The Department of Veterans Affairs imposed a 2.5 percent increase in VA disability benefits for 2025. Veterans who receive monthly disability payments should understand how this increase affects their benefits.
Understanding COLA and How It Matters
The government imposes cost-of-living adjustments to many benefits it pays to citizens. A cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) seeks to adjust a payment, such as wages/salary or financial government benefits, to keep the purchasing power of that payment consistent with inflation. Inflation causes the price of goods and services to increase, which means benefit payments would afford less without COLAs.
Federal law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to match the COLA for Social Security benefits. In 2025, the Social Security Administration announced a 2.5 percent COLA for benefits, with the same COLA applied to VA disability benefits. The Social Security Administration calculates its annual COLA based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers.
Breakdown of the 2025 VA Disability Compensation Increase
The 2025 VA disability compensation increase raised disability benefits by 2.5 percent. For example, a veteran with a 10 percent disability rating will receive a monthly payment of $175.51, an increase from the 2024 monthly payment of $171.23. A veteran with a 30 percent disability rating who does not have dependents will receive a monthly benefit of $537.42 in 2025, compared to the 2024 monthly benefit of $524.31. A veteran with a 100 percent disability rating who does not have dependents will receive a monthly payment in 2025 of $3,831.30, compared to their 2024 payment of $3,737.85.
A veteran with a spouse and a child who received a 30 percent disability rating will see monthly payments of $579.42 for 2025, compared to a monthly payment of $565.31. A veteran with a spouse and a child who received a 100 percent disability rating will receive a monthly payment of $4,201.35 in 2025, compared to their 2024 monthly payment of $4,098.87. A 100 percent disabled veteran can receive a payment of $106.14 for each additional child under 18 in 2025, compared to the $103.55 they received in 2024.
Effective Dates and Payment Schedules
The new VA disability benefits became effective on December 1, 2024. Veterans should have started receiving monthly benefits at the 2025 rates beginning with their benefit payment for January 2025. The VA typically makes benefit payments to veterans on the first business day of each month. However, payment dates may differ due to weekends and holidays at the beginning of the month.
Implications for Veterans and Their Families
The 2025 increase in VA disability benefits and the other annual COLAs applied to disability benefits help veterans and their families manage rising living expenses by ensuring that veterans receive more money each month as costs rise. However, the 2025 increase for disability benefits may not completely offset ongoing increases in living expenses, especially since 2025 saw a smaller increase compared to recent years. Furthermore, when sharp increases in living expenses occur during the year, veterans must wait until the following year to see relief through a COLA applied to their disability benefits.
Veterans should review their current monthly benefits to ensure they receive the correct benefits under the VA’s 2025 benefit rates for their disability rating and family status. Veterans who receive incorrect benefits can contact the VA or turn to a VA disability benefits attorney for help.
Contact a VA Disability Benefits Attorney Today
When you’ve developed a disability due to your military service, you deserve to receive VA disability benefits, which increase annually in response to inflation. Contact Veteran’s Legal Center today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a VA disability benefits attorney to discuss your eligibility for monthly benefits.