VA disability compensation is paid in arrears. The payment that arrives on the first of a month covers the month before, so the money deposited on February 1 is for January. When the first of the month falls on a weekend or a federal holiday, VA pays on the last business day before it.
Every 2027 payment date
| Payment for | Deposited |
|---|---|
| December 2026 | Thursday, December 31, 2026 |
| January 2027 | Monday, February 1 |
| February | Monday, March 1 |
| March | Thursday, April 1 |
| April | Friday, April 30 |
| May | Tuesday, June 1 |
| June | Thursday, July 1 |
| July | Friday, July 30 |
| August | Wednesday, September 1 |
| September | Friday, October 1 |
| October | Monday, November 1 |
| November | Wednesday, December 1 |
| December 2027 | Thursday, December 30, 2027 |
Four payments arrive early: the December 2026 payment because January 1 is New Year’s Day, April’s because May 1 is a Saturday, July’s because August 1 is a Sunday, and December 2027’s because January 1, 2028 is a Saturday and the holiday is observed on Friday, December 31.
When the 2027 increase shows up
The yearly cost-of-living increase for VA compensation takes effect December 1, 2026. Because VA pays in arrears, the first deposit at the higher rate is the one on Thursday, December 31, 2026, covering December. The increase is expected to be 3.6%, matching the Social Security adjustment. See estimated 2027 VA rates.
Two deposits in one month
Because the December 2026 payment arrives on December 31, December has two VA deposits (December 1 and December 31) and January 2027 has none. The same happens in April and July of 2027. This does not change your yearly total, but it can matter for budgeting, and for any program that counts income by the month it is received.
Late or missing payment
Allow a few business days for your bank before contacting VA. If you recently changed bank accounts or had a rating change, the first payment after the change can take longer.
To see what your rating pays, including dependents, use the VA disability calculator.