Realistic Money · New on the Books · November 14, 2026
The VA raise passed Congress: what 3.6% does to a disability check, rating by rating
The House passed the veterans cost-of-living bill on November 9 and the Senate on Veterans Day, both by voice vote. It raises VA disability compensation and survivors' payments by the same 3.6% Social Security gets, effective December 1. Where the bill stands, the math at five ratings, and what it does not touch.
By The Magnolia Standard · Published November 14, 2026
Social Security's raise for next year is automatic. The VA's is not. Every year Congress has to pass a bill before disability compensation goes up, and until this week this year's had sat in committee since June. That changed in three days.
Where the bill stands
- Monday, November 9: the House passed H.R. 8552 by voice vote, under suspension of the rules, a fast-track procedure that allows no amendments.
- Wednesday, November 11: the Senate passed it without amendment, also by voice vote.
- Friday, November 13: congress.gov listed it as passed by both chambers, with the final enrolled text posted. It had not yet been signed.
The bill becomes law when the President signs it. Last year's version became law on November 25, six days before its raise took effect.
What it raises, and by how much
The bill's text tells the VA to raise these amounts on December 1, 2026, by the same percentage as Social Security's increase for that date:
- disability compensation at every rating;
- the added amounts for a spouse, children and dependent parents;
- the clothing allowance for veterans whose prosthetics or skin medicines wear out clothing;
- dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.
Social Security's increase is 3.6%. The VA must publish the new tables in the Federal Register.
Five ratings, worked
Current rates are from the VA's table effective December 1, 2025. The new column is ours: the current rate times 1.036. The official numbers are the ones the VA publishes.
| Rating, veteran alone | Now, a month | After 3.6% | More a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | about $186.92 | about $78 |
| 30% | $552.47 | about $572.36 | about $239 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | about $1,173.68 | about $489 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | about $1,873.55 | about $781 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | about $4,080.37 | about $1,701 |
One household in 77354: a veteran rated 100%, married, no children, receives $4,158.17 a month now. At 3.6% that becomes about $4,307.86, roughly $150 more a month and about $1,796 more over a year. VA disability compensation is not taxed as income, and Texas has no state income tax, so the raise arrives whole.
If nobody does anything
There is no form. Once the bill is law, the VA applies the new rate to every award on its own. The VA pays each month's compensation at the start of the following month, so December's higher amount is the payment that arrives around the turn of the year. If the bill were signed after December 1, the rate would still date back to December 1, because that is the effective date written into the bill.
What this bill does not touch
- Military retired pay. It rises 3.6% under permanent law, with no annual bill.
- VA pension and GI Bill payments. Neither is named in this bill; each follows its own rules.
- Texas property tax exemptions for disabled veterans. Those come from the Texas Tax Code and the appraisal district, not from Congress. They are listed in Veterans Resources.
Things to check
- The current rating and the dependents on file, on the benefit letter at VA.gov. A spouse or child missing from the award means the added amount for them is not being paid.
- The deposit that arrives around the turn of the year, against the new table once the VA publishes it.
- The bill's status on congress.gov, which will read "Became Law" with a public law number once signed.
The week's other numbers are in Saturday's recap.
How this column is made. Realistic Money runs every Saturday. It gathers numbers published by sources we name and link, and explains what they might mean for a household around here. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. The paper holds no position in anything mentioned and takes no payment for inclusion. If a number is wrong, write editor@themagnoliastandard.news and we correct it with a note.
Also this Saturday
The week inflation ran hot, stocks won back their loss and Congress passed the VA raise
Consumer prices rose 0.4% in October and the S&P 500 still gained 2.5% for the week. Gold had its worst week since June, Bitcoin fell below $70,000, and mortgages eased for a fourth week. Congress sent the 3.6% veterans raise toward the President, and the IRS set next year's 401(k) limit. What it adds up to here.
The 2027 retirement limits: $25,500 for a 401(k), $7,500 for an IRA, and who can put in more
The IRS raised the workplace plan limit by $1,000 on Thursday and left the IRA limit where it was. The catch-up amounts by age, the new income ranges for Roth and deductible IRAs, and what a bigger contribution does to two Magnolia paychecks.
Giving to charity without itemizing: the new $1,000 deduction, the December 31 line and the receipts
Starting with this year's gifts, a household that takes the standard deduction can still deduct cash given to charity: up to $1,000, or $2,000 for a married couple. What counts, what does not, the records the IRS lists, and the tax math on two households in 77354.