Notice2026-02997

Cost of Living Adjustments for Service-Connected Benefits

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 the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025, Public Law 119-42, the VA is hereby giving notice of adjustments in certain benefit rates. These adjustments affect the compensation program.

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]
[Page 7386]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-02997]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Cost of Living Adjustments for Service-Connected Benefits

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living 
Adjustment Act of 2025, Public Law 119-42, the VA is hereby giving 
notice of adjustments in certain benefit rates. These adjustments 
affect the compensation program.

DATES: These adjustments became effective on December 1, 2025, the date 
provided by Public Law 119-42.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jadine Piper, Acting Assistant 
Director, Policy Staff, Compensation Service, Veterans Benefits 
Administration, 202-461-9700.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 2 of Public Law 119-42 provides for 
an increase in each of the rates in Sec. Sec.  1114, 1115(1), and 38 
U.S.C. 1162. VA is required to increase these benefit rates by the same 
percentage as increases in the benefit amounts payable under title II 
of the Social Security Act. The increased rates are required to be 
published in the Federal Register.
    The Social Security Administration has announced that there will be 
a 2.8% cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits for 2026. 
Therefore, applying the same percentage, the following rates for VA's 
compensation program became effective on December 1, 2025:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Disability evaluation percent                Monthly rate
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Disability Compensation
                         [38 U.S.C. Sec.   1114]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
10....................................................           $180.42
20....................................................            356.66
30....................................................            552.47
40....................................................            795.84
50....................................................           1132.90
60....................................................           1435.02
70....................................................           1808.45
80....................................................           2102.15
90....................................................           2362.30
100...................................................           3938.58
(38 U.S.C. Sec.   1114(k) through (t)):
  38 U.S.C. Sec.   1114(k)............................           $139.87
  38 U.S.C. Sec.   1114(l)............................           4900.83
  38 U.S.C. Sec.   1114(m)............................           5408.55
  38 U.S.C. Sec.   1114(n)............................           6152.64
  38 U.S.C. Sec.   1114(o)............................           6877.12
  38 U.S.C. Sec.   1114(p)............................           6877.12
  38 U.S.C. Sec.   1114(r)............................  2949.76; 4394.55
  38 U.S.C. Sec.   1114(s)............................           4408.53
  38 U.S.C. Sec.   1114(t)............................           4394.55
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Additional Compensation for Dependents
                       [38 U.S.C. Sec.   1115(1)]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
38 U.S.C. Sec.   1115(1):
  38 U.S.C. Sec.   1115(1)(A).........................           $219.59
  38 U.S.C. Sec.   1115(1)(B).........................    380.41; 109.11
  38 U.S.C. Sec.   1115(1)(C).........................    146.85; 109.11
  38 U.S.C. Sec.   1115(1)(D).........................            176.24
  38 U.S.C. Sec.   1115(1)(E).........................            421.00
  38 U.S.C. Sec.   1115(1)(F).........................            352.45
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           Clothing Allowance
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         [38 U.S.C. Sec.   1162]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            $1053.19 per year
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

Nicole R. Cherry,
Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Veterans 
Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2026-02997 Filed 2-13-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on February 17, 2026.

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