The Yellow Ribbon Program is a partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs and participating schools. It helps qualifying veterans and dependents who must pay higher out-of-state tuition, or higher private school, overseas school, or graduate tuition and fees. This program is offered to those who are eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Not… Read more »
A Veteran Service Organization (VSO) is an organization that is meant to serve veterans by helping them understand and claim VA benefits, seek employment, and readjust to civilian life. There are many VSOs operating on behalf of U.S. veterans; the DAV, VFW, AmVets, and many other familiar names all fall under the definition of a… Read more »
What do you need to know about VA mortgages before applying for one? Sometimes half the battle is knowing the facts and ignoring the myths and half-truths. VA Loan Facts: Many Housing Types Are Possible You can use a VA loan to buy, refinance, or renovate a suburban home, condo unit, mobile home or manufactured… Read more »
The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee reaches agreement on the Honoring Our PACT Act, a bill to care for toxic exposed Veterans.
The FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program can help Veterans access low-cost or no-cost broadband internet for VA Telehealth appointments
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) added nine respiratory cancers to a list of presumptive conditions leading to service-connected disabilities. These cancers are rare and would likely stem from toxic military exposures like burn pits. The 9 Rare Cancers The following respiratory cancers have been added to the VA’s list of presumptive conditions: Squamous cell… Read more »
If you want to use your VA home loan benefits to purchase a home, there are many expenses to budget and save for, including closing costs.
Learn about some little known aspects of your Veterans Group Life Insurance (VGLI) coverage. They could save you money!
These Grants Will Be for Suicide Prevention Services On April 15th, the VA published a Notice of Funding Opportunity for $51,750,000 in suicide prevention grants. These grants will be awarded to organizations that provide or coordinate suicide prevention services for veterans at risk of suicide and the families of those veterans. Helping those at risk… Read more »
If you have never used your VA home loan benefits and are planning to retire or separate from the military, there are some issues to consider. For example, if you are not retiring, but separating from the military, buying a home may be more complicated if you don’t have a job lined up at loan… Read more »
There are VA mortgages for a variety of loan purposes. You can buy a condo unit, townhome, duplex, and multi-unit properties with a VA mortgage. You can also use a VA loan to buy a mobile home and even the land that home is to be placed upon. VA loan rules for manufactured home purchases are a bit different than for buying a typical suburban home, but some of those differences have to do with the unique nature of manufactured housing. Learn more.
VA Loan Benefits: Getting Started Are you wondering how to get started with your VA home loan benefits? The most important thing to do starting out is to determine whether you are currently eligible to receive a VA Certificate of Eligibility (VA COE). Those who are eligible may apply for it may do so in a… Read more »
What are the rules for occupancy when you are approved for a VA home loan? Most government-backed purchase loans…
Starting sometime in 2022, DeCA plans to launch commissary grocery delivery to bring the savings benefits to more eligible patrons.
Commissary Benefits for Veterans In 2019, the Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act expanded Commissary benefits to veterans meeting certain eligibility criteria. Previously, Commissary benefits were only open to active duty service members, their dependents, retirees, and a select few others in restricted categories. Things have changed, and DeCA is having a hard… Read more »
Wild Ops: Healing for Combat Veterans “The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” – Douglas MacArthur America’s wars have permanently scarred the souls who have fought through them and survived. Every warrior who returns home from the… Read more »
Military Benefits Questions Answered by VEP The Mission of the Veterans Education Project is to address the current issues that student veterans and service members face every day. They do this by reaching out to the veteran community, advocating for veterans with policy makers, and bringing every possible resource into the fight to support our… Read more »
Tax Free Military Retirement in These States Recently, the states of Arizona, Indiana, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Utah became the newest additions to the list of states who do not tax the pay of military retirees. There are now 26 states that do not tax military retirement pay. The State of Impact The tax exemptions… Read more »
On January 20th, 2022, the House of Representatives passed The Ensuring Veterans’ Smooth Transition Act. Also known as the EVEST Act, H.R. 4673 would make enrollment into the VA system automatic for transitioning service members. Learn more.
Military Benefit Changes for 2022 These are the changes that have been announced so far. Please keep checking back, as we will continue updating new changes to your military benefits for 2022. TRICARE Updates 2022 TRICARE Pharmacy Network TRICARE Pharmacy Network will have updates going into 2022. As of December 15th, 2021, Walmart and Sam’s… Read more »
In a recently released entry into the Federal Register, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) amended the regulations regarding grants for Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Program. The Specially Adapted Housing Program Within this program there are two major sources of assistance: Specially Adapted Housing Grant Special Housing Adaptation Grant The assistance provided by the SAH… Read more »
The VA extends disability deadline for Veterans suffering from Gulf War Syndrome. File claims before December 2026!
A bipartisan push in Congress could provide nearly 42,000 combat-injured veterans with expanded retirement benefits. They would be eligible to receive both disability compensation and retired pay. The bill, if passed, would allow disabled veterans who were medically retired before serving 20 years to receive their full military benefits.
NDAA 2022: Defense Budget Proposal and 2021 Updates The White House has requested almost $270 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs budget for 2022. This is a 10% increase from 2021. This does include a discretionary budget request of $117.2 billion with medical care collections, and a mandatory funding request of $152.7 billion. **… Read more »
Do you know about all of the VA benefits you and your loved ones may qualify for? This list can help you make sure you’re not missing out on health care, life insurance, or financial assistance. If you’re receiving benefits, there are resources to help you learn more about how to manage those benefits.
Whether you retired out of the military or separated before retirement you will want to make sure to live in a state where your money will go far. So, we’ve compiled a list of the Top 10 most affordable states to live after your military service.
Vaccinating a huge population, like veterans, requires strategic planning and collaboration between organizations to ensure the vaccines are distributed safely and effectively. The VA released a COVID-19 Vaccination Plan for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to do just that in Dec 2020. Important aspects of this plan are summarized in the following article.
Deciding where to live and work after transitioning out of the military can be an overwhelming process especially if you haven’t decided which state to live in. We have put together some factors for you to consider. Setting yourself up to make sure your money goes further and living in a state that has veteran employment programs as well as companies willing to hire veterans will help the transition from military life to civilian life.
In Jan of 2021, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced a new partnership with Fitbit in an effort to support Veteran health and wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative will provide eligible veterans, caregivers and VA staff with access to Fitbit programs and services to help manage stress, improve sleep, and increase physical activity during the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.
Allowance for Auto with Adaptive Equipment from VA Few things diminish your freedom and independence like being unable to drive. If a service-related (service-connected) disability has impacted your ability to drive, you may be eligible for an allowance to buy adaptive equipment designed to help you get back on the road. Find out if you… Read more »
Military and veterans’ benefits changes that have been announced for 2021 for TRICARE, military pay, BAH, BAS, COLA, Social Security, TSP and more!
The eras of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars has led to an increase of veterans with mental health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And since Sept. 11, 2001, over 150,000 soldiers have been discharged from the Army with a less-than-honorable discharge. By receiving these discharges, these veterans no longer have access to government benefits that would help them with their mental health. Instead of assistance, many veterans have faced unemployment, substance abuse, or homelessness. A new lawsuit hopes to provide some of them with upgraded discharge statuses to get them the help and services they need.
The federal government, as of Veterans Day 2020, will grant free access to National Parks and other federal lands to veterans and Gold Star Families. Entrance fees and standard recreation fees will be waived allowing them access to 2,000 locations under a new initiative from the Department of Interior.
If you are a member of the military community, and you love hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation, then you do not want to miss these awesome state benefits! The following states report that these state benefits are the most unused each year.
If you are a veteran and you are from, or live in, one of the following states, then you may have overlooked some really great state benefits dealing with land and housing.
The following three states have programs for veterans that either revolve around occupational licensing or veteran designations on their drivers licenses. Unfortunately, many veterans are not taking advantage of them. Take a look.
I don’t know about you, but it seems like we can all use some help these days. With the pandemic still affecting huge swaths of our country, money has been tight. For this reason, I’d like to call your attention to 6 states that offer overlooked financial benefits to their resident veterans.
On Aug 11, Veterans Advantage announced a partnership with Legacy, an international company specializing in male fertility, to offer a 25% discount on their core products which can help our nation’s veterans protect their opportunity for future parenthood. Male fertility can be impacted by one’s lifestyle, and we know that life in the military is not easy. Taking steps to improve and preserve fertility is important as many couples are waiting longer to have children.
Did you know that yoga has the potential to improve chronic low back pain, PTSD symptoms, and insomnia? As a veteran, you likely have access to free classes and can benefit from yoga – which may aid your general well-being even if you don’t suffer from back pain or PTSD.
The VA recently announced a new partnership to increase awareness and expand resources for lung cancer screening for veterans. This is big news because cancer is more prevalent among veterans than the general population.
There are endless lists of free programs and discounts related to outdoor recreation for veterans and their families. Spending time outdoors and in nature can be of great value for veterans and service members in transition.