Cost of Living Adjustments for Service-Connected Benefits

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 32 (Thursday, February 15, 2018)

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:

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Disability evaluation percent Monthly rate

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Disability Compensation

38 U.S.C. 1114

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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

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Additional Compensation for Dependents

38 U.S.C. 1115(1)

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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

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Clothing Allowance

38 U.S.C. 1162

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$795.21 per year.

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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

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