As you have served the nation, you are entitled to several veterans benefits, including disability pay or pension, educational assistance, and home loan guarantees. So it is significant to stay informed about veteran’s benefits programs and take advantage of their useful impact upon your retirement from active duty as well as for the comfort and wellbeing of your family.
Disability Pay or Pension
Any veteran who has sustained an injury or diseases while on active duty or due to military service is eligible for Disability pay. Moreover some veterans are given disability pay because they have suffered injuries or sickness while being under VA care and these benefits are not taxable.
Veterans who have been discharged honorably or under medical conditions are eligible for these benefits. The benefits may vary according to the severity of the veteran’s conditions, moreover those with dependants or disabled spouse will get more as will those with extreme injuries resulting in loss of limbs. The pension amounts are according to the number of years service and pay grade at the time of retirement.
Survivor’s Benefits
Surviving members of a veteran’s family are entitled to death pensions. Surviving spouse and children or next to kin family members are offered different compensation such as Dependent Indemnity Compensation, a Death Gratuity payment, as well as TRICARE benefits.
If a military person dies in the line of duty then his spouse and children are living in government quarters are entitled to stay there for 365 days or they can relocate to another place and re3ceive one year of Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) or Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA)
Burial Benefits
Burial allowances are limited compensation of a qualified Veteran’s burial and funeral costs. Payments made for burial allowances are divided into two parts:
• Service Related Death: For deaths on and after September 11, 2001 $2,000 is paid for burial services whereas for deaths proceeding September 10, 2001, $1,500 is paid.
• Non-service-Related Death- For deaths on and after October 1, 2011, a burial allowance of $700 for burial and funeral expenses and a $700.00 plot-interment allowance is given. If the veteran is not hospitalized by VA then $300 is allotted towards burial and funeral expenses
Education Benefits
The new Post 9/11 GI Bill offers a host of wide-ranging educational assistance programs to veterans than ever before, and offering several other benefits to dependants and family members.
Medical Benefits
Medical benefits for veterans includes several facilities such as preventive services, outpatient services, emergency services, medical and surgical care, chiropractic care, mental health care, bereavement counseling, and substance abuse counseling.
