VA Disability Pay Schedule

Handy Chart References Disability Pay Rates

If you were injured or were diagnosed with certain diseases or illness, while on active duty, you may be eligible to receive VA disability compensation based on:

• Your disability rating
• The following rate chart

Keep in mind that the injury or disease you are service-connected may not be your only potential VA claim. You can use the accompanying chart to figure your compensation for the rating you currently have, what it would be if your rating increased due to a worsening or secondary condition, and what your payments would be if your family situation changes. It’s a handy chart to have!

Increases in VA disability compensation are tied to the government’s standard cost of living adjustment (COLA) schedule provided by the Social Security Administration. They granted a 1.6% increase for 2020.

Month	Payment Date	Day of Week
January	Jan. 31	Friday
February	Feb. 28	Friday
March	Apr. 1	Wednesday
April	May 1	Friday
May	June 1	Monday
June	July 1	Wednesday
July	July 31	Friday
August	Sep. 1	Tuesday
September	Oct. 1	Thursday
October	Oct. 30	Friday
November	Dec. 1	Tuesday
December	Dec. 31	Thursday
You weren’t supposed to find this

Compensation Pay Dates Explained

Whew! Your claim made it through the VA claims process, and you are now scheduled to receive tax-free, disability compensation. You have bills to pay, so you’d like to know when to expect the money.

The benefit check for a given month is paid on the first business day of the following month. This means January’s check is paid February first every year, provided the first is a business day.

No checks are cut on weekends or holidays. So if the first business day of the month falls on a weekend or holiday, they cut the check a day or two earlier, on the last business day of the benefit month. That sure beats having to wait a couple of days longer to receive your money.

Now, assuming you have a direct deposit, your financial institution’s rules govern when the funds are available to you. These days, that’s usually pretty quick, especially if you use a bank or financial institution which is used to working with the VA, such as Navy Federal or USAA.