[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 70 (Thursday, April 11, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21712-21713]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-08529]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Service-Connected 
Benefits

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: As required by the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living 
Adjustment Act of 2012, Public Law 112-198, the Department of Veterans 
Affairs (VA) is hereby giving notice of adjustments in certain benefit 
rates. These adjustments affect the compensation and dependency and 
indemnity compensation (DIC) programs.

DATES: These adjustments became effective on December 1, 2012, the date 
provided by Public Law 112-198.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Hill, Program Analyst, 
Compensation Services (212B), Veterans Benefits Administration, 
Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 
20420, (202) 461-1468.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 2 of Public Law 112-198 provides for 
an increase in 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 
computing increased rates in the cited title 38 sections, fractions of 
a dollar are rounded down to the nearest dollar. The increased rates 
are required to be published in the Federal Register.
    The Social Security Administration has announced that there will be 
a 1.7 percent cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits for 
2013. Therefore, applying the same percentage, the following rates for 
VA compensation and DIC programs became effective on December 1, 2012:

                         Disability Compensation
                            [38 U.S.C. 1114]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Disability evaluation percent                Monthly rate
------------------------------------------------------------------------
10......................................................            $129
20......................................................             255
30......................................................             395
40......................................................             569
50......................................................             810
60......................................................           1,026
70......................................................           1,293
80......................................................           1,503
90......................................................           1,689
100.....................................................           2,816
(38 U.S.C. 1114(k) through (s)):
  38 U.S.C. 1114(k).....................................    $100; 3,504;
                                                              100; 4,917
  38 U.S.C. 1114(l).....................................           3,504
  38 U.S.C. 1114(m).....................................           3,867
  38 U.S.C. 1114(n).....................................           4,399
  38 U.S.C. 1114(o).....................................           4,917
  38 U.S.C. 1114(p).....................................           4,917
  38 U.S.C. 1114(r).....................................    2,109; 3,142
  38 U.S.C. 1114(s).....................................           3,152
------------------------------------------------------------------------


                 Additional Compensation for Dependents
                           [38 U.S.C. 1115(1)]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
38 U.S.C. 1115(1):
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(A)..................................            $157
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(B)..................................         272; 78
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(C)..................................         105; 78
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(D)..................................             126
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(E)..................................             301
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(F)..................................             252
------------------------------------------------------------------------


                           Clothing Allowance
                            [38 U.S.C. 1162]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
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$753 per year
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 21713]]


                        DIC to a Surviving Spouse
                            [38 U.S.C. 1311]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pay Grade:
  E-1...................................................          $1,215
  E-2...................................................           1,215
  E-3...................................................           1,215
  E-4...................................................           1,215
  E-5...................................................           1,215
  E-6...................................................           1,215
  E-7...................................................           1,257
  E-8...................................................           1,327
  E-9(1)................................................           1,384
  W-1...................................................           1,283
  W-2...................................................           1,334
  W-3...................................................           1,373
  W-4...................................................           1,453
  O-1...................................................           1,283
  O-2...................................................           1,327
  O-3...................................................           1,418
  O-4...................................................           1,503
  O-5...................................................           1,654
  O-6...................................................           1,865
  O-7...................................................           2,013
  O-8...................................................           2,211
  O-9...................................................           2,365
  O-10(2)...............................................           2,594
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (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 $1,494.
    (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 
$2,784.

                        DIC to a Surviving Spouse
                     [38 U.S.C. 1311(a) through (f)]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Monthly rate
------------------------------------------------------------------------
38 U.S.C. 1311(a) through (f):
  38 U.S.C. 1311(a)(1)..................................          $1,215
  38 U.S.C. 1311(a)(2)..................................             258
  38 U.S.C. 1311(b).....................................             301
  38 U.S.C. 1311(c).....................................             301
  38 U.S.C. 1311(d).....................................             141
  38 U.S.C. 1311(f).....................................             263
------------------------------------------------------------------------


                             DIC to Children
                            [38 U.S.C. 1313]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
38 U.S.C. 1313:
  38 U.S.C. 1313(a)(1)..................................            $513
  38 U.S.C. 1313(a)(2)..................................             738
  38 U.S.C. 1313(a)(3)..................................             963
  38 U.S.C. 1313(a)(4)..................................        963; 183
------------------------------------------------------------------------


                      Supplemental DIC to Children
                            [38 U.S.C. 1314]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
38 U.S.C. 1314:
  38 U.S.C. 1314(a).....................................            $301
  38 U.S.C. 1314(b).....................................             513
  38 U.S.C. 1314(c).....................................             255
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Approved: April 3, 2013.
Jose D. Riojas,
Interim Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2013-08529 Filed 4-10-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P