Your VA Disability Check Might Go Up in 2026 — See the New Estimated Rate

If you re a veteran receiving disability payments you ve maybe been wondering Will there be a raise in And if so how much Well we ve got a good idea now and while it s not huge it s still something What s the Latest As of May the expected increase in VA disability pay for is about This is based on early estimates from cabinet inflation figures and while it s not final yet it gives us a solid picture of what might happen That raise would kick in starting January with the new rates showing up in your January payment What That Looks Like in Real Numbers Let s say you re a veteran with a disability rating and no dependents Right now you re supposedly getting about a month based on the rate If the projected increase holds your monthly payment would go up by around bringing you to roughly per month in It s not life-changing but it s something especially with how prices for everything seem to keep climbing Why Does This Happen Every Year This kind of increase is called a Cost-of-Living Adjustment or COLA It s based on inflation basically the rising cost of groceries rent gas and everything else The governing body uses a formula called the CPI-W to figure out how much prices have gone up and then they adjust benefits like VA disability and Social Guard to try and keep up The official number for will be released in October so the figure is just a projection for now but it s a good early estimate based on how the economic system is looking What You Need to Do Here s the good news you don t have to do anything to get this raise If you re already receiving VA disability pay the adjustment happens automatically No forms no calls it ll just show up in your January payment But if you want to stay in the loop or double-check your rates here are a sparse helpful tips Keep an eye on updates from the VA or Social Safety websites Check your mail or eBenefits account around late December that s when you ll usually see updated payment info Talk to a VSO or rep if you ve had any changes in your wellbeing dependents or status you might be eligible for more than you think The projected bump in disability pay for isn t huge but it s a sign that your operation and the rising cost of living are being acknowledged Every little bit counts and for a multitude of veterans and their families even more a month can help with groceries gas or just making ends meet a little easier We ll keep watching for the official number this fall and will share the update when it s issued But for now this gives you a head start on what to expect heading into the new year