Cost of living
VA and Social Security COLA History (1990 to 2026)
Social Security's 2026 cost-of-living adjustment is 2.8%, paid from January 2026. For the increase effective December 1, 2025, Public Law 119-42 set it equal to Social Security's 2.8%. The table lists Social Security's COLA by year, from SSA.
- Social Security 2026
- 2.8%
- cost-of-living adjustment
- Highest since 1990
- 8.7%
- Social Security, 2023
- Years at 0.0%
- 3
- 2010, 2011 and 2016
Every year
What was Social Security's COLA each year from 1990 to 2026?
Social Security's cost-of-living adjustment, listed by the year it was first paid, and the date it took effect. Years with a VA rate table link to what VA paid that year.
| Year | Social Security COLA | Effective |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2.8% | |
| 2025 | 2.5% | |
| 2024 | 3.2% | |
| 2023 | 8.7% | |
| 2022 | 5.9% | |
| 2021 | 1.3% | |
| 2020 | 1.6% | |
| 2019 | 2.8% | |
| 2018 | 2.0% | |
| 2017 | 0.3% | |
| 2016 | 0.0% | |
| 2015 | 1.7% | |
| 2014 | 1.5% | |
| 2013 | 1.7% | |
| 2012 | 3.6% | |
| 2011 | 0.0% | |
| 2010 | 0.0% | |
| 2009 | 5.8% | |
| 2008 | 2.3% | |
| 2007 | 3.3% | |
| 2006 | 4.1% | |
| 2005 | 2.7% | |
| 2004 | 2.1% | |
| 2003 | 1.4% | |
| 2002 | 2.6% | |
| 2001 | 3.5% | |
| 2000 | 2.5% | |
| 1999 | 1.3% | |
| 1998 | 2.1% | |
| 1997 | 2.9% | |
| 1996 | 2.6% | |
| 1995 | 2.8% | |
| 1994 | 2.6% | |
| 1993 | 3.0% | |
| 1992 | 3.7% | |
| 1991 | 5.4% | |
| 1990 | 4.7% |
VA's tables for payment years 2000 to 2013 publish whole-dollar amounts. Changes in VA's rates are calculated from VA's two published tables; Social Security's COLA is a separate series.
What VA paid at each rating, year by year, is on VA disability compensation rates by year, from VA's own published tables, and the current table is on VA disability compensation rates.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is VA's cost-of-living increase effective December 1, 2025?
2.8%. Public Law 119-42, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025, raised VA disability compensation effective December 1, 2025 by the same percentage as Social Security's increase effective that date, which was 2.8%.
What does the table on this page show?
Social Security's cost-of-living adjustment by year, from SSA. For the increase effective December 1, 2025, Public Law 119-42 set VA's increase equal to Social Security's 2.8%. What VA paid at each rating is on VA disability compensation rates by year, from VA's own tables.
Which years had no Social Security COLA between 1990 and 2026?
2010, 2011 and 2016. Social Security's cost-of-living adjustment was 0.0% in each.
Sources
- 1.Social Security Administration: Cost-of-Living Adjustments (opens in a new tab)
Social Security COLA series, each row of the table
- 2.Public Law 119-42: Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025 (opens in a new tab)
Congress.gov; sec. 2(c) sets VA's increase effective December 1, 2025