New Veterans Bill Adds $833 Monthly Aid and Attendance Pay, Boosts Survivor Benefits by 1% Above Inflation

The “Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2025” is straightforward: it pumps more money into key veterans benefits and tweaks how those benefits adjust for inflation.

More Immediate Help for Those Who Need It Most

Starting December 1, 2026, veterans who qualify for the monthly aid and attendance allowance—meaning they need help with daily living activities—will see a significant, fixed increase in their monthly payment. The bill mandates an additional supplemental monthly allowance of $833.33 (Sec. 2). This isn't a percentage increase; it’s a flat amount added on top of whatever compensation they already receive. For a veteran relying on this benefit to afford necessary in-home care or facility costs, this is a substantial, guaranteed financial boost.

DIC Rates Get a 1% Bonus Over Inflation

The bill also changes how Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) rates are calculated for surviving spouses and children of veterans. Currently, DIC rates adjust based on the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). This bill sweetens the deal: whenever Social Security benefits increase due to a COLA, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs must increase the DIC dollar amounts by the Social Security percentage plus an additional one percent (Sec. 2). This is a real win for survivors, ensuring their compensation outpaces standard inflation adjustments for a time. However, there’s a catch: this extra 1% bump will only happen for the first five times the DIC amounts are increased under this provision. After the fifth adjustment, the bonus disappears, and the benefit reverts to tracking the standard COLA.

Easing the Cost of VA Home Loans

If you're a veteran who has a service-connected disability rated at 70 percent or less and you want to use your VA loan benefit again (a "subsequent loan"), this bill temporarily modifies the fee structure. The VA charges a funding fee on most guaranteed loans, but this bill temporarily restricts the collection of that fee for subsequent loans to only those veterans with disability ratings of 70% or less (Sec. 3). This effectively means that veterans with disability ratings above 70% who take out a subsequent loan will not have to pay the funding fee, making it cheaper to use the benefit again. This temporary fee collection authority is in effect from August 1, 2026, until September 30, 2035. This change makes it easier and cheaper for moderately disabled veterans to access the housing market through the VA loan program, potentially helping them move, refinance, or purchase a second home.

The Real-World Takeaway

This legislation focuses on tangible financial relief. The $833 monthly addition provides immediate help for high-cost care needs, and the extra 1% on DIC offers a temporary but meaningful lift for survivors navigating rising costs. The modification to the VA loan funding fee collection helps a specific group of disabled veterans access housing benefits more easily. While the fixed $833 payment isn't indexed for inflation—meaning its buying power will slowly shrink over time—and the extra 1% DIC boost has a five-year sunset, the bill provides clear, specific, and substantial financial improvements for veterans and their families.