Tuley Law/State Veteran Benefits
Individuals who serve in the U.S. military make a monumental sacrifice for the protection of their nation. As such, the U.S. government has created many laws and programs to ensure that this sacrifice does not go unrecognized. When veterans return home, there are resources set up across the country to help them readjust to a more traditional life.
Unfortunately, there is only so much the federal government can do for each and every veteran who serves—especially when the needs of veterans differ so greatly based on their geographical location and the cost of living. These more individualized benefits are handled by state governments, which pick up slack areas where the federal government does not or cannot help.
As a result, different states and territories have unique benefits only available to veterans in their specific states. Each state is required to maintain an official website detailing its resources and benefits. We have listed government references for each state below in alphabetical order.
Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs
Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services
Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs
Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Connecticut State Department of Veterans Affairs
Delaware Office of Veterans Services
Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Georgia Department of Veterans Service
Hawaii Office of Veterans’ Services
Idaho Division of Veterans Services
Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs
Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs
Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office
Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs
Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs
Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services
Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs
Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services
Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs
Missouri Department of Public Safety Veterans Commission
Montana Veteran Affairs Division
Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Nevada Department of Veterans Services
New Hampshire Division of Veterans Services
New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
New Mexico Department of Veterans Services
New York State Division of Veterans’ Services
North Carolina Department of Military & Veterans Affairs
Ohio Department of Veterans Service
Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs
Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Puerto Rico San Juan VA Regional Office
Rhode Island Office of Veterans Services
South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs
South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs
Tennessee Department of Veterans Services
Utah Veterans and Military Affairs
Vermont Office of Veterans Affairs
Virgin Islands Veteran Resources
Virginia Department of Veterans Services
Washington, D.C., Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs
Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs
West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance
Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs
Things like tax breaks, housing assistance, and military retirement benefits by state can help certain areas that are disproportionately inhabited by veterans. Certain states throughout the U.S. have higher veteran populations than others. Programs for disabled veteran benefits by state can make a serious difference for struggling veterans.
There are also a variety of organizations providing help to veterans on a national level, including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and the U.S. Army.
VA is the nation’s primary resource for awarding veteran benefits. Although it offers countless benefits, the VA is primarily responsible for compensating disabled veterans when they return from service with an injury or illness that inhibits their regular lifestyle.
Understanding VA disability benefits by state can help you recover adequate compensation for your service-connected condition(s). Access to VA services and regional offices can be found through a variety of sources. If you are a disabled veteran pursuing compensation for your service-connected injury/injuries, reach out to Tuley Law Office for assistance with navigating VA processes and expectations.
Some of the organizations that have Veterans Service Officers include the following:
Veterans can also receive additional 100% disabled veteran benefits by state. While VA provides maximum compensation at a federal level, certain states will further assist veterans who are permanently and totally disabled.
If you sustained a debilitating injury or illness while serving in the military, check out our resources on how to get a 100% disability rating.
Military organizations help aggregate a variety of benefits in one designated location. For example, MyArmyBenefits is an official U.S. Army website listing both federal and state resources. Having all this information in one place helps veterans navigate the options they may be eligible for.
Depending on what a veteran did while serving in the military, it may be difficult to find a similar job upon returning to traditional life. The DOL created a database to help veterans find local career opportunities. If you are having difficulty finding work after military service, find an American Job Center near you to get moving in the right direction.
Going one step further than the state level, you may even be able to find veteran benefits in your specific city or township. This can be difficult because there are no set expectations for city benefit websites.
When looking for city benefits, you should start by clicking through your city’s official website to find any mention of veteran resources. If that doesn’t work, you can search your local chamber of commerce site for veteran benefits.
Sometimes a city will not offer its own unique benefits, but it will expand upon different national programs. Always check as many resources as possible to give yourself the greatest chance of receiving adequate compensation.
State veteran benefits can take many forms; the most common types of benefits deal with education, taxes, and housing. Knowing where to find these options and how to take advantage of them can make a huge difference when returning from military service.
Education benefits were greatly improved by the GI Bill in 2008. However, this bill has its limitations and does not apply to all military members the same way. Some veterans can even experience different Purple Heart benefits by state—although the Forever GI Bill provides all recipients with 100% benefits regardless of where or when they served.
With the GI Bill already providing 36 months of college tuition and limited unemployment assistance after discharge, state programs mainly extend existing benefits. Some states offer full tuition coverage which can be used independently from the GI Bill.
Other states have extended the free and reduced tuition offers to the dependents of military members. While these benefits can fluctuate based on a state’s current budget, their availability has helped many dependents attend college in difficult financial situations.
This information can usually be found on the website of whatever school or university is being applied to.
If you are a veteran who was honorably discharged from military service, you might be eligible for a tax break or exemption in your state of residence. This could include exemptions on property taxes (CA) or exemptions on military retirement pay taxes (AL).
It is important to note that states with veteran tax benefits do not always automatically apply for exemptions. Typically, to receive the exemption(s) you will need to turn in an application that provides background information to the assessor. The application might need to be turned in with official documentation of your service, income, and/or discharge.
The requirements for a tax benefit application will be listed on your state’s official website along with a deadline and other necessary information.
There are a variety of well-known VA federal benefits that apply to housing and mortgages. Veterans of any state are likely eligible for a VA mortgage home loan from certain lenders. What many veterans don’t know is that their state likely also offers some form of housing benefit or assistance.
In some areas, this can include mortgage payments, short-term rental assistance, and even veteran retirement homes. These benefits are typically only offered to military members who were honorably discharged.
If you are having trouble finding your state’s benefits, you may want to begin by visiting your state’s government website, or the specific area of the VA’s website that covers your state. Not only do these sites often reveal unknown benefits, they can also provide useful information on future legislation, application deadlines, and other community resources for veterans.
The legal team at Tuley Law Office handles VA benefits at the national level. If you are searching for state benefits, follow the provided resources. If you are looking to receive disability compensation, our disability lawyers have the knowledge and experience to answer your VA-related questions.
At Tuley Law Office, we work with you each step of the way to ensure that you understand the language and expectations of the VA benefits program. Call our law firm for a consultation or fill out our online contact form to get started today.