Everything You Need To Know About The VA Disability Increase 2024

Veterans everywhere rejoice! All the recipients of VA disability checks have recently seen a 3.4% VA disability increase 2024. Put differently, every veteran receiving $1k will receive an additional $34 and a similar increase applies to both family members and spouses receiving monthly survivor benefits. 

While this is perfectly fine, it falls short of the 2023 benefit increase of 8.7%. 

Continue reading this post and we’ll provide you with basic historical information about the cost of living adjustments, and provide you with some nifty tips on how you can potentially increase the amount of your VA benefits. 

How Much Have Va Benefits Rates Increased Since 2010?

Generally speaking, while the VA disability increase 2024 may seem like a meager increase (especially when compared to the one from the past two years), it’s actually the most substantial adjustment since 2012 where it amounted to an identical percentage as the one in 2012

For example, the increase was just 0.7% in 2017 and 1.6% in 2020. 

The annual cost of living adjustment correlates directly with the Social Security percentages, meaning it doesn’t require Congressional approval. This means that veterans can expect their rates to increase consistently each year. 

It’s also worth noting that the VA disability increase 2024 is also an attempt to battle inflation. As you’re probably already aware, the inflation rate increased by 3.4% in the period between September 2022 and September 2023. 

How To Accurately Calculate Your 2024 Pay Rate

Simple. You can calculate your rate by multiplying your current disability by 3.4%. Considering that the pay rates can vary depending on factors such as the disability rating and number of dependents, we’ll use a few examples for veterans with no dependents.

An individual with a 20% disability rating had a pay rate of $328 in 2023 meaning their pay rate is $339 in 2024. A veteran with a 50% combined VA rating received $1,041 in 2023 and will have a pay rate of $1,076 in 2024. 

Lastly, someone with a 100% disability rating received $3,622 in 2023, and their pay rate has increased to $3,745 in 2024. 

Those who have a rating between 30% and 100% and have dependents can receive an additional $100 per month for every child under 18. 

It’s also worth mentioning situations where a spouse receives compensation for aid and attendance, they will also receive a sizable increase between $119$ and $170 per month. 

Can You Increase Your Monthly Benefit Rates?

If the VA disability increase 2024 is simply not enough for you to cover your expenses, you have plenty of ways to bump up your monthly rates.

One such approach is filing a claim for increased benefits on the grounds that your condition has worsened since receiving your initial rating. 

Similarly, you can also file a claim when new conditions develop. As you age, it’s not uncommon to develop new health problems in addition to a service-connected disability. For instance, if you developed arthritis in addition to your other condition you’re legally entitled to receiving a higher disability payment.

Adding secondary conditions to your claim can lead to an increased combined disability rating, allowing you to maximize your monthly payments. Keep in mind that these added ailments are subject to the VA’s formula for combined ratings. In other words, conditions are not added in total and each extra condition has a smaller impact on your overall disability rating. 

However, keep in mind that the additional health condition also needs to be related to your service or an already existing service-connected ailment. 

It’s also possible for veterans who believe their initial rating is incorrect to appeal the rating decision retroactively. If you received disability before February 19, 2019, you can manage your appeal through the VA’s legacy system. Those who filed after this date are subject to the AMA system that provides veterans with more appeal possibilities. 

They can apply for a higher-level review where the VA assesses the claim based on the existing information in the file. The AMA system also allows for filing supplemental claims where existing and new information will be reviewed.

In cases where you believe your rating is significantly undervalued, you can file an appeal through the Board of Veterans’ Appeals and your claim will be reviewed by a judge.

You can use any of the methods listed above to file an appeal. Still, we recommend asking for legal advice pertaining to your exact circumstances. 

Are You Being Compensated Fairly?

The VA disability increase 2024 is a step in the right direction, however, it may not be enough to accurately account for the needs of all veterans. Sure, the rate will increase next year and that’s a good thing, but the prices of living and basic everyday items just keep increasing, and you want to be open to all possible outcomes. 

Fortunately, your compensation rates may not be set in stone. Make sure to evaluate the development of your condition and consult a medical provider on whether you received a fair VA disability rate. By filing a new claim, you can get a more accurate disability rating which may help you protect your future financial status. 

In addition, you may also be able to add another dependent. While thousands of veterans who refiled their claims in order to add new dependents received a notification that their claim wasn’t processed, there is no reason to be concerned. VA has already taken action to process the said claims and provided retroactive payments to those who were underpaid while waiting for a claim to settle. 

In short, go over your claim many times with an attorney, and you might find a way to increase the amount of benefits you can receive.

Note: 

The information in this blog post is for reference only and not legal advice. As such, you should not make legal decisions based on the information in this blog post. Moreover, there is no lawyer-client relationship resulting from this blog post, nor should any such relationship be implied. If you need legal counsel, please consult a lawyer licensed to practice in your jurisdiction.