“20 Good Years” 

The Basics of a Reserve Component Retirement 

If you’re a traditional or individual reservist or a member of your state’s national guard, you’re consider a member of the reserve component with the potential to earn a military pension and other retirement benefits like those available to active duty servicemembers.  The primary threshold for members of the reserve component to earn retirement benefits is serving at least twenty years of qualifying service, known as “20 good years.” (See this DFAS page for specific details on what qualifies as a good year.)

Throughout this blog we’ll refer to reservists and Guard service members as simply reserve members.  

You’ve made it to “20 Good Years” now what? 

One of your first decisions is if you want to continue to serve or not.  Once you’ve successfully earned twenty qualifying years of service, you have the option to either continue serving with the opportunity to earn additional qualifying years of service, add to your retirement point total, and potentially promotions in rank as a member of the Ready Reserve.  Or you can decide to stop serving or drilling with your unit while you wait to qualify for retired pay.  In this case, if you have not yet reached your 60th birthday, you enter what is known as the gray area.  

What do you mean Gray Area? The Department of Defense defines a Gray Area Retiree as a reserve member who has qualified for retired pay and completed their military service but who is not yet at the age where they can begin receiving their retired pay.  This is an important designation when it comes to both your military pension and your access to benefits like Tricare, space available travel and the commissary which we will detail below.  Let’s start with when you become eligible to receive your military pension and how that pay is calculated before we look at the reserve component survivor benefit and healthcare options. 

How is retired pay calculated for a reservist? The specific calculation of your retired pay benefit depends on many factors including which retirement system you qualify for, either legacy or the blended retirement system, how many good years and service points you have earned, and what rank you have achieved.  The DOD has a comprehensive tool to help you estimate your reserve component retired pay. 

When does Retired Pay start? In most cases, reserve members’ retired pay begins at their 60th birthday; however, since 2008 reserve members have been permitted to reduce their retired pay age from 60 to as early as age 50, when they have completed sufficient qualifying service on active duty orders in support of contingency operations or qualifying national emergencies.  Each 90 days of qualifying active duty service reduces their retired pay age by three months.  

This earlier retired pay start date is known as a Reduced Retired Pay Age (RRPA).  As an example, if a reserve member completed a qualifying 365 day active duty activation in support of contingency operations and successfully completed the verification of this active duty service with their service, they could reduce their retired pay age by four 3 month increments, reducing their retired pay age by 12 months or from age 60 to 59.

Importantly, a reserve member should verify any qualifying active duty orders with their personnel center well in advance of applying for their retired pay.  In fact, reserve members can verify orders while they are still serving, and their orders and personnel documents are still readily available. Fair warning, each service component’s verification process differs and can require substantial lead time to ensure accuracy. 

There are rare instances where a reserve member might continue to serve beyond their 60th birthday.  In these cases, the retired pay age is delayed until they complete their service.   

Is retired pay automatic? No. It’s also important to remember that reserve members need to apply for their retired pay using DD Form 2656.  This application is made no earlier than 12 months and no later than 6 months prior to the retiree’s 60th birthday or RRPA, each service has their own specific instructions for applying for retirement pay.

What about the Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan? 

In a previous post, I detailed the importance of an active duty servicemember’s Survivor Benefit Decision.  While there are many similarities between the active duty and reserve component SBP, one of the key differences is when you make the decision, known as the SBP election, and when your survivors might be eligible to begin receiving the annuity.   

What is the Survivor’s Benefit Plan?  The most important fact to know about the amazing military pension you’ve earned during your 20+ years of service is that it ends at your death.  The only way to ensure your spouse and/or your dependents continue to receive a portion of your retired pay is to sign up for the Survivor Benefit Plan.  

In the event you pass away before your spouse or your dependent children, SBP continues to pay an inflation adjusted monthly benefit, known as an annuity payment, to your survivors.  If you’re married and/or have dependent children, chances are they rely on your military pay or pension for a portion of their monthly living expenses.   

If your family depends on your income, then your Reserve Component SPB decision is critical to your financial plan.  

What is the Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan?  The Reserve Component SPB is like the active duty SPB in that it pays an inflation adjusted annuity to your surviving beneficiaries if you have earned a military pension.  Because a reserve member could qualify for a military pension at an age substantially earlier than they would be entitled to receive their reserve military pension, the key differences between the Reserve Component and Active Duty SBP center around this Gray Area gap. 

When is the Reserve Component SBP Decision Made?

The first important difference between the active duty and reserve component SPB is when you make your decision.  Because reserve component members might complete their military service years or even decades before they qualify to begin receiving their military pension, they are required to make their RCSBP election when they first become eligible for military retirement, when they reach “20 good years.”

The 20-Year Letter.  When a reserve member reaches twenty years of qualified service and becomes eligible to retire, they received an official Notification of Eligibility (NOE), often referred to as the “20-year letter.”  The window of opportunity to make an RCSBP decision begins upon receipt of this letter and lasts for 90 days.  Failure to make an election within this 90-day timeframe results in a default election of an immediate annuity (Option C below) based on your full retirement pay.  In other words, the default option is the maximum benefit, which is the only option available without notarized spousal consent.

Irrevocable Decision.  It is important to remember that your RCSBP decision is an irrevocable election, making this one of the most important decisions you’ll make in your career.  If you’re married and decide to decline RCSBP or accept less than the full RCSBP benefit, your spouse will need to sign off on that decision.  The rationale behind requiring your spouse’s concurrence is he or she has the most to lose if you decline the RCSBP benefit. 

What are the Three RCSBP Benefit Options?  Because a reserve member’s retirement from the military and the date they begin receiving their military pension could be decades apart, the RCSBP decision offers three different options for when or if your dependent(s) would begin to receive the annuity in the event of your death.  

What are the Election Options?  When a reserve member makes their RCSBP decision, they must first decide if they will provide their beneficiary a survivor annuity and when that annuity might begin. The RCSBP election centers around three options:

Option A: Decline  With Option A, a reserve member declines to make an election until reaching age 60 or their reduced retired pay age (RRPA).  In this case, the reserve member declines to accept the Reserve Component SBP and delays their SBP decision until they apply to begin receiving their military retired pay.  Because they have declined the RCSBP, if they die before reaching their retired pay age, their beneficiaries do not qualify to receive an annuity, ever. 

Option B: Defer  With Option B, a reserve member elects to defer the annuity until age 60 or their RRPA.  In this option, if the member dies before reaching their retired pay age, their beneficiaries will begin receiving the annuity at what would have been their member’s 60th birthday or their RRPA.  In this case, the dependents are protected by an annuity, but there is a delay in the start of the payments until the member’s retired pay age.

For example, if a reserve member (who did not reduce their retirement age) dies at age 51, their dependents would begin receiving the annuity when this member would have become eligible for retired pay at age 60. 

Option C: Immediate  With Option C, the member elects to begin RCSBP coverage immediately, even if they die before reaching age 60 or their RRPA.  In this case, if a reserve member makes this election at age 43 and dies at age 45, their beneficiaries begin receiving the annuity payment immediately without waiting until age 60.  

Spousal Concurrence.   If a married reserve member selects Option A or Option B, their spouse is required to sign off on their decision prior to the end of the 90 day election window.  Spousal consent is also required if the reserve member selects a base amount of less than the full retired pay.  In both cases, the DD Form 2656-5, RCSBP Election Certificate, must be signed by the spouse and notarized.  

Active Duty Retirement.  If a reserve member eventually achieves a full active duty retirement after making their RCSBP decision, the RCSBP decision is invalidated.  The member then qualifies under the active duty SBP rules and must make a new declaration when they retire from active duty. This is true whether the reserve member qualified for active duty retirement due to their length of service or for a medical disability.

What about Tricare? 

Lifetime access to health insurance is one of the most substantial benefits of military retirement.  Members of the Reserve Component can ensure continuity in healthcare coverage for their families throughout their transition through the gray area and into military retirement in three key age based phases.

Prior to Age 60. Once a reserve member enters the gray area, they have the option to access Tricare through the Retired Reservist Tricare program until reaching their 60th birthday.  It is important to note that Tricare eligibility is based solely on a member’s 60th birthday without regard to a reduced retired pay age.  The most noticeable difference between Tricare coverage for serving reservists and gray area retirees is the substantially higher monthly premium for coverage.  As an example, the monthly premium for a single Tricare Retired Reservist in 2024 is $585/month compared to only $52/month for a drilling reservist enrolled in Tricare Reserve Select. 

At Age 60. When a gray area retiree reaches age 60, they move to the Tricare Retired Select program with the substantially reduced premium available to active duty retirees.

At Age 65.  Finally, when a retired reserve member turns 65, they qualify for Tricare for Life in combination with their Medicare benefit.  

What about other military benefits? 

Retired reserve members including gray area retirees have access to many of the same great benefits that active duty retirees enjoy including access to the commissary and exchanges and depending on local policies, MWR facilities like the base gym. Gray area retirees can take advantage of Space A travel on military aircraft, but they are limited to flights within the continental US and only the member may travel.  

Concluding Thoughts

Earning a reserve component military pension and the healthcare benefits that come with can have a substantial positive impact on your financial plan and quality of life in retirement.  Working with a financial planner who understands your military benefits from firsthand experience can help you frame your reserve retirement decisions within the context of your family’s financial plan.  

If you’ve got questions about Reserve Retirements or other financial questions, consider setting up a meeting with one of the MFAA financial advisors.

The information provided in this blog is simply that, information.  It is not intended to serve as an individual recommendation and should not be relied on as investment or tax advice.

PCS Season: Organize Your Financial Life

Whether you’re motivated by an upcoming PCS or it’s simply time for a little desk drawer cleaning, the occasional purge of unwanted household items can feel like a fresh start. When you’re done cleaning out the closets, remember that same sense of accomplishment can be had when it’s time to tidy up your financial documents.  

If you’re setting out to “Marie Kondo” the piles of financial paperwork in your file cabinet and all that snail mail stacking up on your kitchen counter, the classic KonMari question – “does this bring me joy?” — won’t necessarily apply to your financial and tax paperwork.  (Even as a financial planner, taxes never bring me joy.)  

Do I really need 10 years’ worth of utility bills? 

By following a few simple rules, you can tackle the piles of paper and send your financial documents off to the shredder with a little gratitude.

Keep forever. Important life documents, especially those that are difficult to replace, should be kept in a “forever” file, preferably in a fire safe box or similarly protected.  

• Life documents: birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, adoption papers, social security cards;
• Military service documents:  DD 214, VA disability certifications, and overseas deployment orders; 
• Education documents: diplomas, transcipts, certificates.

Keep “permanently.” Key financial and legal documents should be protected in a similar way to your forever documents, but these documents might need to be updated or replaced over time.  

• Estate planning documents: wills, powers of attorney, medical directives;
• Legal filings: trusts, inheritance, court orders, contracts, etc.
• Financial documents: mortgage/loan pay off documentation, life insurance documentation, etc.
• Investment documents: End of year statements serve as a historical record of all your contributions, distributions, and investment gains which could prove useful if you ever need to establish basis in an investment many years in the future.
• IRA Tax Form 5498: Your IRA trustee publishes this important documentation of your contributions, conversions and account balances each May;  
• Deeds & titles: deeds to property, titles of vehicles, certificates of authenticity, appraisals of artwork, antiques, jewelry, etc.
• Medical documents: your medical records, including your vaccination record.

For estate planning reasons, it’s helpful to keep all the “forever” and “permanently” documents in a safe place like a fire safe box.  It is also important to be sure your family members and potential executor know where and how to access them if necessary.  

“What about my tax documents?”

Keep At Least 7 years. The IRS can audit tax returns going back either 3 or 7 years, depending on their reason for the audit.  That makes at least seven years the better safe than sorry choice for tax related documents. 

• Tax returns including proof of your payment to the IRS and your state tax documents.
• Important tax documents like your W2, 1099’s, 1098’s, etc.
• Retirement contribution documents including your IRS Form 8606 if you have Traditional IRAs. 
• Supporting documents related to expenses written off including confirmation letters from charities you donated to, donation related credit card statements and canceled checks. This includes health care receipts if deducted on your tax return.
• Records for any business-related expenses including utilities, taxes, travel, purchases, etc.

Home ownership/rental properties: Documents related to the purchase, improvement or disposal of a home, property or business should be kept for at least seven years after the tax year during which you dispose of the property.  

This includes mortgage, title and tax documents, closing documents, loan pay off documents and any receipts for substantial improvements like additions or remodels that increase the value of the property.

Keep 1 year. Most monthly bills and bank/investment documents are accessible online, so there is little benefit to keeping them in paper form.  If you prefer to keep them in your physical file cabinet, you need only keep them for one year.  As mentioned earlier, end of year investment statements should be kept with your important documents.

Keep less than a year. Utility bills and credit card documents can be discarded once you’ve reviewed your bill for errors and paid the account.  You only need to keep these longer if you write them off as a business expense or otherwise take a tax deduction for them (see 7 years above). 

When in doubt, SHRED it!

Now that we know what to keep, let’s look at which documents need to be shredded instead of tossed in the garbage.  To protect your identity from the teams of fraudsters out there, you should shred any document with your social security number, account number, or any other combination of personally identifiable information including your name, address, date of birth or driver’s license details.  

Even “junk mail” contains an inordinate amount of PII; especially mail from banks and unsolicited credit card offers.  To help stem the flow of these annoying offers, the Federal Trade Commission provides several methods to “opt out” of specific types of junk mail and unsolicited offers.  

When in doubt, shred it.  You can either do this with a home shredder or take your pile of documents to a local commercial shredder.  Both the UPS Store and FedEx Store will shred your mountain of documents for a reasonable price, saving you the trouble of cleaning up the dusty mess yourself. You can also take advantage of free community and base wide shredding opportunities. 

An ounce of prevention … go paperless!

Now that you’ve tackled your collection of twenty-year-old canceled checks, it’s time to take this tidying up one step further – go paperless!  Your banks, lenders, and investment companies offer a wide variety of paperless record keeping options. Simply log into your account and subscribe to their paperless option.  At the end of the year, simply download copies of the important annual documents for your records.  Keeping important financial documents out of your mailbox is an important first step toward protecting your identity and simplifying your life. 

Happy sorting:)

Need help organizing your financial life.  The MFAA advisors can help and you can find them here.

Tricare for Life – Is It Really Free?

Military retirees, including reserve retirees over age 60, are familiar with the retiree Tricare drill. And when you hear “Tricare for Life” you may assume Tricare as you know it continues to death, but free.

Yes, and No

When you reach age 65, whatever Tricare plan you were on ends. You will be automatically moved to Tricare for Life. You will not pay any more Tricare annual fees.

But… In order to be covered under Tricare for Life, you must enroll in Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B. Part A (Hospital Insurance) coverage is free. Part B (Medical Insurance) is not. You will have to pay Part B premiums to Medicare. 

Your Medicare Part B premium is based on your annual income. For 2024, the standard Part B premium is $174.70 a month ($2,096.40 a year) per person. If your annual income is more than $103,000 (single) or $206,000 married filing jointly) you pay even more. 

Sounds Bad

By comparison Medicare premiums are much higher than the Tricare Prime Retired premiums ($363/year, individual). Though much lower than Tricare Retired Reserve ($7,023 a year, individual).

How Can This Be a Good Deal?

It’s unfair to only compare annual premiums. Your coverage will be more complete than Tricare alone because because Medicare covers some things Tricare doesn’t and visa versa.

Tricare for Life and Medicare together provide “wrap around coverage” through coordination of benefits (COB) rules. Medicare as the primary payer will pay it’s share of your medical bills first, and then Tricare will pay it’s share after that. 

For example, the catastrophic cap (total maximum co-pays and cost share per year) you could have to pay with other retiree (under age 65) Tricare plans is $3,000 to $4,399 a year. 

Under Tricare for Life, you pay those Medicare Part B premiums and that’s it. Usually there’s no additional costs. It’s very predictable.

If you receive care that is only covered by Medicare (like chiropractic) or only covered by Tricare (such as overseas care), you will be on the hook for some co-pays/cost share.

And you would need to pay entirely for a few things not covered by either Medicare or Tricare. Dental work and long term care are two examples.

Overall, Tricare for Life is really pretty amazing coverage. Just for reference, “regular civilians” 65 and older have a 20% cost share with Medicare Part B and no catastrophic cap (costs are unlimited). They also pay additional, much higher premiums and copays for drugs.

What if I use the Veterans Administration (VA)?

VA care can be a great option at any time. But if you are considering using only the VA system to avoid Tricare for Life and paying for Medicare Part B, proceed with extreme caution. 

A VA facility may not be available near you if you move or facilities close. VA healthcare is only available in the United States, so you wouldn’t be covered if you travel or move to another country. You are assigned to a priority group for VA care based on your service and disability. If you are in a lower priority group, you may be treated only on a space available basis, and you may have co-pays. And keep reading about penalties if you delay signing up for Medicare Part B.

Note: Also be careful when using Tricare for Life and Veterans Affairs health providers for non-service related care. Because VA providers are not allowed to bill Medicare, you can’t be reimbursed through Tricare for Life for any co-pay a VA provider charges. You’d have to pay for any VA expenses out of pocket. For most retired military these costs are likely low. Just know before you go.

What about my family?

Eligible family members stay on Tricare Standard or Prime until age 65 when they must sign up for Medicare Part A and B themselves and switch to Tricare for Life. So a service member and family members may be in different Tricare plans at the same time.

Don’t Delay Signing Up for Medicare Part B

The Medicare enrollment period starts 3 months before to your 65th birthday through 3 months after. So start when you are 64 years and 9 months old to be sure you don’t have a gap in coverage.

If you’re late, enrollment penalties are added to your monthly premium. The longer you wait to sign up, the higher the penalty. You’ll pay an extra 10% for each year you could have signed up for Part B, but didn’t. This is NOT just a one-time penalty. So if you wait 2 years to sign up, you will pay 20% higher Medicare premiums for the rest of you life!

You can delay enrolling in Part B if you or your spouse are working and covered by a workplace group health plan with 20 or more employees. In that case, you would need to enroll in Medicare Part B within 8 months of stopping work or losing your workplace health coverage, which ever is sooner in order to avoid penalty. 

What About the Rest of the Alphabet?

With Tricare for Life you do not need (and don’t pay for) a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) or a Drug Plan (Part D). Tricare for Life has you covered.

Where Can I Get More Details?

Download your Tricare for Life brochure here: https://tricare.mil/Publications/Handbooks/tricare_for_life

State-Level Veterans Benefits 

The US Department of Veterans Affairs has many benefits for military veterans. But did you know each state also has their own veterans affairs departments with additional benefits? Read on so you don’t miss out.

Where to Start?

State veterans affairs offices, also known as local veterans service offices, are government-run entities run by each state dedicated to helping veterans receive the benefits and services they deserve.

State-level veterans benefits vary from state to state. The benefits available to you also vary based on factors like your length and type of service, type of discharge, and your level of disability rating (if any).

The best place to start is your local state veterans affairs offices. Check out their website to see all they have to offer. Then dig in for benefits that interest you! 

This flyer from the federal VA has links to all 50 states and and the District of Columbia veterans services webpages.

https://www.va.gov/files/2020-11/state-benefits-quick-start-guide.pdf

What Veteran Benefits Do States Provide?

Here’s some categories that your state may offer, along with specific examples from individual states.

Education

State VA offices often offer educational benefits like tuition assistance, scholarships, and vocational training programs. These help you start a new career or enhance their existing skills. You can often find employment support through these offices, like job placement services, resume assistance, and training programs, too.

One of the most valuable state-level veteran benefits is help paying for college. At least 12 states offer tuition waivers (or something similar) for in-state universities to qualifying veterans and, in some cases, family members. 

The tuition waiver typically covers all or some of the in-state tuition and sometimes certain other fees associated with attending college. The states may have different names for the program, such as “Veterans Tuition Waiver,” “Veterans Fee Waiver,” or “Dependents’ Educational Assistance.”

Example: In Virginia, the Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program supports veterans who are Virginia residents and rated at least 90% permanently disabled due to military service. It provides a guaranteed waiver of all tuition and mandatory fees for eight semesters at a Virginia public college or university. An eligible veteran, their spouse, and their children ages 16-29 can use the benefit.

Example: Texas’s Hazelwood Act, provides eligible veterans in Texas up to 150 credit hours of tuition exemption at public universities and colleges in Texas. This benefit can also be transferred to eligible children in certain circumstances. Unlike Virginia, there is no requirement to have a VA disability. However, when you entered active duty, you must have designated Texas as your Home of Record, or enter military service in Texas, or were a Texas resident. You must also currently reside in Texas, served at least 180 days on active duty (excluding training) and had an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions.

Tax Breaks

Many states offer veterans some kind of break on state taxes like property tax, income tax, and sales tax.

Example: Florida veterans with VA service-connected disability ratings of 10% or higher are eligible for a state property tax exemption of $5,000. You must file paperwork in the county showing proof of disability and VA rating. Surviving spouses who were married to the veteran for five years before the veteran’s death can also apply.

Example: Almost all states exempt all or part of military retiree pay from state income tax. Only California and the District of Columbia tax all military retiree pay as income.

Example: Oklahoma offers a sales tax exemption, including city and county sales tax, to eligible veterans with a 100% service connected disability rating. The tax exemption  is up to $25,000 for a veteran, and up to $1,000 for a Surviving Spouse. 

State Employment Preferences

Certain states offer veterans hiring preferences for state government jobs. This means veterans may receive additional points or priority in the hiring process when applying for state government positions.

Example: All New York State resident veterans with an honorable discharge from wartime service receive a 5-point employment preference over non-veterans in interviews and exams for state jobs, or 2.5 points for promotion exams. Veterans with a disability rating receive a total of 10 points, or 5 points for promotion exams.

Small Business Support

Several states have programs that offer financial assistance, training, and resources specifically for veteran-owned businesses, aiming to encourage entrepreneurship and economic growth within the veteran community.

Example: Illinois’ Veteran Entrepreneurship helps returning servicemembers and veterans start their own business and assists existing veteran-owned businesses expand their operation. This includes training seminars, educational sessions, and other related events.

Land Purchase

A few states offer veteran residents the opportunity to buy state land at a discount.

Example: Alaska’s Veterans Land Discount program gives Alaska veteran residents a 25% discount on the purchase of state residential/recreational land. A similar but separate program, Veterans Land Sale Preference, allows veterans to purchase land at a restricted sale at fair appraised market value before it is offered to the general public by auction. You can’t use both benefits at the same time. 

Hunting and Fishing Licenses

Some states offer veterans free or reduced price hunting and fishing licenses. 

Example: Colorado offers a free lifetime combination small-game hunting and fishing license for a resident veteran with a permanent service-connected disability of 60% or more.

State Parks Passes

Most states offer veterans free or reduced prices for state park passes and/or camping fees and other use fees. 

Example: Arizona residents who are retired military or service disabled veterans receive 50% off day-use entrance to Arizona State Parks. Arizona residents with a 100% VA disability rating are entitled to a free day-use pass.

License Plates

Many states issue special license plates for veterans. These plates may indicate you are a disabled veteran, your branch of service, or display other symbols representing your service.

Example: Louisiana offers 47 license plate designs that honor veterans and eligible family members. These plates are issued for the same fee as a regular license plate.

Veteran’s Treatment Court

The number of states with Veteran Treatment Courts has grown rapidly. These courts offers alternatives to case proceedings for veterans. They try to address underlying problems which contribute to criminal activity or other court involvement. They promote education and job placement, and access to medical, mental health, dental, homelessness, unemployment, family counseling, and employment services.

Example: California has 33 veteran’s treatment courts throughout the state.

Veterans Homes

Every state operates at least one veterans home providing long-term care services to eligible veterans. These homes offer skilled nursing care, assisted living, and care for veterans who need specialized support in their daily lives. 

Example: North Carolina operates four state veterans nursing homes. Applicants must be a veteran who served on active duty and was discharged under honorable conditions. The veteran must be a resident of North Carolina for two years immediately prior to application. And must be disabled and in need of nursing home care with physician orders. Veterans with a 70% disability rating or higher have most of their costs paid by the VA.

Veterans Cemeteries

Most states maintain their own veterans cemeteries, providing a final resting place for veterans and their eligible family members.

Example: Idaho has two state veterans cemeteries where any veteran may be buried (do not have to be a resident of Idaho). Most veterans are eligible for a VA burial plot allowance that covers the cost of internment, a grave marker, use of a committal shelter, and perpetual care of the gravesite. Spouses can share plot and grave marker with the veteran, but will need to pay their internment fee.

Don’t Miss Out!

You won’t receive these benefits automatically. Check with your local veterans services office or the official website of your state’s Veterans Affairs office for the details on specific benefits you may be eligible for. Then apply!

And remember, every state is different. So it’s on you to look for what a particular state has to offer and apply. Benefits available to you may vary based on factors like your length of service, type of discharge, and level of disability rating (if any), so check the details. 

Here’s the VA link again that has the websites for all 50 states’ veteran services.

https://www.va.gov/files/2020-11/state-benefits-quick-start-guide.pdf

If you need help navigating state-level veterans benefits or federal VA benefits, get in touch with one of our military planners.  MFAA-planners excel at figuring out how to maximize your benefits.  You can find the list of MFAA planners here.