10 Veterans Benefits Provided by the VA
The following guide details each type of veterans benefits that a service member, veteran of the Armed Forces, or their families may receive from the VA.
1. Disability Compensation
VA disability benefits are reserved for veterans with a service-connected disability. In other words, their condition must be related to or exacerbated by their military service. To be eligible for this veteran benefit, disabled veterans must have been discharged honorably from service.
To qualify for disability benefits, a veteran must provide medical evidence to the VA when they submit their VA claim for compensation. Based on this evidence, the VA will determine whether a condition is eligible and is a service-connected disability. The veteran may need to attend doctor's appointments and visit a VA doctor before the VA makes its decision.
Some examples of eligible conditions include:
Hearing or vision loss
Mental disorders
Loss of a limb
Chronic pain
Ulcers
Breathing conditions
For approved disability claims, the VA gives a veteran a disability rating from 0% to 100%. The rating determines how much compensation, if any, the veteran qualifies for. Some veterans may be eligible for total and permanent disability (TPD), meaning that they'll continue receiving benefits for that rating for the remainder of their life.
2. Home Loans
The VA can help an eligible veteran to purchase a home with a VA loan. VA home loans come with several benefits, including a more straightforward qualification process, no down payment requirements, and lower closing costs. The primary focus of this VA benefit is to help veterans find affordable and safe housing.
Although private lenders issue VA loans, the government backs each loan, protecting the lender from delinquency if a veteran cannot pay it back. As a result, veterans can get better interest rates and benefits because they're considered lower-risk borrowers than traditional borrowers with this security.
Veterans can apply for a VA Guaranteed Loan to purchase a new home or refinance their current home. The house must be the veteran's primary residence and meet minimum safety and property requirements as established by the VA.
Borrowers benefit from not having to pay mortgage insurance or a down payment to establish the loan. Veterans who have used a VA home loan once may also apply for one again if they decide to purchase a different home or refinance their home in the future.
3. Health Care
One of the more well-known veterans benefits comes in the form of health care assistance. VA health care programs look a bit different for veterans in varied situations but range from dental and prescription coverage to alcohol and substance abuse treatment.
VA health care benefits start with regular checkups, immunizations, and diagnostics. Health care programs may also cover emergency care, treatment plans, health education, surgeries, acute care, and specialized care services. Mental health programs and assisted living facilities and services can also be covered for eligible individuals.
The VA also has a program dedicated to military-involved sexual trauma. This program allows veterans to receive disability compensation for mental and physical conditions related to Military Sexual Trauma (MST). Additionally, women veterans can receive specialized health care services through VA health care programs.
The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) is another health care program that can specifically assist spouses and dependents of a veteran who has died or is disabled. To be eligible for enrollment and financial assistance, family members must not qualify for TRICARE. CHAMPVA will pay for some health services and medical supplies through a cost-sharing model.
4. Education and Training
VA education benefits help veterans and their families pay for college, vocational education programs, and training programs to enter the workforce or advance their careers. These programs are in place to give veterans an easier transition back into the workforce after serving in the military.
Perhaps the most notable VA education benefit is the Post-9/11 GI Bill. This education benefit is available to a qualified veteran who served at least 90 days on active duty after September 10th, 2001.
The GI Bill allows financial aid for as many as 36 months to assist with the cost of college tuition, books and supplies, or training programs. GI Bill benefits can also transfer to a dependent child or spouse.
A surviving spouse or dependent may also be eligible for Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA), which covers higher education or job training for families or service members who have died or are permanently disabled.
Another bill known as the Montgomery GI Bill is available for active duty service members or reserves. This VA education benefit can cover the cost of educational testing, on-the-job training, tuition, vocational programs, and more.
5. Veterans Readiness and Employment
Like VA education benefits, VA vocational benefits assist veterans with getting back to work after leaving the service. However, these benefits are more focused on career readiness and independent living than educational training. Resume development, career search assistance, exclusive job opportunities, and business plan development are services veterans can benefit from through VA vocational assistance programs.
The Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program offers benefits for up to 12 years upon leaving active duty service or after receiving a disability rating from the VA. The program aids veterans with a service-connected disability or condition that impedes their ability to work or find a suitable job. Veterans may receive assistance for starting a career, re-entering their previous industry, or becoming self-employed. Job training and career counseling are potential perks of the program.
Veterans work with Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs) to get the resources they need to get back into the workforce, start a business, or live independently. A VRC is available in person or by phone for veterans to have quick, convenient access to help when needed.
6. VetSuccess on Campus
VetSuccess on Campus (VSOC) is a program furnished through the VA's Veterans Readiness and Employment program. This benefit specifically guides veterans through the transition of service to higher education with resources, tools, and on-campus benefits to help them find college success.
The benefit begins with evaluating the veteran that can offer suggestions for future career paths that the veteran is well-suited for. After that, VetSuccess on Campus can provide career counseling, college readiness resources, and other valuable tools to prepare veterans for college and their upcoming careers.
Schools must meet eligibility guidelines to become a VSOC school, including being within a specific distance of a VA regional office and having a minimum number of veterans enrolled. Schools participating in the VSOC program will receive a VA Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) for their campus.
The VRC will work one-on-one with veterans utilizing the program to coordinate resources and services. They can also provide career counseling, vocational testing, and other forms of academic and vocational support to the veteran.
Eligibility for some resources is still available to those receiving VA education benefits, such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill or the Montgomery GI Bill.
7. Dependents and Survivor Benefits
Survivors and dependents of veterans can meet eligibility requirements to enroll in specialized programs that assist them financially and academically.
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is one such program that's designed to assist surviving spouses and children of fallen veterans. The program works with families in which a veteran has died in the line of duty due to a service-connected disability or was totally disabled from a service-connected disability before their death. Families may receive a monthly cash payment, which varies depending on the family's unique circumstances.
Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) is another program families can use to offset some of the costs of higher education. DEA assists children and spouses of fallen veterans or veterans who have received a VA distinction of being permanently and totally disabled.
Children can use DEA benefits between 18 and 26 years of age, and surviving spouses may use the benefit within ten years. DEA pays monthly benefits that vary depending on the type of training or educational program.
Surviving spouses and dependents can also qualify for other programs, like CHAMPVA, Survivor Pension Benefits, and Spina Bifida & Birth Defects Benefits.
8. Life Insurance
The VA offers several life insurance options for veterans and service members to protect their families in the event of their death. VA life insurance is designed with the risks of active duty service in mind, ensuring that veterans and service members get proper coverage for the dangerous situations they face.
VA life insurance benefits can be for short-term or long-term situations. For example, Traumatic Injury Protection (TSGLI) gives short-term coverage for service members who experienced a traumatic injury connected to their service. Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI) provides long-term protection for veterans who held Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) while on duty. Veterans may receive up to $400,000 in coverage with their SGLI veterans benefits.
VA life insurance also includes coverage for spouses and children under the Family Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (FSGLI) program. Veterans’ Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI) protects a mortgage for a home that's undergone adaptations for a service-connected disability.
9. VA Pension
A war veteran may qualify for VA pension benefits, which pay monthly payments to the veteran. To qualify, a veteran must have an honorable discharge from service, be at least 65 years old or have a permanent and total disability, and meet specific eligibility requirements regarding their service.
Some veterans may also qualify if they're in a nursing home or long-term care facility or receive Social Security disability benefits. Additionally, the VA pension program has specific income guidelines for pension recipients that follow the income limits Congress sets.
Qualified surviving spouses and children may also receive a form of pension benefits known as the VA Survivors Pension. These monthly payments are available to spouses of a deceased veteran who meets active duty service guidelines and children who are under 18, under 23 and attending a VA-approved school, or disabled.
10. Burial
The VA provides financial assistance to families to cover some or all of the funeral and burial costs for a deceased veteran. Rather than provide monetary benefits upfront to families, the VA will reimburse families who have already paid for a veteran's funeral costs.
Those receiving benefits must also not have been reimbursed by another agency or program for the veteran's funeral.
A veteran's family may be eligible for this program if the veteran was discharged honorably and meets at least one of the following requirements:
The veteran died because of a service-connected disability
The veteran died while under the care of a VA hospital or medical facility or while traveling to or from a VA facility with VA approval
The veteran was receiving VA pension or disability compensation or was entitled to receive one or both, at the time of their death
The veteran was a patient in a VA-approved nursing home and passed after October 9, 1996
For families to get VA reimbursement for burial expenses, the family must show proof of the veteran's death and have detailed receipts and account statements that show the funeral and burial costs. The VA pays up to $796 for non-service-related deaths and up to $2,000 for service-related deaths.