Seeing The Country We Defend


Following information is good news to share with all your Family members, Friends and Chapter members.


Please find attached some helpful information on Veteran's Benefits. This is an abbreviated listing by state that you choose by "clicking" on state within the map......or selecting  from the alphabetical  toolbar on the left hand side.  Probably the most important part is the Point of Contact info for the State Veterans Office....names, phone numbers etc.


Veteran's Benefits By State


Veteran's Retail Discounts

Retiree Benefits Statement


Military Report - Eye Glasses For Retirees



Homestead Personal Property Tax Exemption Letters

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will begin mailing out tax exemption letters to qualified veterans sometime in February 2010.  Please allow VA time to get these letters out to you before requesting one from the Regional Office.  The old VA Form 21-5455 is obsolete, so watch your mail closely for the new letter which indicates your disability status.  If your County Tax Collector does not accept this new letter, please ask them to ask the County Tax Collector Association President for clarification.

Withholding Changes for 2010

Changes in notifications on retired pay about a change in Federal Income Tax Withholdings (FITW) -  Rates have reverted back to levels established prior to passage of the 2009 stimulus legislation, which temporarily reduced federal income tax withholding for the period of May 1, 2009 to Jan. 1, 2010.  On January 1 the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) switched back to the original levels.  The changes do not affect your overall tax responsibility.

 

VA Reaching Out to Students and Schools to Speed Benefit Payments

“Shared Responsibilities” Among Schools, Students and VA

WASHINGTON – In a coordinated effort to speed up the processing of Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefits this spring, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today that it has been reaching out to student Veterans, service members, university officials and other partners to meet its commitment to an aggressive processing goal by Feb. 1, 2010. Feb. 1 is the first date spring payments are due and presently VA has processed over 72,000 of the approximately 103,000 spring enrollments received.  Since inception of the historic new program last year, VA has paid over $1.3 billion in benefits to more than 170,000 students. 

VA has sent letters to university presidents and school certifying officials, state Veterans affairs directors, and notified Veteran service organizations, congressional members and other education stakeholders highlighting VA’s emphasis on the importance of timely submission of school enrollment information.

VA is working to provide timely payments to all eligible Veterans to ensure that students are spared the financial hardships which some faced during the fall 2009 term.  

To help address the high volume of claims received for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, VA hired 530 employees, bringing the total number of education claims processors to 1,200.  Employees have been working mandatory overtime since August 2009.  Additionally, the department awarded a temporary contract to assist with education claims processing. 

Veterans, service members, reservists, and members of the National Guard who served on active duty since September 11, 2001 are potentially eligible for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill.  It provides payments for tuition and fees, as well as a housing allowance and stipend for books and supplies for many participants. 

Under the new GI Bill, some members of the armed forces may transfer benefits to a spouse or dependent children.

- Post-9/11 GI Bill Lessons Learned

http://www.gibill.va.gov/documents/CH33_Lessons_Learned.pdf


- Education Checklist for Eligible Persons Under Chapters 30, 32, 33, 1606 and 1607

 
  http://www.gibill.va.gov/documents/CH33_Student_Checklist.pdf


- GI Bill Hip Pocket Guide 2010 Spring Semester http:

//www.gibill.va.gov/documents/Spring_2010_Hip_Pocket_Guide.pdf