va disability pay chart 2026

The 2026 VA disability pay chart shows a modest COLA-based increase (about 2.8%) over 2025, with a 100% rating for a veteran alone paying just under about $3,940 per month and more for those with dependents. Payments are still tax free and scale with both your disability rating (10%–100%) and your dependent status (spouse, children, and in some cases parents).

2026 VA Disability Pay Basics

For 2026, VA disability compensation is:

• Increased by a COLA adjustment (around the high‑2% range) to help match inflation.

• Paid monthly and tax free, starting at 10% and rising in 10% increments up to 100%.

• Higher for veterans with a rating of 30% or more who have qualifying dependents.

VA uses the CPI‑W inflation index when setting COLA, which is the same measure used for Social Security COLA. This ties your compensation to changes in the cost of essentials like housing, food, and medical care.

Sample 2026 Monthly Amounts

Here are a few key single‑veteran examples pulled from published 2026 tables (rounded):

• 10%: about $180 per month.

• 20%: about $357 per month.

• 70%: about $1,808 per month for a single veteran; more with dependents.

• 100%: about $3,939 per month for a veteran alone; around $4,158 with a spouse and higher with spouse/children.

These numbers reflect the updated 2026 chart that took effect with the December 1, 2025 payment cycle. Exact amounts change if you add a spouse, children, or dependent parents, and there are extra add‑ons for things like Aid and Attendance for a disabled spouse.

HTML Pay Chart Snippet (Example)

Below is a simplified HTML snippet showing part of the 2026 VA disability pay chart for higher ratings (single veteran, no dependents):

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Disability Rating</th>
      <th>2025 Monthly</th>
      <th>2026 Monthly</th>
      <th>Increase</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>10%</td>
      <td>$175.51</td>
      <td>$180.42</td>
      <td>$4.91</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>20%</td>
      <td>$346.95</td>
      <td>$356.66</td>
      <td>$9.71</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Dependent Status</th>
      <th>70%</th>
      <th>80%</th>
      <th>90%</th>
      <th>100%</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Veteran Alone</td>
      <td>$1,808.45</td>
      <td>$2,102.15</td>
      <td>$2,362.30</td>
      <td>$3,938.58</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Veteran with Spouse</td>
      <td>$1,961.45</td>
      <td>$2,277.15</td>
      <td>$2,559.30</td>
      <td>$4,158.17</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

To see the full 2026 VA disability pay chart for all ratings and all dependent combinations, check one of the detailed online tables such as Military.com, Berry Law, or major VA‑focused disability firms that host updated charts.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.