Maryland veterans who receive VA disability compensation are on track for a 3.6% raise in 2027, matching the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment announced Wednesday. For a veteran rated 100% with no dependents, that would lift the monthly check from $3,938.58 to about $4,080 — but unlike Social Security, the VA increase is not official until Congress passes and the president signs a separate bill.
More than 360,000 veterans live in Maryland, according to the Maryland Manual, roughly 7.6% of the state’s adults. Here is what the raise looks like by rating, when it would arrive and what Baltimore-area veterans should know.
How much will VA disability pay in 2027?
The VA has not yet published official 2027 rate tables. The estimates below apply the 3.6% adjustment to the official 2026 rates for a veteran with no spouse, children or dependent parents. Veterans with dependents receive higher amounts, and those would rise by the same percentage.
| Disability rating | 2026 monthly rate | Estimated 2027 rate | Monthly increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | $186.92 | +$6.50 |
| 20% | $356.66 | $369.50 | +$12.84 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $572.36 | +$19.89 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $824.49 | +$28.65 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,173.68 | +$40.78 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,486.68 | +$51.66 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,873.55 | +$65.10 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,177.83 | +$75.68 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,447.34 | +$85.04 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,080.37 | +$141.79 |
In dollar terms, a veteran rated 10% would get about $6.50 more a month, while a 70% rating adds about $65 and a 100% rating about $142. Over a year, the 100% increase comes to roughly $1,700.
Why isn’t the VA raise automatic?
Social Security and military retired pay have permanent language in federal law that triggers a cost-of-living adjustment each year. VA disability compensation does not. As Stars and Stripes reported, Congress must pass a Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act every year, and the president must sign it, before VA rates rise by the Social Security percentage.
This year’s Senate version, S. 4487, was introduced in May, and a House companion, H.R. 8552, is also pending. Neither had become law as of Oct. 14. Until one passes, the 2027 numbers remain estimates.
When will Maryland veterans see the money?
The increase takes effect Dec. 1, 2026. Because VA pays benefits for the prior month, the first larger payment is expected on Dec. 31 or in early January 2027, according to Stars and Stripes. Veterans do not need to file anything; the VA applies the change automatically.
Who else gets the 3.6%?
- Total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and special monthly compensation rise by the same percentage.
- Surviving spouses and children receiving dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) are covered by the same bill.
- Military retirees get the 3.6% automatically, or $36 for every $1,000 of monthly retired pay.
- Social Security recipients also get 3.6%. See our breakdown of what the 2027 COLA means for Maryland retirees.
Nationwide, more than 8 million veterans and military retirees receive monthly benefits affected by the adjustment, Stars and Stripes reported.
“I know groceries, utilities and everyday expenses continue to stretch household budgets.”
— Brett Martin, head of the Oklahoma Veterans Commission, in a social media post quoted by Stars and Stripes
Is 3.6% enough to keep up with prices?
The adjustment is based on inflation. Consumer prices in September were 3.7% higher than a year earlier, up from 3.4% in August, according to the federal data cited by Stars and Stripes. The 2027 raise is larger than the 2.8% veterans received for 2026 and the 2.5% for 2025, but it essentially tracks recent price increases rather than getting ahead of them.
What should Baltimore-area veterans do now?
- Nothing to file. The raise is automatic once enacted. Watch for a VA letter or check your payment history on VA.gov in January.
- Be wary of pitches. No company can get you the COLA faster or for a fee. Accredited veterans service officers help with claims at no charge.
- Get free help in Maryland. The state’s Service and Benefits Program submitted more than 5,500 disability compensation and pension claims to the VA for Maryland veterans in fiscal 2025, according to the Maryland Manual. Its staff help veterans file claims.
- Update dependents. If you are rated 30% or higher and you married, had a child or have a child in college, adding them can raise your monthly rate before the COLA is applied.
Featured image: The Baltimore VA Medical Center on North Greene Street. Photo: Eli Pousson / Baltimore Heritage, Wikimedia Commons, CC0.