2022 VA Pay Increase Is Biggest in Over a Decade
Update: 2023 VA Pay Increase Biggest in 30 Years
Veterans receiving VA disability compensation are set to see their monthly VA pay increase by 5.9% in 2022. To put that in dollars, for every $1,000 a veteran currently receives in benefits payments, they will see an additional $59 in 2022. Spouses and family members receiving survivor benefits will see the same increase in their monthly payments.
Here at the Rep for Vets, we have long felt that VA payments are not keeping up with the increasing cost of living. The annual cost of living adjustment has averaged around 1.5% for the last 10 years, so this year’s increase of 5.9% is good news for veterans.
History of VA Cost of Living Adjustments since 2010
| 2022 | 5.9% |
| 2021 | 1.3% |
| 2020 | 1.6% |
| 2019 | 2.8% |
| 2018 | 2.0% |
| 2017 | 0.3% |
| 2016 | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.7% |
| 2014 | 1.5% |
| 2013 | 1.7% |
| 2012 | 3.6% |
| 2011 | 0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.0% |
Starting this January, veterans will get the same cost of living increase in their benefits payouts that Social Security recipients get. That’s thanks to passage of the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act, a rare bipartisan success story.
The 2022 compensation bump is no doubt driven by inflation (Inflation was increasing at 5.3% in August, according to the Consumer Price Index). But it’s more than just a rate adjustment tied to inflation. It represents a quality of life guarantee for veterans who served honorably and are now dealing with service-connected disabilities that make it hard to work and provide.
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2023 VA Pay Increase Biggest in 30 Years
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Calculating Your 2022 VA Disability Pay Rate
You can calculate your 2022 disability pay rate by multiplying your current rate by 5.9 percent (or 0.059) and then adding that amount to your 2021 rate. The table below reflects the 2022 pay increase for a veteran with no dependents.
VA 2022 Pay Chart
| Combined VA Rating | 2022 VA Disability Pay Rate | 2021 VA Disability Pay Rate |
| 10% | $153 | $144 |
| 20% | $302 | $285 |
| 30% | $467 | $441 |
| 40% | $673 | $636 |
| 50% | $958 | $905 |
| 60% | $1,214 | $1,146 |
| 70% | $1,530 | $1,445 |
| 80% | $1,778 | $1,679 |
| 90% | $1,999 | $1,887 |
| 100% | $3,332 | $3,146 |
If you have a 30% to 100% disability rating and you have dependents, including children and dependent parents, your compensation rate goes up. At the 80% disability rating each additional child under 18 adds an additional $69 a month.
If your spouse is receiving Aid and Attendance to help out with the caretaking, they would receive an additional $129. It’s important to let the VA know of any changes to your marital status or dependents. If a child turns 18 and moves out of of the home this could impact the amount of benefits you receive.
Need a little more help understanding VA Math and calculating your disability rating? See our article on how to calculate your VA disability rating. Need assistance with a VA claim? Give us a call at (888) 573-7838 today or fill out a quick online form letting us know how we can help.
How to Increase VA Disability
Any increase that helps improve the quality of life of the veterans who honorably served our great country is good news in our book. At the Rep for Vets we ensure that veterans are being fairly and accurately compensated by the VA for their disabling conditions.
Is your veterans disability compensation payment too small? Were you denied benefits that you deserve? Many veterans don’t realize that they can appeal decisions for higher ratings. When they are awarded low service-connected rating percentages, they just accept them. But you don’t have to.
Appealing a claim can help you change several different kinds of unsatisfactory VA decisions:
- Appeal denials for service connection
- Appeal for higher ratings
- Appeal for an earlier effective date
- Claims for clear and unmistakable error
- Claims for individual unemployability
- Section 1151 claims for vets who have suffered additional disability because of VA hospital error
How to Appeal a VA Disability Claim
If you’re thinking about appealing, act quickly. There are key deadlines that must be met in order to successfully file an appeal. We can walk you through the process. This is what we do, this is all we do. We are the Rep for Vets. Our VA claims experts and attorneys have decades of experience representing veterans at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. And we never give up. For a free consultation, call (888) 573-7838 today, or take a moment to fill out a quick online form. We look forward to learning about your service and your unique situation.