VA Disability Payments and Military Retirement Checks Are Going Up 3.6 Percent in 2027

VA disability compensation and military retirement pay are both on track to increase by 3.6 percent in January 2027, following a cost-of-living adjustment announced by the Social Security Administration on October 15, 2026.

Veterans do not need to file anything or contact VA. The increase will be applied automatically.

When to expect it

The effective date for VA disability compensation is December 1, but the payment reflecting the new rate will arrive on December 31 or in early January 2027, depending on your payment schedule.

Military retirees will see the increase in their December retirement check.

What the numbers look like

The 3.6 percent rate compares to 2.8 percent in 2026 and 2.5 percent in 2025.

A few examples of what that means in practice:

• A veteran with a 10% disability rating and no dependents will receive approximately $186.92 per month, up from $180.42.
• A veteran with a 100% disability rating and no dependents will receive approximately $4,080 per month, up from $3,939.
• Military retirees receive a $36 increase per $1,000 of monthly retirement pension.

The increase covers all VA disability benefit types: standard disability compensation, total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU), special monthly compensation, and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses and children.

One thing to watch

For military retirement and Social Security, the COLA triggers automatically by statute. VA disability compensation works differently — Congress must pass the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act each year before VA can apply the increase. That bill has not yet been signed as of today. It typically passes without controversy, but it is worth knowing the step exists.

Worth keeping in mind

The 3.6 percent COLA reflects September’s inflation reading of 3.7 percent year over year. A larger COLA generally means prices have also risen — so the increase may not go as far at the register as the percentage suggests.

Questions

If you have questions about your specific rating or payment, contact the post’s service officer, Don Housekeeper, or reach VA directly:

• VA benefits hotline: 1-800-827-1000
• eBenefits / VA.gov: va.gov/disability
• Legion national COLA article: legion.org

Sources