2025 VA Disability Pay Raise – Know the New Rates and How Much You Could Receive

Veterans receiving monthly disability payments from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will receive some financial relief in early 2025. Starting in January 2025, their monthly benefits will increase by 2.5%, known as a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA). This adjustment is implemented to account for inflation and increasing expenses, ensuring that veterans’ financial circumstances stay secure.

This adjustment will take effect on January 1, 2025, and the change has already been incorporated into the payments issued to date. Now, let’s explore what a COLA is, why it is essential, and the additional funds veterans will receive this time.

COLA stands for Cost-of-Living Adjustment, i.e. an annual increase given to account for the rising cost of living. These increases are made to schemes such as VA Disability Payments, Social Security, and Military Retirement.

The rate of COLA in 2025 is set at 2.5%, set by the Social Security Administration (SSA). To set this rate, the SSA uses an index called the CPI-W (Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers). This index tracks the prices of everyday items, such as:

• Rent & Housing Expenses
• Drugs and Medical Treatment
• Food & Groceries
• Transport
• Electricity and other bills

If the COLA is not implemented, the fixed money veterans receive will lose value over time. So even these seemingly minor increments are very important.

What has changed in Payments?

Starting in January 2025, every Veteran is getting 2.5% more money. This increase has been applied automatically – there is no need to fill out a separate form or request it.

If there are dependents in your family besides you like spouse, children or parents, then the amount you get will be even higher as extra allowances are paid for them as well.

New 2025 Disability Rates

Who have no dependents:

Disability Rating	Monthly Payment (2025)
10%	$175.51
20%	$346.95

with dependents – some examples:

Status	30%	40%	50%	60%
Veterans Only	$537.42	$774.16	$1,102.04	$1,395.93
Veteran + Spouse	$600.97	$859.24	$1,208.64	$1,524.05
Veteran + 1 Parent	$588.67	$841.81	$1,187.11	$1,498.43
Veteran + 2 Parents	$639.92	$909.46	$1,272.19	$1,600.93

If there are children:

Status	30%	40%	50%	60%
Veterans + Kids	$579.44	$830.54	$1,172.76	$1,481.00
Veteran + Spouse + Children	$648.12	$921.76	$1,286.54	$1,617.33
Veteran + 1 Parent + Child	$699.37	$989.41	$1,371.61	$1,719.83
Veteran + 2 Parents + Child	$750.62	$1,057.06	$1,456.69	$1,822.33

For each additional child younger than 18:

• At 30% rating: $31.78
• At 40% rating: $42.03
• At 50% rating: $52.28
• At 60% rating: $63.55

Some important tips:

• If you are already receiving VA disability benefits, be sure to check the January 2025 payment – ​​does it have the new COLA rate attached?
• If you don’t see a payment increase, go to the VA or va.gov portal to check your details.
• If your health has already deteriorated, a new disease has been diagnosed, or treatment has increased, you can request a reevaluation to increase your rating.

No benefits from the VA yet? Apply now!

If you are a Veteran and have not yet applied for VA Disability, 2025 may be a good time for you. First-time payments will also be higher due to the new COLA rates.

You can easily apply online from the va.gov website or contact your nearest VA office or Veterans Service Officer (VSO).

This extra money can be very handy for you – whether it’s help with rent, relief from medication expenses or a little saving for the future.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)