bill’s final status on Congress.gov at publication; readers can follow veterans legislation on our Legislation Tracker.
Current 2026 rates and the missing 2027 table
As of Oct. 22, VA’s official rate tables still show the rates in effect since Dec. 1, 2025. For a veteran with no dependents, those monthly amounts are:
| Disability rating | Monthly payment (effective Dec. 1, 2025) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
VA had not posted official 2027 tables when this article was published. Some websites already list projected 2027 amounts, but Peter’s World is not printing estimates; VA’s own tables also include rounding rules and dependent rates that a simple percentage does not capture. Veterans rated 30% or higher receive more with a spouse, children or dependent parents, and those amounts are listed on the same VA page.
Social Security and SSI dates for veterans who get both
Many veterans also draw Social Security. According to the SSA, its 3.6% increase begins with January 2027 benefits for nearly 72 million beneficiaries, while about 7.3 million people on Supplemental Security Income get the increase with their Dec. 31, 2026 payment. The agency says personalized COLA notices appear in my Social Security accounts in late November for people enrolled in paperless notices by Nov. 18; others receive notices by mail in December.
What it means
Analysis: A 3.6% adjustment is the larger of the two most recent increases, but by design it tracks price increases that have already happened rather than adding new value. It does not raise a veteran’s rating or change eligibility. Veterans who believe a condition has worsened would need to file a claim for an increase, which is a separate process from the COLA.
FAQ
Is the VA COLA for 2027 official? The 3.6% figure is official from the SSA, and VA states it must match that percentage. VA’s dollar tables for 2027 had not been posted as of Oct. 22.
When does the first higher VA payment arrive? VA’s VISN 20 explainer says the updated amount is reflected in payments effective Jan. 1, 2027.
Do survivors receiving DIC get the increase? Yes. DIC is among the benefits VA lists as rising with the COLA.
Do I need to apply for the COLA? No application is described by VA or the SSA; the adjustment is applied to existing awards.
Sources
- Social Security Administration: Social Security Announces 3.6 Percent Benefit Increase for 2027 (Oct. 14, 2026)
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Current Veterans Disability Compensation Rates
- VA VISN 20 NewsFlash: Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) Watch, 2027 COLA
- S. 4487, Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2026 (introduced text, via GovTrack)
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