Notice2026-02993
Veterans and Survivors Pension and Parents' Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA)
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 17, 2026
Effective
December 1, 2025
Issuing agencies
Veterans Affairs Department
Abstract
As required by law, VA is hereby giving notice of COLA in certain benefit rates and income limitations. These COLAs affect the Pension and Parents' DIC programs. The rate of the adjustment is tied to the increase in Social Security benefits effective December 1, 2025, as announced by the Social Security Administration (SSA). SSA has announced an increase of 2.8%.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 31 (Tuesday, February 17, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 17, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7387-7389]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-02993]
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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
[Docket No. VA-2026-VACO-0001]
Veterans and Survivors Pension and Parents' Dependency and
Indemnity Compensation (DIC) Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA)
AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: As required by law, VA is hereby giving notice of COLA in
certain benefit rates and income limitations. These COLAs affect the
Pension and Parents' DIC programs. The rate of the adjustment is tied
to the increase in Social Security benefits effective December 1, 2025,
as announced by the Social Security Administration (SSA). SSA has
announced an increase of 2.8%.
DATES: The COLAs became effective December 1, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janel Keyes, Assistant Director,
Pension and Fiduciary Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, 202-
632-8863.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 5312 and
The Veterans' and Survivors' Pension Improvement Act of 1978, Sec. 306,
Public Law 95-588, 92 Stat. 2497, 2508-10 (1978), VA is required to
increase the benefit rates and income limitations in the Pension and
Parents' DIC programs by the same percentage, and effective the same
date, as increases in the benefit amounts payable under Title II of the
Social Security Act. VA is required to publish the increased rates and
income limitations in the Federal Register.
The Social Security Administration announced a 2.8% COLA increase
in Social Security benefits effective December 1, 2025. 90 FR 49047.
Therefore, applying the same percentage and rounding in accordance with
38
[[Page 7388]]
CFR 3.29, the following increased rates and income limitations for the
VA Pension and Parents' DIC programs became effective December 1, 2025:
Pension
Maximum Annual Rates--Veterans
(1) Veterans permanently and totally disabled (38 U.S.C. 1521):
Veteran with no dependents, $17,441.
Veteran with one dependent, $22,839.
For each additional dependent, $2,984.
(2) Veterans in need of aid and attendance (38 U.S.C. 1521):
Veteran with no dependents, $29,093.
Veteran with one dependent, $34,488.
For each additional dependent, $2,984.
(3) Veterans who are housebound (38 U.S.C. 1521):
Veteran with no dependents, $21,313.
Veteran with one dependent, $26,710.
For each additional dependent, $2,984.
(4) Two veterans married to one another, combined rates (38 U.S.C.
1521):
Neither veteran in need of aid and attendance or housebound,
$22,839.
Either veteran in need of aid and attendance, $34,488.
Both veterans in need of aid and attendance, $46,143.
Either veteran housebound, $26,710.
Both veterans housebound, $30,580.
One veteran housebound and one veteran in need of aid and
attendance, $38,350.
For each dependent child, $2,984.
(5) Net worth limit under 38 CFR 3.274(a):
For purposes of entitlement to VA pension, the net worth limit
effective December 1, 2025, is $163,699.
(6) Monthly Penalty Rate under 38 CFR 3.276(e)(1):
The monthly penalty rate is $2,874.
(7) Mexican border period and World War I veterans (38 U.S.C.
1521(g)): The applicable maximum annual rate payable to a Mexican
border period or World War I veteran shall be increased by $3,965.
Maximum Annual Rates--Survivor Beneficiaries
(8) Surviving spouse alone and with a child or children of the
deceased veteran in custody of the surviving spouse (38 U.S.C. 1541):
Surviving spouse alone, $11,699.
Surviving spouse and one child in his or her custody, $15,311.
For each additional child in his or her custody, $2,984.
(9) Surviving spouses in need of aid and attendance (38 U.S.C.
1536, 1541):
Surviving spouse alone, $18,697.
Surviving spouse with one child in custody, $22,304.
Surviving Spouse of Spanish-American War veteran alone, $19,453.
Surviving Spouse of Spanish-American War veteran with one child in
custody, $22,979.
For each additional child in his or her custody, $2,984.
(10) Surviving spouses who are housebound (38 U.S.C. 1541):
Surviving spouse alone, $14,298.
Surviving spouse and one child in his or her custody, $17,902.
For each additional child in his or her custody, $2,984.
(11) Surviving child alone (38 U.S.C. 1542), $2,984.
(12) Net worth limit under 38 CFR 3.274(a):
For purposes of entitlement to VA pension, the net worth limit
effective December 1, 2025, is $163,699.
(13) Monthly Penalty Rate under 38 CFR 3.276(e)(1):
If we determine you're subject to a pension penalty, we wouldn't
pay pension benefits during the penalty period.
Section 306 Pension Income Limitations
Veteran or surviving spouse with no dependents, $19,836 (Sec.
306(a), Public Law 95-588, 92 Stat. 2497, 2508 (1978).
Veteran in need of aid and attendance with no dependents, $20,550
(38 U.S.C. 521(d) as in effect on December 31, 1978).
Veteran or surviving spouse with one or more dependents, $26,663
(Sec, 306(a), Public Law 95-588, 92 Stat. 2497, 2508 (1978)).
Veteran in need of aid and attendance with one or more dependents,
$27,374 (38 U.S.C. 521(d) as in effect on December 31, 1978).
Child (no entitled veteran or surviving spouse), $16,220 (Sec.
306(a), Public Law 95-588 92 Stat. 2497, 2508 (1978).
Spouse income exclusion (38 CFR 3.262), $6,337 (Sec. 306(a)(2)(B),
Public Law 95-588, 92 Stat. 2497, 2508 (1978)).
Old-Law Pension Income Limitations
Veteran or surviving spouse without dependents or an entitled
child, $17,372 (Sec. 306(b), Public Law 95-588, 92 Stat. 2497, 2509
(1978)).
Veteran or surviving spouse with one or more dependents, $25,033
(Sec. 306(b), Public Law 95-588, 92 Stat. 2497, 2508 (1978)).
Parents' Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
DIC shall be paid monthly to parents of a deceased veteran in the
following amounts (38 U.S.C. 1315):
One parent (38 U.S.C. 1315(b); 38 CFR 3.25(a)): If there is only
one parent, the monthly rate of DIC paid to such parent shall be $842,
reduced on the basis of the parent's annual income according to the
following formula:
For each $1 of annual income which is more than $0.00 but not more
than $800, the $842 monthly rate shall not be reduced.
For each $1 of annual income which is more than $800 but not more
than $11,262, the monthly rate shall be reduced by $0.08.
For each $1 of annual income which is more than $11,263, the
monthly rate will not be reduced.
No Parents' DIC is payable if annual income exceeds $19,836.
One parent who has remarried: (38 U.S.C. 1315, 38 CFR 3.25) If
there is only one parent and the parent has remarried and is living
with the parent's spouse, DIC shall be paid under 38 U.S.C. 1315(b) or
under 38 U.S.C. 1315(d), whichever shall result in the greater benefit
being paid to the veteran's parent. In the case of remarriage, the
total combined annual income of the parent and the parent's spouse
shall be counted in determining the monthly rate of DIC.
One of two parents not living with spouse (38 U.S.C. 1315(c); 38
CFR 3.25(c)): The rates below apply to (1) two parents who are not
living together, or (2) an unmarried parent when both parents are
living and the other parent has remarried. The monthly rate of DIC paid
to each such parent shall be $611 reduced on the basis of each parent's
annual income, according to the following formula:
For each $1 of annual income which is more than $0 but not more
than $800, the $611 monthly rate shall not be reduced.
For each $1 of annual income which is more than $800 but not more
than $8,374, the monthly rate shall be reduced by $0.08.
For each $1 of annual income which is more than $8,375, the monthly
rate shall not be reduced.
No Parents' DIC is payable if annual income exceeds $19,836.
One of two parents living with spouse or other parent (38 U.S.C.
1315(d), 38 CFR 3.25(d)): The rates below apply to each parent living
with another parent; and each remarried parent, when both parents are
living. The monthly rate of DIC paid to such parents will be $576
reduced on the basis of the combined annual income of the two parents
living together or the remarried parent or parents and spouse or
spouses, as computed under the following formula:
[[Page 7389]]
For each $1 of annual income which is more than $0 but not more
than $1,000, the $576 monthly rate shall not be reduced.
For each $1 of annual income which is more than $1,000 but not more
than $8,137, the monthly rate shall be reduced by $0.08.
For each $1 of annual income which is more than $8,138, the monthly
rate shall not be reduced.
No Parents' DIC is payable if the annual income exceeds $26,663.
These rates are also applicable in the case of one surviving parent
who has remarried, computed on the basis of the combined income of the
parent and spouse, if this would be a greater benefit than that
specified in the rates for 38 U.S.C. 1315(b) for one parent.
Aid and attendance (38 U.S.C. 1315(g); 38 CFR 3.25(e)): The monthly
rate of DIC payable to a parent per the guidelines above shall be
increased by $458 if such parent is (1) a patient in a nursing home, or
(2) helpless or blind, or so nearly helpless or blind as to need or
require the regular aid and attendance of another person.
Minimum rate: The monthly rate of DIC payable to any parent shall
not be less than $5.
Signing Authority
Douglas A. Collins, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, approved this
document on February 10, 2026, and authorized the undersigned to sign
and submit the document to the Office of the Federal Register for
publication electronically as an official document of the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
Gabriela DeCuir,
Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Veterans
Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2026-02993 Filed 2-13-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on February 17, 2026.
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