VA and DoD benefits that apply in every state. Set your rating to see which ones fit you. This starter set is 25 high-impact benefits; more are being added.
25 benefits
CRDP: get retired pay and VA pay together (50%+)
50%+Taxes & pay
Military retirees rated 50%+ can receive full retired pay plus VA compensation without the VA offset.
Who qualifies
Military retiree (20+ years, or certain TERA/reserve retirees) with a VA rating of 50% or more. Paid automatically.
How to apply
Automatic through DFAS once VA reports your rating.
Monthly education/training payments for the spouse and children of a P&T service-connected veteran.
Who qualifies
Veteran is permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability (or died of one / other listed situations). Age and time limits apply to the student.
How to apply
Apply online at VA.gov (VA Form 22-5490).
Deadline
Time limits depend on the beneficiary; see source.
Federal student loans (and TEACH grants) wiped out for veterans VA has rated unable to work or 100% service-connected.
Who qualifies
VA has found you 100% disabled for a service-connected condition or totally unemployable (TDIU). Many are identified automatically through a VA data match.
How to apply
Apply or confirm on StudentAid.gov (Total and Permanent Disability Discharge).
Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E, Chapter 31)
10%+Jobs
Job training, college, coaching and help starting a business, with a monthly subsistence allowance.
Who qualifies
Discharge other than dishonorable and a service-connected rating of at least 10%. A counselor decides entitlement. Discharged before Jan 1, 2013: 12-year eligibility window (later discharges have no time limit).
How to apply
Apply on VA.gov (VA Form 28-1900).
Deadline
12 years from separation or rating notice if discharged before 2013; otherwise none.
Cost-share health coverage for the spouse and dependent children of a veteran rated permanently and totally (P&T) disabled from a service-connected disability.
Who qualifies
Spouse or dependent child of a veteran rated P&T service-connected, or a survivor of one. Not available to anyone eligible for TRICARE (TRICARE families such as military retirees' families use TRICARE instead).
How to apply
Apply online at VA.gov or by mail with VA Form 10-10d.
Permanent 100% service-connected rating, or paid at 100% because of individual unemployability (TDIU). Temporary 100% ratings don't qualify for this class.
How to apply
Enroll in VA health care, then ask your VA facility's dental clinic.
Shop at on-base commissaries and exchanges and use MWR retail facilities.
Who qualifies
Honorably discharged veterans with a service-connected disability rating, military retirees, former POWs, Purple Heart or Medal of Honor recipients, and certain family members and caregivers.
How to apply
No application needed. Show your Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC), or a VA letter plus a passport or driver's license, at checkout (some bases also require visitor-center access).
Up to $40,000 of whole-life coverage with no medical questions for veterans with service-connected disabilities.
Who qualifies
Age 80 or younger with a service-connected disability rating of any percentage (including 0%). Age 81+ must have applied within 2 years of a new SC rating.
How to apply
Apply online at VA.gov.
Deadline
Within 2 years of a new SC rating if age 81+ (see source).
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for survivors
Check eligibilityOtherFor survivor
Tax-free monthly payments to surviving spouses, children and parents.
Who qualifies
Death from a service-connected condition, or the veteran was rated totally disabled for a set period (e.g., 10 years, or 5 years from discharge) before death.