Eighth Circuit Veterans Court (Laurens County)
The Commission on Prosecution Coordination's 2026 directory lists a Veterans Court in the Eighth Circuit, whose solicitor prosecutes Laurens County; the circuit's diversion…
VetTOC · Veteran benefits reference
Laurens County, South Carolina
Free help with a VA claim
- Laurens County Veterans Affairs Military Hall of Heroes. The Hall of Heroes, begun in 2004 inside the county's Veterans Affairs Office, honours Laurens County veterans each September or October on a nomination of an honorable discharge, a DD-214, a 4x6 photo and a shadowbox, and its Lights of Honor tree takes a $5 minimum donation per veteran honoured, checks payable to the program at PO Box 193, Laurens. www.laurenscountysc.gov/departments/veterans_affairs/veterans_affairs_military_hall_of_heroes.php
- Laurens County Veterans Affairs Office. Laurens County's Veterans Affairs Office at 105 Bolt Drive, Suite B, Laurens (864-984-4041), under Director Dale Williams, assists veterans and their dependents with claims to the Columbia Regional Office and the Board of Veterans' Appeals, records and certifies DD-214s, and runs a free weekday van to the Greenville VA clinic and the Dorn VA Medical Center. www.laurenscountysc.gov/departments/veterans_affairs/index.php
- South Carolina County Veterans’ Affairs Officers. Every county has a veterans’ affairs officer who must be accredited within a year and take refresher training annually. The officer is appointed by the state secretary on the recommendation of the county legislative delegation. Section 25-11-40 lets the secretary remove an officer for cause, and a 2025 section says the secretary may not remove one for any reason; the two have not been reconciled. www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t25c011.php
- South Carolina Safeguarding American Veterans’ Benefits Act. Act No. 211 of 2026 bans compensation for veterans benefits claim work except as federal law permits, bars referral fees, outcome guarantees and upfront or nonrefundable fees, caps any lawful fee at the lesser of five times the monthly increase or $12,500, and makes a violation a misdemeanour and an Unfair Trade Practices claim. www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/695.htm
Find a VA-accredited representative: www.va.gov/get-help-from-accredited-representative/find-rep
Laurens County benefits
Laurens County Auditor: Homestead Exemption
The Laurens County Auditor, James A. Coleman, 100 Hillcrest Square, Laurens (864-984-2535), determines homestead exemption eligibility for county residents - the State's $50,000…
www.laurenscountysc.gov/government/elected_officials/auditor.php
Laurens County: Recording a Discharge (Register of Deeds)
Laurens County's Register of Deeds, within the Clerk of Court at 100 Hillcrest Square, Laurens (864-984-3538), records DD-214 military discharges among its public records; the…
South Carolina benefits that apply here
South Carolina Disabled Veteran License Plates
Up to three free plates for a veteran considered totally and permanently disabled from a service-connected disability, in four designs including wheelchair and female variants.
Gate: Totally and permanently disabled from a service-connected disability; Or individual unemployability, on the VA letter
South Carolina Excused Absence for a Military Student
Any institution of higher education receiving state funding, directly or indirectly, must excuse a student called to military service, duty, training or disaster relief, may not…
South Carolina Free Tuition for a War Veteran’s Child
Free tuition at any state-supported college, university or technical college for the child of a wartime veteran who meets one of nine conditions.
Gate: One route is permanent and total disability "from any cause"
South Carolina Hunting, Fishing and State Park Access
A free three-year combination hunting and fishing licence for any resident receiving VA disability benefits, with no rating floor, plus free deer tags.
Gate: Any level of VA disability benefits opens the free licence
South Carolina In-State Tuition for a Veteran and Dependents
A veteran with ninety days of active duty using Chapter 30, 31 or 33 benefits pays in-state tuition with no waiting period, and so does a transferee.
South Carolina Income Tax Credit for Hiring a Veteran Apprentice
An employer earns $3,000, then $2,500, then $1,000 for a veteran hired into a federally validated registered apprenticeship.
South Carolina Income Tax on Military Retirement Pay
All military retirement income is deductible with no cap and no age condition, from tax year 2022.
South Carolina Income Tax on Military and National Guard Pay
Guard and reserve drill pay, inactive duty training pay and the customary annual training period are excluded from South Carolina gross income, with the annual training capped at…
South Carolina Licensing for a Military Spouse
A licensing board must approve a relocating military spouse to keep working on an out-of-state licence and must issue the South Carolina licence within fifteen business days of a…
South Carolina Military Family Relief Fund
Grants of $500 on mobilised status, $1,000 to next of kin on a service injury or death, and up to $2,000 on need, from a fund built out of income tax check-off donations.
South Carolina Military Leave for a Public Officer or Employee
Fifteen paid workdays a year for Guard and reserve duty, thirty more in an emergency, and thirty more for a state employee serving in a combat zone who has exhausted military…
South Carolina Military and Valor License Plates
Article 149 sorts military plates into six tiers, and which tier a plate sits in decides whether it is free and whether it parks free at a meter.
South Carolina National Guard College Assistance Program
Grants of up to 100 percent of tuition and fees, including textbooks, for a drilling South Carolina Guard member.
South Carolina Property Tax Exemption for a Disabled Veteran
The house and its lot are exempt from all property tax. The test is not a rating percentage: the statute defines permanently and totally disabled as the inability to perform…
Gate: Permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability; Or individual unemployability, which is the same functional test
South Carolina Property Tax Exemptions for a Former POW or Medal of Honor Recipient
A Medal of Honor recipient or a former prisoner of war is exempt on the dwelling and one acre, and on two vehicles.
South Carolina Recording and Confidentiality of a Discharge
A clerk of court records a discharge free of charge, certified copies cost no more than fifty cents, and since 2005 a recorded DD-214 is not a public record.
South Carolina Reemployment Rights After State Duty
A Guard or State Guard member released from duty ordered by the Governor has a right to the previous position, enforceable in circuit court with lost wages and benefits.
South Carolina Retirement Credit for Military Service
An active member of the state retirement system may buy up to six years of service credit for military service, at an actuarially neutral price with a floor of sixteen percent of…
South Carolina Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
South Carolina adopts the federal SCRA as state law, extends it to state active duty, and adds a right to terminate telecom, internet, television, gym and satellite radio…
South Carolina State Veterans Cemeteries
Burial at no charge for a veteran with an honorable discharge, and a fee not exceeding cost for an immediate family member.
South Carolina Vehicle Property Tax Exemption for a Disabled Veteran
Two private passenger vehicles are exempt from property tax.
Gate: Total and permanent disability, certified to the DMV; Or individual unemployability, on the same certification
South Carolina Veteran Designation on a Driver’s License
A free veteran designation on the front of a driver’s licence or identification card. Three document routes, and the National Guard route demands at least twenty years of service.
South Carolina Veterans Homes
Six state veterans homes, moved from the Department of Mental Health to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs in 2024 and 2025.
South Carolina Veterans Preference in State Employment
South Carolina has no statutory veterans preference. The preference is a Department of Administration policy effective January 1, 2021 requiring that at least one qualified…
Who Counts as a Veteran in South Carolina
South Carolina has no single statutory definition of veteran.
Federal benefits
Aid and Attendance and Housebound Pension
A higher VA pension for a veteran or survivor who needs another person’s help with daily living or is confined to the home.
- MAPR, veteran alone with Aid and Attendance, effective December 1, 2025: $29,093 a year (read 2026-10-08)
- MAPR, veteran alone, Housebound, effective December 1, 2025: $21,313 a year (read 2026-10-08)
- Pension net worth limit, December 1, 2025, to November 30, 2026: $163,699 (read 2026-10-08)
America the Beautiful Military Lifetime and Annual Passes
A free lifetime pass to national parks, wildlife refuges, national forests and other federal lands for every U.S. military veteran and Gold Star family, and a free annual pass…
www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/veterans-and-gold-star-families-free-access.htm
Automobile Allowance and Adaptive Equipment
A one-time payment of up to $27,908.90 toward a vehicle, plus adaptive equipment such as hand controls and lifts, for service-connected loss of a hand or foot, severe vision…
Gate: Qualifying loss
- Automobile allowance, effective October 1, 2026: up to $27,908.90 (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/special-claims/automobile-allowance-adaptive-equipment
Burial in a VA National Cemetery
A free gravesite, opening and closing, vault liner, headstone and perpetual care in a VA national cemetery for an eligible veteran, and for an eligible spouse or dependent child.
CHAMPVA
Health coverage for a spouse or child of a veteran who is permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability, or who died in service or from a service-connected…
Gate: Permanent and total disability
www.va.gov/family-and-caregiver-benefits/health-and-disability/champva
Combat Zone Tax Exclusion
Military pay earned in any month served in a combat zone is free of federal income tax, in full for enlisted members and warrant officers and up to the top enlisted rate plus…
www.irs.gov/individuals/military/tax-exclusion-for-combat-service
Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC)
A tax-free monthly payment to a military retiree, at any rating from 10%, that replaces retired pay lost to the VA offset for disabilities the service branch decides are…
Gate: Rated 10% or more
Commissary, Exchange and MWR Access for Disabled Veterans
Shopping at military commissaries and exchanges, and MWR retail, for every veteran with a VA service-connected rating, Purple Heart recipients, former POWs and primary family…
Gate: Any service-connected rating
Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP)
Lets a military retiree rated 50% or more receive retired pay and VA disability compensation at the same time, instead of having retired pay cut dollar for dollar.
Gate: Rated 50% or more
DD-214 and Military Service Records (NPRC)
A free copy of a DD-214 and other service records from the National Archives’ National Personnel Records Center, requested online or on Standard Form 180.
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation
Monthly tax-free payment to a surviving spouse, child, or parent after a service-connected death, or in defined cases after the death of a totally disabled veteran.
- Surviving spouse basic monthly rate, effective December 1, 2025: $1,699.36 (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/family-and-caregiver-benefits/survivor-compensation/dependency-indemnity-compensation
Dependents' Educational Assistance (Chapter 35)
Education and training help for a spouse or child of a veteran who is permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability, or who died in service or from a…
Gate: Sponsor status
- Full-time monthly rate, October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027: $1,621.00 (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/family-and-caregiver-benefits/education-and-careers/dependents-education-assistance
Discharge Upgrade and Records Correction
Asks the service branch’s Discharge Review Board or Board for Correction to upgrade a discharge, with liberal consideration for PTSD, TBI, sexual assault or harassment, and the…
Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship
Up to 9 more months of Post-9/11 GI Bill or Fry benefits, or $30,000, for a student finishing a STEM degree or clinical training who has 6 months or less of entitlement left.
www.va.gov/education/other-va-education-benefits/stem-scholarship
Family Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (FSGLI)
Life insurance through the service member for a spouse, up to $100,000 and not more than the member’s SGLI, and $10,000 free for each dependent child.
Federal Hiring Authorities for Veterans (VEOA, VRA, 30% Disabled)
Three ways a federal agency can hire a veteran outside or ahead of normal competition: VEOA for merit promotion jobs, VRA up to GS-11, and noncompetitive appointment for a…
Gate: 30% for the disabled veteran authority
Federal Tax Exclusion for VA Benefits
VA disability compensation, pension, DIC, education and grant payments are not federal taxable income, and retired pay replaced by a retroactive VA rating can be refunded.
Federal Veterans' Preference
Five or ten points added to a passing score, or priority in category rating, for a qualifying veteran applying for a federal competitive service job, with ten points for a…
Government Headstones, Markers and Medallions
A free government headstone or marker for the grave of an eligible veteran in any cemetery, or a medallion to fix to a privately bought headstone.
www.va.gov/burials-memorials/memorial-items/headstones-markers-medallions
Grant and Per Diem Transitional Housing
Transitional housing with services, for up to about two years, from community agencies VA funds, for a homeless veteran.
HUD-VASH Supportive Housing Vouchers
A HUD Housing Choice rental voucher paired with VA case management for a homeless veteran, with housing first and no sobriety or treatment precondition.
Individual Unemployability (TDIU)
Compensation at the 100% rate, $3,938.58 a month for a veteran alone, for a veteran whose service-connected disabilities keep them from holding a steady job, without changing the…
Gate: Schedular rating gate; Unable to keep substantially gainful work
- Rate paid, veteran alone, effective December 1, 2025: $3,938.58 a month (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/special-claims/unemployability
Jobs for Veterans State Grants (American Job Centers)
Free job search help from veterans’ employment specialists at American Job Centers, with priority of service for veterans and eligible spouses in every Labor Department-funded…
Licensing and Certification Test Reimbursement
VA pays back the fees for a licensing or certification test, up to $2,000 a test, and for prep courses, out of GI Bill or DEA entitlement.
- Maximum reimbursement per test: $2,000 (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/how-to-use-benefits/test-fees
Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship
Up to 36 months of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits at the 100% level for the child or surviving spouse of a service member who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001.
www.va.gov/education/survivor-dependent-benefits/fry-scholarship
Medal of Honor Pension
A special monthly pension of $5,780 for each living Medal of Honor recipient, paid regardless of income or other benefits.
- Medal of Honor pension, effective December 1, 2025: $5,780 a month (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/disability/compensation-rates/special-benefit-allowance-rates
Military Funeral Honors
An honor guard of at least two uniformed members, one from the veteran’s branch, who fold and present the flag and play Taps, at the family’s request and at no cost.
Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Care
Free VA treatment for any physical or mental health condition related to military sexual trauma, without having reported it at the time and regardless of discharge status or…
www.va.gov/health-care/health-needs-conditions/military-sexual-trauma
Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (Chapter 30)
Up to 36 months of education payments, $2,601 a month for full-time school from October 1, 2026, for a veteran who paid $1,200 into the program during active duty.
- Full-time monthly rate, effective October 1, 2026: $2,601.00 (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/montgomery-active-duty
Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606)
Up to 36 months of education payments, $508 a month full time from October 1, 2026, for a Guard or Reserve member with a six-year Selected Reserve obligation.
- Full-time monthly rate, effective October 1, 2026: $508.00 (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/montgomery-selected-reserve
Native American Direct Loan (NADL)
A direct VA mortgage, from 2.47% fixed for 30 years when read, to buy, build or improve a home on federal trust land for a Native American veteran or a veteran married to a…
- NADL interest rate, as posted: from 2.47% (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/loan-types/native-american-direct-loan
PACT Act Toxic Exposure Care and Benefits
Expanded VA health care and presumptive disability compensation for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, radiation and other toxins, with health care enrollment open to…
Post-9/11 GI Bill
Education assistance tied to qualifying active duty after September 10, 2001. Often called the GI Bill or Chapter 33.
- Private and foreign school tuition cap, August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2027: $30,908.34 a year (read 2026-10-08)
Post-9/11 GI Bill Transfer to Family
Lets a service member with six years of service who agrees to four more transfer up to 36 months of unused Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to a spouse or child.
Presidential Memorial Certificate
An engraved certificate signed by the current President honoring a deceased veteran or reservist eligible for national cemetery burial, free to next of kin, family and friends.
www.va.gov/burials-memorials/memorial-items/presidential-memorial-certificates
Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers
A monthly stipend, training, respite, mental health counseling and, in some cases, CHAMPVA health coverage for the family caregiver of a veteran rated 70% or more who needs…
Gate: Veteran rated 70% or more
SBA Veteran Business Programs
Free business training, counseling and loan guidance for veterans, service members and military spouses through Boots to Business and Veterans Business Outreach Centers.
www.sba.gov/business-guide/grow-your-business/veteran-owned-businesses
Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI)
Low-cost term life insurance of up to $500,000 for service members, at 5 cents per $1,000 a month plus $1 for traumatic injury coverage.
- Maximum coverage and premium: $500,000; 5 cents per $1,000 a month, plus $1 TSGLI (read 2026-10-08)
Social Security Disability for Wounded Warriors and 100% P&T Veterans
Expedited Social Security disability claims for a service member disabled on active duty on or after October 1, 2001, and for a veteran rated 100% permanent and total by VA.
Gate: 100% P&T, or disabled on active duty
Social Security Military Wage Credits
Extra earnings credited to a Social Security record for active duty from 1957 through 2001: $300 a quarter from 1957 to 1977, and $100 for each $300 of pay from 1978 to 2001, up…
- Military wage credit, 1978 to 2001: $100 per $300 of pay, up to $1,200 a year (read 2026-10-08)
Space-Available (Space-A) Military Flights
Free seats left over on military aircraft for service members, retirees, Guard and Reserve members, their dependents, some surviving spouses, and veterans with a permanent…
Gate: Permanent total rating for veterans
www.amc.af.mil/AMC-Travel-Site/AMC-Space-Available-Travel-Page
Special Monthly Compensation (SMC)
A higher or added monthly rate for a service-connected loss of a limb, an organ or its use, blindness, being housebound, or needing another person’s daily help.
Gate: A specific service-connected loss
- SMC-K, added monthly amount, effective December 1, 2025: $139.87 (read 2026-10-08)
- SMC-S, veteran alone, effective December 1, 2025: $4,408.53 (read 2026-10-08)
- SMC-R.2/T, veteran alone, effective December 1, 2025: $11,271.67 (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/disability/compensation-rates/special-monthly-compensation-rates
Specially Adapted Housing Grants (SAH, SHA, TRA)
Grants to build, buy or adapt a barrier-free home for a veteran with certain severe service-connected disabilities: up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) in fiscal year 2026,…
Gate: Qualifying severe disability
- SAH maximum, fiscal year 2026: $126,526 (read 2026-10-08)
- SHA maximum, fiscal year 2026: $25,350 (read 2026-10-08)
Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)
Grant-funded help, including temporary rent, deposits, utilities and case management, to keep a very low-income veteran family housed or rehouse it quickly.
Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)
A monthly annuity to a military retiree’s surviving spouse or child, generally 55% of the chosen base amount of retired pay, and automatic coverage for the survivors of a member…
- Standard annuity for a spouse: 55% of the base amount (read 2026-10-08)
Survivors Pension
Needs-based monthly payment for a surviving spouse or child of a wartime veteran with limited income and net worth.
- MAPR, surviving spouse with no child, effective December 1, 2025: $11,699 a year (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/family-and-caregiver-benefits/survivor-compensation/survivors-pension
Traumatic Injury Protection (TSGLI)
A one-time payment of $25,000 to $100,000 to a service member with SGLI who suffers a scheduled traumatic loss, such as amputation, paralysis, blindness or an inability to…
- TSGLI payment range: $25,000 to $100,000 (read 2026-10-08)
USERRA Reemployment Rights
Protects a civilian job, seniority and health coverage when a worker leaves for military service, for up to five years of cumulative service with one employer.
United States Burial Flag
A free U.S. flag to drape the casket or accompany the urn of an eligible veteran or reservist, given to the next of kin.
VA Beneficiary Travel Pay
Mileage at 41.5 cents a mile, less a $3 one-way deductible capped at $18 a month, for travel to VA or VA-approved care by a veteran rated 30% or more, traveling for a…
Gate: Rated 30% or more, or another path
- Mileage rate: 41.5 cents a mile (read 2026-10-08)
- Deductible: $3 one way, $6 round trip, $18 a month cap (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/resources/reimbursed-va-travel-expenses-and-mileage-rate
VA Burial and Memorial Benefits
Burial in a VA national cemetery, a government headstone or marker, and in some cases a burial allowance.
VA Burial and Plot Allowance
Money toward a veteran’s funeral and burial: up to $2,000 for a service-connected death after September 10, 2001, and $1,032 each for burial and plot for a non-service-connected…
- Service-connected burial allowance, death after September 10, 2001: up to $2,000 (read 2026-10-08)
- Non-service-connected burial and plot allowances, death on or after October 1, 2026: $1,032 each (read 2026-10-08)
VA Cash-Out Refinance Loan
A VA-backed refinance of any existing mortgage, VA or not, that can take cash out of home equity, with a 2.15% funding fee on first use and 3.3% after.
- Cash-out refinance funding fee: 2.15% first use, 3.3% after (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/loan-types/cash-out-loan
VA Clothing Allowance
A yearly payment of $1,053.19 for each qualifying item when a service-connected prosthetic or orthopedic device, or a prescribed skin medication, wears out or stains clothing.
Gate: Service-connected disability
- Clothing allowance, effective December 1, 2025: $1,053.19 (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/special-claims/clothing-allowance
VA Community Care
VA-paid care from a community provider when VA cannot see an enrolled veteran within 30 minutes’ drive and 20 days for primary or mental health care, or 60 minutes and 28 days…
VA Dental Care
Free comprehensive dental care for a veteran rated 100% or paid at the 100% rate for unemployability, or who is a former prisoner of war, with narrower classes for other veterans.
Gate: 100% for full dental (Class IV); Paid at 100% for unemployability
VA Disability Compensation
Monthly tax-free pay for an illness or injury VA decides is connected to military service.
Gate: Combined rating
VA Fiduciary Program
When VA decides a beneficiary cannot manage VA payments, it appoints a fiduciary to receive and manage them, and oversees that fiduciary.
VA Health Care Enrollment
Enrollment in the VA health care system. A disability rating can change priority and copays. It is not the only way in.
VA Hearing Aids and Eyeglasses
Hearing aids, eyeglasses and contact lenses for an enrolled veteran with a compensable service-connected disability, a Purple Heart, former POW status, and other listed situations.
Gate: Compensable rating, or another listed path
VA Home Loan Funding Fee Exemption
No VA funding fee, which is otherwise 1.25% to 3.3% of a purchase loan, for a veteran receiving or entitled to VA compensation, a surviving spouse on DIC, a Purple Heart…
Gate: Receiving or entitled to compensation
- Purchase funding fee, under 5% down, first use and after: 2.15% and 3.3% (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/funding-fee-and-closing-costs
VA Home Loan Guaranty
A guaranty that helps an eligible veteran, service member, or some surviving spouses buy, build, or refinance a home with a private lender.
VA Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL)
A streamline refinance of an existing VA-backed loan to a lower rate or from an adjustable to a fixed rate, with a 0.5% funding fee and usually no appraisal.
- IRRRL funding fee: 0.5% of the loan (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/loan-types/interest-rate-reduction-loan
VA Mental Health and Emergency Suicide Care
Mental health care from VA, including free emergency suicidal crisis care for any veteran and most former service members, whatever the discharge or enrollment status.
www.va.gov/health-care/health-needs-conditions/mental-health
VA Pension
Needs-based monthly payment for a wartime veteran with limited income who is 65 or older, or permanently and totally disabled.
- MAPR, veteran with no dependents, effective December 1, 2025: $17,441 a year (read 2026-10-08)
- Net worth limit, December 1, 2025, to November 30, 2026: $163,699 (read 2026-10-08)
VA Prosthetics and Sensory Aids
Artificial limbs, wheelchairs, home oxygen, orthotics, mobility aids and home medical equipment for an enrolled veteran who needs them, prescribed by a VA clinician.
VA Tutorial Assistance
Up to $100 a month, and $1,200 over a lifetime, for tutoring in a course a GI Bill student is failing or at risk of failing.
- Tutorial assistance limit: $100 a month, $1,200 lifetime (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/how-to-use-benefits/tutor-assistance
VA-Accredited Representatives (VSOs, Attorneys, Claims Agents)
Free help with a VA claim from a VA-accredited Veterans Service Organization representative, or paid help from an accredited attorney or claims agent after an initial decision.
VET TEC 2.0 High-Tech Training
Tuition, housing and books for a non-degree high-tech training program, for a veteran or separating service member with 36 months of active duty, limited to 4,000 paid…
www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/how-to-use-benefits/vettec-high-tech-program
Vet Center Readjustment Counseling
Free, confidential counseling at community Vet Centers for combat veterans, service members, survivors and families, kept apart from the VA medical record and open without VA…
www.va.gov/health-care/health-needs-conditions/mental-health
Veteran ID Card and Veteran Health Identification Card
A free digital Veteran ID Card for proof of service at businesses, for a veteran with an honorable or general discharge, and a VA health ID card for enrolled veterans.
Veteran Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31)
Work support, and sometimes training, when a service-connected disability limits the work a veteran can do. Also called VR&E or Voc Rehab.
Gate: Service-connected rating
www.va.gov/careers-employment/vocational-rehabilitation/eligibility
Veteran Small Business Certification (VOSB and SDVOSB)
SBA certification that lets a veteran-owned or service-disabled veteran-owned small business compete for federal sole-source and set-aside contracts.
Gate: Any service-connected rating for SDVOSB
Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife)
Guaranteed-acceptance whole life insurance of up to $40,000 for a veteran 80 or younger with any service-connected rating, including 0%, with no health questions.
Gate: Any service-connected rating
- Maximum coverage: $40,000 (read 2026-10-08)
Veterans Work-Study
Paid part-time work on VA-related jobs at a school, VA facility or veterans’ organization for a student using VA education benefits at three-quarter time or more.
www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/how-to-use-benefits/work-study
Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI)
Renewable term life insurance of $10,000 to $500,000 after separation, converting SGLI. No health review if the application is in within 240 days.
Veterans' Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI)
Mortgage life insurance of up to $200,000, paid to the lender, for a veteran under 70 who has received a Specially Adapted Housing grant.
- Maximum coverage: $200,000 (read 2026-10-08)
Work Opportunity Tax Credit for Hiring Veterans
A federal tax credit to employers of up to $9,600 for hiring a qualified veteran, for hires who began work on or before December 31, 2025.
www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/work-opportunity-tax-credit
Yellow Ribbon Program
Covers private, out-of-state, foreign or graduate tuition above the Post-9/11 GI Bill cap, matched by the school, for a student at the 100% benefit level.
- Private and foreign tuition cap, August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2027: $30,908.34 (read 2026-10-08)
www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/post-9-11/yellow-ribbon-program