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2014 COLA for Retired Military Veterans, Disabled & Surviving Families

Updated: December 2, 2014

Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Vin Stevens

The 2014 COLA (cost-of-living adjustment) for retired military veterans, VA rates for compensation and pension for disabled veterans and surviving families has been increased by 1.5%. This change is effective Dec. 1, 2013 and will be reflected on the first check to be paid on

Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Vin Stevens

Dec. 31, 2013. The 1.5% COLA adjustment is also effective for disabled veterans, surviving families, military and federal civilian retirees, survivor benefit annuitants and Social Security recipients.

2015 COLA information here.

The 2014 COLA of 1.5% is .2% less than 2013 when the COLA increase was 1.7%.

The cost-of-living-adjustment is determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index (CPI-W). It is based on the percentage increase of the CPI-W from the 3rd quarter of the previous year versus the current year’s 3rd quarter.

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Veterans who retire during the current calendar year will receive a temporary partial COLA due to already receiving a military pay raise in January.

History of Social Security COLA (cost-of-adjustments) since 1975:

Year	COLA	Year	COLA	Year	COLA
1975	8.00%	1989	4.00%	2003	1.40%
1976	6.40%	1990	4.70%	2004	2.10%
1977	5.90%	1991	5.40%	2005	2.70%
1978	6.50%	1992	3.70%	2006	4.10%
1979	9.90%	1993	3.00%	2007	3.30%
1980	14.30%	1994	2.60%	2008	2.30%
1981	11.20%	1995	2.80%	2009	5.80%
1982	7.40%	1996	2.60%	2010	0.00%
1983	N/A	1997	2.90%	2011	0.00%
1984	3.50%	1998	2.10%	2012	3.60%
1985	3.50%	1999	1.30%	2103	1.70%
1986	3.10%	2000	2.50%	2014	1.50%
1987	1.30%	2001	3.50%	2015	1.70%
1988	4.20%	2002	2.60%

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2015 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA)	2014 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA)
2014 Military Retiree & Annuitant Pay Schedule	2014 Survivors’ Pension Rate Tables
2014 VA Disability Rates	2014 Veterans Pension Rate Table