Benefits Available for Veterans
Active, retired and disabled veterans, or their dependents, surviving spouses, children or parents can tap into a wide range of benefits provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), such as disability compensation and pensions, death pensions, medical care and counseling, education and training, home mortgages, life insurance and burial and memorial services.
Other People Are Reading
-
Burial
-
The VA honors its deceased veterans by providing headstones or monuments to mark their graves and burial flags to drape over their caskets. The VA pays burial costs of up to $2,000 to the families of eligible veterans who die while on active duty, and, in death occurring other than while on active duty, up to $300 for funeral expenses and $300 for a burial plot. Some veterans may be buried in a VA national cemetery.
Disability Compensation
-
Eligible veterans with at least a 10-percent disability resulting from military service can receive monthly tax-free compensation. Claims for disability compensation must be filed within 1 year following discharge from military service. Wartime veterans who are permanently or totally disabled, are at least 65 years old and who have little income can receive a monthly disability pension benefit. There is no time limit to apply for this benefit.
-
Education
-
Veterans are eligible for education and training benefits paid for by the VA. Educational and training programs applied for must be approved by the VA. Veterans who started active duty after September 11, 2001, or who've been on active duty for more than 90 days can claim benefits from the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33). Members of Selected Reserve who entered into a 6-year commitment after June 30, 1985, can claim benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill--Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606).
Home Loans
-
The VA offers several home loans to eligible veterans and their surviving spouses, such as guaranteed loans, refinancing loans and special grants. In a guaranteed loan, the VA will cover a portion of a loan made by a private lender to enable a veteran to purchase a home, a manufactured home, a condominium or a building lot. The VA will also guarantee new construction loans or home repair and improvement loans.
Life Insurance
-
The VA offers several types of life insurance: Servicemens' Group Life Insurance, providing up to $400,000 in coverage; Servicemens' Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection, providing payments of up to $100,000 for traumatic injuries; Veterans Group Life Insurance, which provides an option to convert the Servicemen's Group Life Insurance to a lifetime term life policy; Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance, providing up to $10,000 in coverage; and Veterans' Mortgage Life Insurance, providing up to $90,000 to severely disabled veterans who have also received a housing grant.
Medical
-
Veterans enrolled in the VA Health Care System can receive hospital, out-patient, dental, prescription and prosthesis services; counseling for sexual trauma and alcohol addiction; and treatment for Agent Orange exposure or to other environmental hazards while on active duty. Veterans can be referred to VA-operated health care facilities for emergency care. Veterans who served in combat operations after November 11, 1998, are eligible for free health care.
-
