2027 pay raise for disabled veterans, military retirees announced

(Gray News) - The annual cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, for 2027 has been announced.Monthly benefits for military retirees and disabled veterans will increase by 3.6%.The Department of Veterans Affairs matched its COLA to that of the Social Security Administration, which was announced on Wednesday.Each year, the SSA creates a cost-of-living adjustment based on inflation rates from the third quarter of the previous year. The 2027 rate is up from 2.8% in 2026 and 2.5% in 2025, Military.com reported.For retired military members, that will be a $36 increase per $1,000 of retirement pension, according to the American Legion. The projected raise is said to apply to all benefits earned through the VA.