[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 14, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5836-5837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-3218]



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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 1995, Public Law 104-57, the Department of Veterans 
Affairs (VA) is hereby giving notice of cost-of-living adjustments 
(COLAs) in certain benefit rates. These COLAs affect the compensation 
and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) programs.

DATES: These COLAs are effective December 1, 1995, the date provided by 
Public Law 104-57.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Trowbridge, Consultant, 
Regulations Staff, Compensation and Pension Service (211B), Veterans 
Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273-7210.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living 
Adjustment Act of 1995, Public Law 104-57, provides for a COLA for each 
of the rates in sections 1114, 1115(1), 1162, 1311, 1313, and 1314 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. In the computation 
of increased rates, fractions of a dollar are rounded to the next lower 
dollar amount. The increased rates are required to be published in the 
Federal Register.
    The Social Security Administration has announced that there will be 
a 2.6 percent cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits. 
Therefore, applying the same percentage, the following increased rates 
for VA compensation and DIC programs will be effective December 1, 
1995:

[[Page 5837]]


                Disability Compensation (38 U.S.C. 1114)                
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Monthly  
             Disability evaluation--in percent                   rate   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
10%........................................................          $91
20.........................................................          174
30.........................................................          266
40.........................................................          380
50.........................................................          542
60.........................................................          683
70.........................................................          862
80.........................................................          999
90.........................................................        1,124
100........................................................        1,870
 (38 U.S.C. 1114(k) through (s)):                            ...........
38 U.S.C. 1114(k)..........................................  $72; 2,326;
                                                               72; 3,261
38 U.S.C. 1114(l)..........................................        2,326
38 U.S.C. 1114(m)..........................................        2,565
38 U.S.C. 1114(n)..........................................        2,918
38 U.S.C. 1114(o)..........................................        3,261
38 U.S.C. 1114(p)..........................................        3,261
38 U.S.C. 1114(r)..........................................       1,400;
                                                                   2,085
38 U.S.C. 1114(s)..........................................        2,093
Additional compensation for dependents (38 U.S.C. 1115(1)):             
38 U.S.C. 1115(1)..........................................  ...........
38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(A).......................................          109
38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(B).......................................      186; 57
38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(C).......................................       75; 57
38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(D).......................................           88
38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(E).......................................          205
38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(F).......................................          172
Clothing allowance (38 U.S.C. 1162)--503 per year..........             
DIC to a surviving spouse (38 U.S.C. 1311):                             
Pay grade:                                                              
    E-1....................................................          810
    E-2....................................................          810
    E-3....................................................          810
    E-4....................................................          810
    E-5....................................................          810
    E-6....................................................          810
    E-7....................................................          837
    E-8....................................................          883
    E-9(1).................................................          922
    W-1....................................................          855
    W-2....................................................          889
    W-3....................................................          916
    W-4....................................................          969
    O-1....................................................          855
    O-2....................................................          883
    O-3....................................................          945
    O-4....................................................          999
    O-5....................................................        1,100
    O-6....................................................        1,240
    O-7....................................................        1,339
    O-8....................................................        1,467
    O-9....................................................        1,572
    O-10(2)................................................        1,724
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (1) If the veteran served as sergeant major of the Army, senior 
enlisted advisor of the Navy, chief master sergeant of the Air Force, 
sergeant major of the Marine Corps, or master chief petty officer of 
the Coast Guard, the surviving spouse's monthly rate is $994.
    (2) If the veteran served as Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff, Chief of Staff of the Army, Chief of Naval Operations, 
Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Commandant of the Marine Corps, or 
Commandant of the Coast Guard, the surviving spouse's monthly rate is 
$1,848.

         DIC to Surviving Spouse (38 U.S.C. 1311(a) through (d))        
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Monthly  
               38 U.S.C. 1311(a) through (d)                     rate   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
38 U.S.C. 1311(a)(1).......................................         $810
38 U.S.C. 1311(a)(2).......................................          177
38 U.S.C. 1311(b)..........................................          205
38 U.S.C. 1311(c)..........................................          205
38 U.S.C. 1311(d)..........................................           99
DIC to children (38 U.S.C. 1313):                                       
38 U.S.C. 1313.............................................  ...........
38 U.S.C. 1313(a)(1).......................................          344
38 U.S.C. 1313(a)(2).......................................          496
38 U.S.C. 1313(a)(3).......................................          643
38 U.S.C. 1313(a)(4).......................................     769; 126
Supplemental DIC to children (38 U.S.C. 1314):                          
38 U.S.C. 1314.............................................  ...........
38 U.S.C. 1314(a)..........................................          205
38 U.S.C. 1314(b)..........................................          344
38 U.S.C. 1314(c)..........................................          174
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Dated: February 5, 1996.
Jesse Brown,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 96-3218 Filed 2-13-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P