{
  "id": 14778968,
  "title": "Social Security 2027: VA disability payments to increase alongside COLA. Here’s how much the adjustment amounts to",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/social-security-2027-va-disability-payments-to-increase-alongside",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-15T19:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fast Company",
    "slug": "fast-company",
    "url": "https://www.fastcompany.com/91624487/social-security-administration-2027-adjustment-cola-va-disability-payments-rates-benefits-checks-increase-update-veterans"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Veterans receiving disability and retirement benefits will see their payments rise by 3.6% starting December 1, 2026, due to the largest annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in years. This adjustment is tied to the Social Security Administration's decision based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' September inflation data, which showed an increase in inflation to 3.7%, up from 3.4% in August. The extra $36 per month benefit is calculated on a $1,000 pension. While veterans are generally younger than typical Social Security recipients, financial planner Robert Laura acknowledges that the increase is welcome, but it does not cover the rising costs many veterans face. Veterans' benefits are tax-free, and they won't experience an increase in Medicare premiums to offset the COLA. Over 8 million veterans in the U.S. receive these benefits, and unlike other Americans, their VA disability benefits are subject to the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act, which must be passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump.",
  "summary": "Some good news for military veterans who collect disability and retirement benefits each month: Effective December 1, military retirement checks and Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits will increase 3.6%. (However, veterans will most likely not see the increase until December 31 or early January 2027, according to Stars and Stripes. ) The increase is tied to the Social Security…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Quartz",
        "title": "Where retirees pay the least tax on Social Security in 2027",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/where-retirees-pay-the-least-tax-on-social-security-in-2027",
        "published": "2026-10-14T13:32:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Business Insider",
        "title": "Social Security recipients will get a 3.6% cost-of-living increase in 2027",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/social-security-recipients-will-get-a-3-6-cost-of-living-increase-in",
        "published": "2026-10-14T13:36:18.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Axios",
        "title": "Social Security recipients will see rise in monthly payments next year",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/social-security-recipients-will-see-rise-in-monthly-payments-next-year",
        "published": "2026-10-14T14:06:39.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Fast Company",
        "title": "Social Security COLA 2027: Benefits checks will get largest cost-of-living adjustment in years. Experts say it’s not enough",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/social-security-cola-2027-benefits-checks-will-get-largest-cost-of",
        "published": "2026-10-14T15:45:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}