UNITED STATES—Whether you’re an active service member or already retired from service, there are several service benefits you need to know about early. As part of the millions of diligent servicemen who dedicate their lives and skills serving the nation, you deserve all the good things that come your way after completing or during your service term.
Knowing what your benefits are and how to optimize them isn’t always an easy process. Below, we’ll look at a few types of veteran benefits that are most likely to apply to all service members that you should know about.
Health and Long-Term Care
When service members retire and begin to navigate the health challenges of senior citizenship, a significant amount of health support is needed to keep them fit and healthy. The government offers several health and long-term care benefits, such as the Aid and Attendance benefits, to veterans to ensure they don’t suffer health challenges alone. These care plans offer solutions to common challenges of aging, including difficulties with bathing, dressing, eating, and toileting.
Under healthcare, VAs are also supported to overcome the challenges of various service-related illnesses, such as mesothelioma disability. Due to increased exposure to asbestos in the military camps in earlier years, before asbestos was banned, many active soldiers were affected. You can take advantage of government support in health and long-term care to file for various mesothelioma disability claims and receive compensation.
Financial Help
After years of service and caring for dependents, veterans may be left with little to no support for their retirement needs. For this reason, the government sets aside funds to support veterans through various relevant payout options, including the VA survivors’ pension, veterans’ pensions, and educational financial aid. Veterans can apply for any financial assistance for which they qualify and submit their applications to the relevant departments for consideration.
For instance, if you need to activate the veterans’ pensions, you can apply through the Veterans Administration (VA) if you’re above 65 or are disabled at any age. The VA will award you a pension amount depending on the number of dependents you have, your income, and the program’s pension rate at the time of your application. Veterans’ surviving spouses who haven’t remarried or unmarried dependents of a deceased veteran can apply for the VA survivors’ pension.
Home Loans
Veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless soon are always encouraged to seek assistance for permanent housing programs with the government. However, service members who are still earning can always take advantage of the various VA home loans to build a secure future under permanent shelter. Some common VA home loans include the Veterans’ Home Loans and the Special Adapted Housing Grants.
The veteran home loans help members to secure mortgage loans to buy a home within their income bracket. The VA ensures your home loan is fully paid even if it becomes challenging for you to pay your mortgage yourself. Special adapted housing grants provide cash benefits to veterans with disabilities related to their service years to help remodel or purchase a home that suits their mobility needs.
Learning about the various types of veteran benefits available to all service members is crucial for ensuring a stress-free service experience and a smooth retirement. When you know what’s set aside for you as benefits for being a loyal service member, you can effectively apply for the right benefits when the right time comes.
