Social Security’s 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment for 2027 doesn’t just apply to retirees on Social Security. The same figure is used to raise military retirement pay and, once Congress signs off, VA disability compensation and survivor benefits too.
More than 8 million veterans and military retirees get monthly payments. Here’s what the increase looks like, when you’ll see it, and the one step that still needs to happen.
Who gets the 3.6%
- Military retirees: the increase is automatic by law, about $36 more for every $1,000 of monthly retired pay.
- VA disability compensation: including special monthly compensation and TDIU (individual unemployability).
- Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses and children.
You don’t need to fill in any paperwork. The increase is applied automatically.
What the VA rates could look like
These are estimates for a veteran with no dependents, based on a 3.6% increase. The VA hasn’t published its official 2027 tables yet.
| Disability rating | 2026 monthly rate | Estimated 2027 rate |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | about $186.92 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | about $1,173.68 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | about $4,080.37 |
At 100%, that’s about $142 more a month, or roughly $1,700 a year. Veterans rated 30% or higher get extra if they have a spouse, children or dependent parents, and those amounts rise too.
When you’ll see it
- The increase takes effect on December 1, 2026.
- VA pays benefits a month behind, so the first higher payment usually arrives on December 31, 2026, or early January 2027.
- Military retired pay follows a similar timeline, with the higher amount in the payment made at the start of January.
The step that still has to happen
Unlike Social Security and military retired pay, the VA increase isn’t automatic in law. Each year Congress passes, and the President signs, a Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act that applies the Social Security COLA to VA benefits. As of mid-October, this year’s bill hadn’t been enacted. It almost always passes, but until it does, the VA rates above are estimates.
Will it keep up with prices?
The COLA is based on inflation from July to September compared with a year earlier. Prices in September were 3.7% higher than a year before, slightly above the 3.6% increase. As one 100% disabled veteran told Stars and Stripes, “The COLA never really keeps up with inflation.”
What to check
- Look at your VA.gov account in January to confirm your new monthly amount.
- Update your dependents if you’ve married, had a child or a child has left school, as it can change your payment.
- If you also get Social Security, both payments go up by 3.6%, but Medicare Part B premiums deducted from Social Security may take some of that increase.
Sources: Stars and Stripes (October 14, 2026), Newsweek and SSA 2027 COLA announcement.
Jackson is a dedicated USA news writer, who covers important topics such as Social Security payment schedules, COLA increases, IRS tax refunds, stimulus payment announcements, Medicare eligibility, retirement benefits, and changes to state driving laws. His goal is to provide clear, informative, and easy-to-follow articles that help retirees, seniors, taxpayers, and American families stay informed.