Anew VA rule quietly changed how your medications factor into your disability rating — and it could come up at your next exam. Below: where your 2026 pay stands, a free travel benefit you may have earned, and what’s moving in Congress. No spin, no sales pitch.
2.8%
2026 COLA, in effect since Dec 1, 2025
~81
avg. days to complete a claim (was ~142)
<100K
claims backlog — lowest since 2020
Sources: SSA cost-of-living announcement; VA benefits-processing updates, 2026.
What changed at your next exam
As of February 17, 2026, the VA rates certain conditions based on how well you function while taking your medication — not on the underlying condition by itself. It applies to new claims and to reevaluations done through a clinical exam, across body systems from mental health to cardiovascular. Veterans’ organizations, including DAV, have pushed back hard, warning it could lower ratings and that it moved through an unusually fast process.
What it means for you: if a medication controls your symptoms, that improvement may now show up in your evaluation. It’s worth understanding before a C&P exam. (General information — not advice about your specific claim.)
Know who can charge you — and for what
Two bills are worth watching: the GUARD Act and the newer SAFEGUARD Act, both aimed at tightening the rules on who can charge veterans for claims help. Here’s the part that protects you today: only VA-accredited attorneys, claims agents, and VSO representatives may be paid to prepare or present a claim, and no one can charge you to file an initial claim. Anyone who guarantees a specific rating, asks for your VA login, or wants a percentage of your back pay is waving a red flag. Know your rights before you sign anything.
Free TSA PreCheck for some disabled veterans
Under the new Veterans Expedited TSA Screening (VETS) Safe Travel Act, veterans enrolled in VA health care who have service-connected permanent blindness, or who use a VA-issued wheelchair or prosthetic limb, can now get TSA PreCheck at no cost after completing enrollment. If that’s you, it’s a small win worth claiming.
DIC, in plain terms
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a tax-free monthly benefit for the surviving spouse, children, or sometimes parents of a service member who died in the line of duty or from a service-connected condition. It’s separate from the veteran’s disability compensation, and many families don’t realize they may qualify. If you’ve lost a spouse and aren’t sure, it’s worth a look.
“If my rating increases in 2026, do I get the new pay rates?”
Yes. Any rating change that takes effect in 2026 is paid at the 2026 rates, including the 2.8% COLA. And if your rating is 30% or higher, your dependents — spouse, children, qualifying parents — add to that monthly amount.
You served. We’re here to help you claim what you earned.
Questions veterans keep asking
Tap a question to expand it. General information only — not advice about your specific claim.
No. It changes how certain conditions are evaluated — based on how you function while taking your medication — on new claims and clinical reevaluations. It doesn’t reach back and change an existing rating on its own. The practical takeaway is to understand it before a C&P exam.
No one may legally charge you to prepare or file an initial claim. Only VA-accredited attorneys, claims agents, and VSO representatives may be paid to help, and only at later stages. Anyone asking for a cut of your back pay or your VA login is a red flag.
Yes. Any rating change that takes effect in 2026 is paid at 2026 rates, including the 2.8% COLA. If your rating is 30% or higher, qualifying dependents add to your monthly amount.
Under the VETS Safe Travel Act, veterans enrolled in VA health care who have service-connected permanent blindness, or who use a VA-issued wheelchair or prosthetic limb, can get TSA PreCheck at no cost after completing enrollment.
No. We are not sponsored by or affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Other organizations — including the VA, your county veterans service office, and federally chartered VSOs — may be able to provide claims assistance free of charge.
Have a question for next month? Just reply to this email. Want a free, no-obligation look at your situation?
Warrior Allegiance is not sponsored by, or affiliated with, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Other organizations — including the VA, your county veterans service office, and federally chartered veterans service organizations — may be able to provide claims assistance free of charge. Due to state regulations, we cannot provide services to residents of California or Colorado. This newsletter is general information and is not legal, medical, or claims advice for your specific situation.
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