For 2026, maximum annual pension rates are $29,093 for a veteran with no dependents, roughly $2,424 monthly, $34,488 with one dependent, and $18,697 for a surviving spouse, about $1,558 monthly. VA pays the difference between countable income and that maximum, not a flat check.
The detail behind the number
The 2026 maximums are $29,093 a year for a veteran with no dependents, $34,488 with one dependent, $46,143 for two married veterans both eligible, and $18,697 for a surviving spouse. Rates took effect December 1, 2025.
These are maximum annual pension rates, not payment amounts. VA pays the difference between your countable income and the applicable maximum, so almost nobody receives the headline figure.
The net worth limit for the current period is $163,699, with a three-year look-back on asset transfers. Transferring assets to qualify can create a penalty period, which is why this is worth planning rather than improvising.
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