When you retire from military service after 20 or more years, you will need to make decisions about your future and the future of your family. Military retirement benefits end upon the death of the retiree unless the retiree enrolled in the Survivor Benefit Plan.
Read more: Military Retirement and The Survivor Benefit Plan
Individuals who have served our country have made a great sacrifice. As a token of gratitude for that service veterans have been provided some specials tax breaks and benefits that they need to know are available.
For those who made a career in military service, retirement is a big step. Through careful planning and consideration of qualifications, available retirement plans, and requirements, you can ensure a smooth transition into retirement.
This article provides an introduction to the free legal services provided to veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors by the Veterans Consortium through its Pro Bono Program and its Discharge Upgrade Program.
Read more: Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program and Discharge Upgrade Program
The Veterans Administration offers disability benefits for veterans with a service-related disability. VA disability compensation is for an injury or illness that was caused by military service or made worse by military service. Disability is not income based and is not limited to those who served in war.
You might see ads or receive a flyer offering assistance in applying for veteran’s benefits. Most of those offers violate federal law.
Read more: When it is Illegal to Assist Veterans with Benefits
Arizona offers tax breaks on vehicle licensing for survivors of military personnel and first responders killed in the line of duty. Arizona also offers a special military exemption to members of the armed forces who are deployed overseas.
Read more: Arizona Vehicle Licensing Benefits for Deployed Military and Survivors
It was 2014 when the news story broke, and the public learned that the VA health care system was broken. The scandal erupted in Phoenix, when whistleblowers revealed a secret wait list for veterans requesting care. The list was hidden from Federal Regulators because the Phoenix VA sent regulators falsified documents that grossly underestimated the length of time veterans were waiting to be given a doctor’s appointment. As the truth came to light, the public learned that Arizona veterans had to wait an average of 115 days to see a primary care doctor, and more than 40 veterans died waiting for care.
The Veterans Administration offers a VA pension for war veterans. The VA pension is only available to wartime veterans who have financial need because of low incomes. They may also have a disability that is not service-related.
Veterans’ children don’t normally qualify for VA health benefits. Why are women who served in Vietnam different? The answer is Agent Orange. The chemicals in Agent Orange accumulate in the body and remain there for years. One of the consequences of exposure can be birth defects in the children born to women who were exposed to the chemicals.
Read more: Children of Women Vietnam Veterans VA Benefit Program
Not everyone leaves the military with an honorable or a dishonorable discharge. The system is far more complicated than that. There are 5 types of discharge for enlisted personnel. Officers are not discharged from the service; they are relieved from active duty. In addition, there are several categories of “separation from service” that are somewhat different than being discharged. This article will explore the various ways people leave military service and the impact of each on jobs and eligibility for veteran’s benefits.
Read more: Types of Military Discharge and What they Mean for Veterans
AZ ABLE is a new state-run financial savings program for eligible people with disabilities who live in Arizona.
As a general rule, former service members are eligible to file for and receive unemployment insurance benefits through one of two programs:
Read more: Unemployment Insurance Benefits for Former Service Members
In 1990, Congress passed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. One of the provisions of the Act mandated the use of a single, free application form for all Federal student aid. That form (FAFSA) continues to be used today and is the key to obtaining all types of Federal student aid. Financial aid is offered in the form of grants, scholarships, student and parent loans and work-study programs.
On June 25, 2019, President Trump signed the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veteran Act into law. The new law fills a hole in the disability protection for veterans who served in Korea during the 1960s and for Navy and Marine Veterans exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. Vietnam War veterans battled for decades to have Agent Orange related disabilities recognized by the U.S. government. The new law is another step in validating their claims.