Will There Be a 2025 VA Disability Pay Increase?
Yes, there will be a 2025 pay increase for veterans, though it’s likely to be even lower than initially expected.
My newest estimate for the 2025 VA disability pay increase is 2.5%, which will be applied to VA disability compensation rates effective December 1, 2024, with payments starting January 1, 2025.
I’ve adjusted this 2025 COLA prediction slightly downward (yet again) after the August 2024 CPI report came in even lower than anticipated, signaling that inflationary pressures are easing. If this trend continues, the final COLA could end up being below 2.5%.
Where Can I View the VA Disability Rates 2025?
The VA disability rates 2025 are set based on the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) estimated 2.5% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) increase for 2025, which would be the lowest increase since 2021.
These new VA compensation rates will kick-in on December 1, 2024, and you’ll see them reflected in your payments starting January 1, 2025.
If you have a VA rating of 10% or higher, check out my updated 2025 VA pay rates and charts here to estimate your new disability compensation. This will help you stay ahead of the curve and know exactly what to expect. I continually update the pay rates and 2025 COLA estimates to ensure veterans have the most accurate and current information.
What VA Benefits Will be Impacted by a 2025 COLA Increase?
These VA benefits will be impacted by the official 2025 VA COLA. The official COLA will be announced in mid-October of 2024:
- VA Monthly Compensation
- VA Special Monthly Compensation (SMC)
- VA Pension
- VA Survivors Pension
- Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
- The Medal of Honor Pension
- VA clothing allowance
- VA automobile allowance
Recent COLA’s Impacting VA Disability Compensation
- 2025: 2.5% (estimated)
- 2024: 3.2%
- 2023: 8.7%
- 2022: 5.9%
- 2021: 1.3%
- 2020: 1.6%
2023 saw the biggest increase in the COLA for VA disability since 1981, which was a huge 11.2%.
Historical COLA Increases Since 1975
The table below shows historical COLA increases by year along with the COLA percentages from 1975-2025:
- 2025: 2.5% (projected)
- 2024: 3.2%
- 2023: 8.7%
- 2022: 5.9%
- 2021: 1.3%
- 2020: 1.6%
- 2019: 2.8%
- 2018: 2.0%
- 2017: 0.3%
- 2016: 0.0%
- 2015: 1.7%
- 2014: 1.5%
- 2013: 1.7%
- 2012: 3.6%
- 2011: 0.0%
- 2010: 0.0%
- 2009: 5.8%
- 2008: 2.3%
- 2007: 3.3%
- 2006: 4.1%
- 2005: 2.7%
- 2004: 2.1%
- 2003: 1.4%
- 2002: 2.6%
- 2001: 3.5%
- 2000: 2.5%
- 1999: 1.3%
- 1998: 2.1%
- 1997: 2.9%
- 1996: 2.6%
- 1995: 2.8%
- 1994: 2.6%
- 1993: 3.0%
- 1992: 3.7%
- 1991: 5.4%
- 1990: 4.0%
- 1989: 4.2%
- 1988: 1.3%
- 1987: 3.1%
- 1986: 3.1%
- 1985: 3.5%
- 1984: 3.5%
- 1983: 7.4%
- 1982: 11.2%
- 1981: 14.3%
- 1980: 9.9%
- 1979: 6.5%
- 1978: 5.9%
- 1977: 6.4%
- 1976: 8.0%
- 1975: 8.0%
Source: SSA Cost-Of-Living Adjustments since 1975
About the Author
Brian Reese is a leading VA disability benefits expert and the #1 bestselling author of VA Claim Secrets and You Deserve It. Frustrated with the VA claim process, Brian founded VA Claims Insider to help disabled veterans win their VA disability compensation faster. He has served over 10 million military members and veterans since 2013. A former Air Force officer, Brian deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. He is a Distinguished Graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy and holds an MBA from Oklahoma State University, where he was a National Honor Scholar.
