As 2025 draws near, soldiers who get VA disability benefits will see their monthly payments change based on the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA).
It is expected that the COLA will go up by 2.5% in 2025. This is to help soldiers keep up with inflation. With this rise, their monthly VA disability benefits will continue to be able to buy things over time. What will this change mean for my income, though?
New VA benefits after COLA
The 2025 rates below are for veterans with a VA disability rating of 10% to 20%:
– A 10% disability rating will result in a monthly payment of $175.51.
– A 20% disability rating will result in a monthly payment of $346.95.
For veterans with disability ratings between 30% and 60% and no children, the updated rates are as follows:
– Veterans with a 30% rating who have no dependents will receive $537.42. For those with a spouse but no children or parents, the payment increases to $600.97.
– For a 40% rating, veterans without dependents will receive $774.16, while those with a spouse but no children or parents will see a payment of $859.24.
– Veterans with a 50% rating and no dependents will receive $1,102.04, while those with a spouse but no children or parents will receive $1,208.64.
– Veterans rated at 60% without dependents will receive $1,395.93, while those with a spouse and no children or parents will receive $1,524.05.
Veterans who have parents who count on them get extra money. A veteran with a 30% rating and a partner and one parent will get $652.22, while a veteran with a 40% rating and the same situation will get $926.89.
Veterans whose two parents are dependent on them also get more money. For instance, a veteran with a 60% rating who has a spouse and two parents who count on them will get $1,729.05.
If the veteran’s partner is eligible for Aid and Attendance, they can get extra money based on their level of disability. The extra money ranges from $58.43 for a 30% rating to $116.85 for a 60% rating.
Rates are also different for soldiers with a disability rating between 70% and 100% based on whether they have a dependent.
People who have served in the military for at least 70 years and do not have any dependents will get $1,759.19, while people who have a partner but no children or parents will get $1,907.81.
The base rate for veterans who are rated at 100% is $3,831.30, and the rate for veterans who have a spouse but no children or parents is $4,044.91. Veterans with higher disability scores and parents who depend on them will also get more.
A veteran with a 100% disability rate, a spouse, and two parents who depend on them will get $4,387.79.
If a veteran’s spouse is eligible for Aid and Attendance, payments go up even more, with extra amounts based on the veteran’s disability grade. The extra amount for a spouse getting Aid and Attendance for a veteran who is ranked at 100% is $195.92.
Extra money is given to veterans with children. These rates are for veterans with children whose ratings are between 30% and 60%:
– A 30% rated veteran with one child and no spouse or parents will receive $579.44, while a 40% rated veteran in the same situation will receive $830.54.
– A veteran with a 50% rating, one child, and no spouse or parents will receive $1,172.76, while a 60% rated veteran will receive $1,481.00.
– If the veteran has a spouse and one child, these amounts increase. For instance, a veteran with a 60% rating will receive $1,617.33. Payments also increase if the veteran has dependent parents.
Veterans rated between 70% and 100% with children receive the following payments:
– A 70% rated veteran with one child and no spouse or parents will receive $1,858.61, while a veteran with an 80% rating will receive $2,158.66. At a 100% rating, veterans with a child but no spouse or parents will receive $3,974.15.
– If a veteran has a spouse and one child, the payments increase. For example, a veteran rated at 100% will receive $4,201.34.
– Additional payments are provided for each child under the age of 18, ranging from $31.78 for a 30% rating to $106.14 for a 100% rating.
If the child is over 18 but enrolled in a qualifying school program, the payment increases significantly, with veterans rated at 100% receiving an additional $342.85.
