What Types of Veterans Benefits Are There?
The U.S. government takes care of the men and women who have served our country in the armed services, providing a myriad services to help them after they have been discharged. Benefits range from medical care to education to housing assistance for both veterans who can afford homes and those who have no homes.
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Education Benefits
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Veterans earn credits toward financing their education while serving in the military. After discharge, this financial credit, as much as $50,000, can be applied toward post-high school education and vocational training. Popularly known as the G.I. Bill, veterans can have their tuition, books and living expenses paid for 36 months of vocational training or college degrees, even including post-graduate, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). However, veterans who attend private colleges will only have a portion of their tuition paid, as the limit is the highest tuition for a public college in their state.
Medical Benefits
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Veterans injured while serving in the military are eligible for free medical care at veteran's clinics and hospitals across the United States. Veterans must be enrolled in the VA's health care system to receive these benefits. Veterans can enroll by contacting their nearest hospital or clinic.
Veterans who sustain permanent injuries while in the service are eligible for monthly disability compensation. This amount depends on the type and degree of disability as well as the number of the veteran's dependents.
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Housing Assistance
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The VA also guarantees home loans for veterans who qualify for home loans with lending companies. This means if the veteran defaults on the home loan, the VA will pay off the mortgage balance. The VA also provides grants to some disabled veterans to modify their homes.
Homeless veterans qualify for the same overall benefits as all veterans. However, the VA says it will provide housing in a residential facility for veterans with medical or mental disabilities. It also will lease or sell at a discount to veterans homes it has foreclosed on when a borrower defaults on his VA-guaranteed mortgage.
Pension Benefits
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The VA pays pension benefits to wartime veterans at least age 65 with little or no income. It will pay a pension to wartime veterans under age 65 if they are permanently and fully disabled. It also may also pay benefits for a caretaker if the veteran is unable to care for himself.
Burial Benefits
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The VA will pay some of the funeral and plot costs for veterans. The amount depends on whether the veteran dies from a service-related injury. Veterans who die from other causes receive a smaller amount.
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