Financing education is becoming an increasing concern among Americans. The total amount of loan debt currently sits at $1.7 trillion. Nearly 43 million Americans owe the government federal student loan debt. With the large majority of students unable to finance their own education, governmental assistance programs that help cover these costs are essential. However, if you are a dependent of a veteran or service member, you have additional education benefits that can help finance your education.
You may be eligible for the Dependents’ Educational Assistance program
To be eligible to receive financial assistance through the Dependents Educational Assistance program, you must be a dependent or spouse of a veteran or service member. These requirements are because these circumstances render the Veteran or service member unable to provide an income for a household. According to the US Department of Veteran Affairs, The veteran or service member must meet one of the following requirements:
- The veteran is permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability, or
- The veteran died as a result of a service-connected disability, or
- The service member died in the line of duty, or
- The service member is missing in action or was captured in the line of duty by a hostile force for more than 90 days, or
- The service member was forcibly detained (held) or interned in the line of duty by a foreign entity for more than 90 days, or
- The service member is in the hospital or getting outpatient treatment for a service-connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged for that disability
Children of qualifying veterans or service members are allowed to start claiming DEA benefits at 18 years old.
Requirements if you are the child or spouse of a veteran
If the Veteran or service member in your family meets the above criteria, you must ensure that you also meet certain criteria to be eligible to receive financial assistance through the Dependents’ Educational Assistance program. The qualifying criteria are different depending on whether you are the child or spouse of the veteran or service member.
If you are the child of a veteran or service member, you can be married or unmarried. If you are a military member yourself, you cannot be using the benefit while on active duty. You cannot use the benefit if you were dishonorably discharged. You can also not receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation if you want to receive assistance from the Dependents’ Educational Assistance program. You will have to give these payments up before being allowed to accept payments from the Dependents’ Educational Assistance program.
If you are the spouse of the veteran or service member, however, you are allowed to receive both payments from the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation and Dependents’ Educational Assistance program. If you get divorced from the veteran or service member, you will no longer be eligible for the education benefits. If the veteran or service member dies and you remarry, you can no longer receive the Dependents’ Educational Assistance program benefits.
However, there are two expectations to this. You can still qualify if one of the two circumstances are applicable:
- The new marriage was on or after January 1, 2004, and you were at least 57 years old at the time of the new marriage
- The new marriage ends due to death or divorce of the new partner
Health care benefits for veterans
Not only are you eligible for increased education assistance as the dependent or spouse of a veteran, veterans themselves are eligible for a number of governmental assistance programs. Certain health care programs are only open to veterans and service members, which can greatly reduce the load on your insurance expenses. If you are a veteran or service member and meet certain criteria, you can apply for different benefits classes of healthcare coverage.
