Cost of Living Adjustments for Service-Connected Benefits, 6929 [2018-03154]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 32 (Thursday, February 15, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 6929]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03154]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Cost of Living Adjustments for Service-Connected Benefits

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living 
Adjustment Act of 2017, Public Law 115-75, the Department of Veterans 
Affairs (VA) is hereby giving notice of adjustments in certain benefit 
rates. These adjustments affect the compensation program.

DATES: These adjustments became effective on December 1, 2017, the date 
provided by Public Law 115-75.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathan Hughes, Chief, Policy Staff 
(211A), Compensation Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 
Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 461-9700 (this is not a 
toll-free telephone number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 2 of Public Law 115-175 provides for 
an increase in each of the rates in sections 1114, 1115(1), and 1162 of 
title 38, United States Code. VA is required to increase these benefit 
rates by the same percentage as increases in the benefit amounts 
payable under title II of the Social Security Act. The increased rates 
are required to be published in the Federal Register.
    The Social Security Administration has announced that there will be 
a 2.0 percent cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits for 
2018. Therefore, applying the same percentage, the following rates for 
VA's compensation program became effective on December 1, 2017:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Disability evaluation percent                Monthly rate
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Disability Compensation
                            [38 U.S.C. 1114]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
10......................................................         $136.24
20......................................................          269.30
30......................................................          417.15
40......................................................          600.90
50......................................................          855.41
60......................................................        1,083.52
70......................................................        1,365.48
80......................................................        1,587.25
90......................................................        1,783.68
100.....................................................        2,973.86
(38 U.S.C. 1114(k) through (t)):
  38 U.S.C. 1114(k).....................................          105.61
  38 U.S.C. 1114(l).....................................        3,700.43
  38 U.S.C. 1114(m).....................................        4,083.79
  38 U.S.C. 1114(n).....................................        4,645.60
  38 U.S.C. 1114(o).....................................        5,192.65
  38 U.S.C. 1114(p).....................................        5,192.65
  38 U.S.C. 1114(r).....................................       2,227.23;
                                                                3,318.14
  38 U.S.C. 1114(s).....................................        3,328.70
  38 U.S.C. 1114(t).....................................        3,318.14
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Additional Compensation for Dependents
                           [38 U.S.C. 1115(1)]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
38 U.S.C. 1115(1):
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(A)..................................         $165.81
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(B)..................................   287.24; 82.38
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(C)..................................   110.89; 82.38
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(D)..................................          133.06
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(E)..................................          317.87
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(F)..................................          266.13
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           Clothing Allowance
                            [38 U.S.C. 1162]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
$795.21 per year.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Signing Authority

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or designee, approved this 
document and authorized the undersigned to sign and submit the document 
to the Office of the Federal Register for publication electronically as 
an official document of the Department of Veteran Affairs. Gina S. 
Farrisee, Deputy Chief of Staff, approved this document on February 5, 
2018, for publication.

    Approved: February 5, 2018.
Jeffrey Martin,
Office Program Manager, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, 
Office of the Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2018-03154 Filed 2-14-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P