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VA Combined Ratings: Why 50 + 30 Is Not 80

The VA math that makes 50 + 30 ≠ 80: the efficiency formula, the combined ratings table, and the rounding rule most free calculators get wrong.

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TDIU 2026: 100% Pay Without a 100% Rating

TDIU pays the 100% VA rate without a 100% rating: the 60/40 rule, extraschedular TDIU under 4.16(b), the work-income test, and the Bradley SMC-S kicker.

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VA Priority Group 1: Zero Copays for All Your VA Health Care

Veterans rated 50% or more, those with TDIU, and Medal of Honor recipients pay zero VA copays, even for prescriptions. See how Priority Group 1 works.

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2026 VA Disability Pay Rates: Monthly Chart

The 2026 VA disability compensation rates after the 2.8% COLA: every rating from 10% to 100%, the with-dependents tables, and the add-on amounts.

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Can the VA Reduce Your Rating? 5-10-20 Rules

VA rating reductions have hard brakes: the 5-year stabilization rule, 10-year service-connection lock, 20-year continuous-rating floor, and 100% rules.

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SMC Explained: Special Monthly Compensation

Special Monthly Compensation tiers K to T at 2026 rates: the bilateral factor, half-steps, Aid & Attendance, Housebound, and the Bradley SMC-S path.

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PACT Act Presumptives: What They Are and Who Qualifies

The PACT Act added 30+ presumptive conditions for burn pit, Agent Orange, radiation, and Camp Lejeune exposure. Who qualifies and what's covered.

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Alabama Does Not Tax SBP Survivor Annuities: What You Save

Alabama exempts SBP, RCSBP, and RSFPP survivor annuities from state income tax. What that saves a surviving spouse each year and how to report it right.

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Arkansas Active Duty Military Pay Is 100% State Tax Exempt

Arkansas exempts 100 percent of active duty military pay from state income tax. How to claim it on the AR1000F.

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What Is BAH? 2026 Rates & How It's Calculated

What BAH is, what partial BAH pays in the barracks, and how rates are set: MHAs, with-dependents vs without, rate protection, BAH during TDY and PCS, and why a buddy one zip code over gets paid more.

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LIHEAP for Veterans: Help Paying Your Heating and Cooling Bills

LIHEAP helps Veterans under the income limit pay energy bills. Benefit amounts are set by your state and vary widely. How to qualify, apply through your state, and get crisis help.

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ACMSS Annuity: $338.79 a Month for Forgotten Military Widows

Surviving spouses of retirees who died before they could elect SBP may get $338.79 a month from DFAS. See who qualifies for ACMSS and how to apply.

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VA Accrued Benefits: Claim a Veteran's Unpaid VA Money

Survivors can claim VA money a Veteran was owed but never received, including retro pay from pending claims. File VA Form 21P-601 within one year.

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VA Form 21P-601: Reimbursement for a Veteran's Funeral Costs

Paid a Veteran's funeral? If VA owed them unpaid benefits at death, Form 21P-601 can reimburse you up to what you paid. You have one year to file.

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VALife Insurance: Guaranteed Coverage Up to $40,000 for Veterans

VALife gives service-connected Veterans up to $40,000 in guaranteed whole life insurance with no health questions. See who qualifies and how to apply.

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VA DIC 2026: Rates, Eligibility, the 8-Year Rule

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation pays a surviving spouse $1,699.36/month tax-free in 2026. Who qualifies, the 8-year add-on, and how to claim it.

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CHAMPVA: Health Coverage for Veteran Families

A permanent and total rating unlocks CHAMPVA for your family: $50 deductible, 25% cost share, $3,000 out-of-pocket cap. Who qualifies and how to apply.

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VA Dependent Benefits: Raise Your Monthly Check

At a 30%+ rating, the VA pays more for a spouse, each child, a child in college, and a dependent parent. The exact amounts and the forms that claim them.

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Aid & Attendance: The Most-Missed VA Benefit

VA Pension with Aid & Attendance pays wartime vets up to $29,093/year for care. Who qualifies, the income and net-worth rules, and the poacher trap.

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CRDP vs CRSC: Getting Back the Retired Pay the VA Waiver Takes

Retirees lose retired pay dollar-for-dollar when they take VA disability. CRDP vs CRSC: who it pays, the tax difference, and how DFAS decides.

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VR&E vs GI Bill: Which Funded Path Should You Actually Use?

VR&E (Chapter 31) usually beats the Post-9/11 GI Bill for service-connected vets retraining, and it doesn't burn your GI Bill. The decision framework.

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Yellow Ribbon: How Private Schools Fill the GI Bill Gap

Yellow Ribbon covers private-school tuition above the Post-9/11 GI Bill cap. Who qualifies, how VA matching works, and how to pick the right school.

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Chapter 35 DEA 2026: $1,574/mo for Dependents

Chapter 35 DEA pays a Veteran's spouse or child $1,574/month for school in 2026. Who qualifies, the age-26 rule (and when it's waived), and DEA vs Fry.

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GI Bill Comparison 2026: Which One Pays Most

Post-9/11 vs Montgomery vs DEA vs VR&E in 2026 dollars: the $30,908.34 private-school tuition cap, housing allowance, Yellow Ribbon, and which one pays most.

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Air Force ECLRP: Up to $65,000 of Your Student Loans, Repaid

ECLRP, the Air Force Enlisted College Loan Repayment Program, pays a third of your unpaid federal loan principal, up to $21,664.50 per year for three years, if you contract for it at enlistment. How ECLRP works and who qualifies.

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What Your Security Clearance Is Worth on the Job Market

Security clearances command a real salary premium with federal contractors. How big by level, how reciprocity works, and how to package it on a resume.

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10-Point Veterans' Preference: Your Federal Hiring Edge

How 10-point Veterans' preference works in federal hiring: the CP, CPS, and XP categories, the SF-15 form, and how a VA rating moves you up the list.

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Federal Hiring for Veterans: Your USAJOBS Edge

Veterans' preference, VRA, VEOA, the 30%-or-more disabled direct-hire authority, and Schedule A: five paths into a federal job the public cannot use.

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First 90 Days After Separation: The Checklist Nobody Hands You

Your 90-day post-separation playbook: health care, BAH replacement, GI Bill activation, VA loan COE, residency, TSP, taxes, and benefits to claim now.

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DD-214 Decoder: What Your SPD & RE Codes Mean

The most common SPD and RE codes in plain English: what each means for VA benefits, reenlistment, and federal hiring, and how to fix a wrong code.

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SCRA + MLA: Military Financial Protections

The SCRA 6% interest cap, lease termination, foreclosure protection, default-judgment reopening, and protections active-duty troops forget to claim.

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Alabama Veteran Business License Exemption: $25 Off Each License

Alabama Veterans rated 25% or more disabled get a statutory reduction of up to $25 on each state, county, and city business license, every year. The real rules and limits.

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Alabama Disabled Veteran Homestead Exemption: $0 Property Tax

Alabama Veterans rated 100% permanently and totally disabled pay zero property tax on their homestead, no income limit, up to 160 acres. How to claim it.

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Alabama Disabled Veteran License Plate: Fees Waived at 10%

Alabama waives registration and issuance fees on the first plate for Veterans rated 10%+ service-connected. At 51%+, extra plates cost $5 a year.

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Alabama Free DD-214 Recording: Certified Copies for Life

Alabama Veterans can record a DD-214 with the county probate judge for free and pull certified copies at no charge anytime. The record stays sealed by law.

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Alabama GI Dependents' Scholarship: Up to 10 Semesters Paid

Alabama pays tuition plus up to $1,000 per semester in books and fees at state schools for spouses and children of Veterans rated 40% or higher.

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Alabama In-State Tuition for Veterans: No Waiting Period

Veterans pay resident tuition at Alabama public colleges without a waiting period, instead of the nonresident rate. Who qualifies and how to claim it.

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Alabama Military Retirement Pay Is 100% State Tax Exempt

Alabama exempts all military retired pay from state income tax, including SBP survivor payments. What that saves a typical retiree and how to claim it.

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Alabama National Guard Drill Pay Tax Exemption Starts in 2027

Starting January 1, 2027, the first $5,000 of Alabama National Guard drill pay is exempt from state income tax. Who qualifies and what to know now.

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Alabama Paid Military Leave: 168 Hours for Public Employees

Alabama public employees in the Guard or Reserve get up to 168 hours of paid military leave per calendar year, on top of military pay. Here is how it works and what it is worth.

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Alabama Purple Heart, POW, and Medal of Honor Plates: Free

Alabama issues free permanent license plates to Purple Heart recipients, former POWs, and Medal of Honor recipients. MOH and POW plates skip ad valorem tax too.

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Alabama Property Tax Exemption for SAH Grant Homes: $0 Bill

Alabama exempts homes acquired with a VA Specially Adapted Housing grant from all property tax, no value cap, for Veterans and unremarried surviving spouses.

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Alabama Surviving Spouse Property Tax Exemption: What Continues

What happens to an Alabama Veteran's $0 property tax bill when the Veteran dies, which exemption actually continues for a surviving spouse, and how to keep it.

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Alaska Disabled Veteran License Plate: Free Registration

Alaska Veterans rated 50% or higher service-connected get free Disabled Veteran plates and one free vehicle registration. Here is how to apply.

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Alaska Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption: $150K Off

Alaska Veterans rated 50% or higher service-connected pay no property tax on the first $150,000 of their home's assessed value. Who qualifies and how to apply.

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Alaska Hunting and Fishing at Resident Rates for Active Duty

Active duty members stationed in Alaska can buy hunting and fishing licenses at resident rates instead of nonresident rates. Who qualifies and how to buy.

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Alaska National Guard Retirement (NGNMRS): $100 a Month

Alaska pays Guard and Naval Militia retirees $100 a month for each month of satisfactory Alaska guard service. Who qualifies and how to claim NGNMRS.

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Alaska National Guard Tuition Assistance: Up to 100% at UA

Alaska Army and Air National Guard members can stack federal and state tuition assistance to cover up to 100% of tuition at University of Alaska campuses.

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Alaska Has No State Income Tax: What Veterans Really Save

Alaska levies no personal income tax, so military retired pay, drill pay, and civilian wages go untaxed. What that saves Veterans, plus the annual PFD.

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Alaska Resident Tuition for Veterans: No Waiting Period

Veterans eligible for VA education benefits pay resident tuition at UAA, UAF, and UAS immediately, instead of the nonresident rate. Who qualifies and how to claim it.

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Alaska Veterans Interest Rate Preference: 1% Off the First $50,000

Alaska Veterans get a 1% rate cut on the first $50,000 of an AHFC mortgage, at most $500 a year in interest while the full $50,000 is owed. Eligibility and how to apply.

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Alaska Surviving Spouse Property Tax Exemption: Keep $150K

Surviving spouses age 60+ of qualifying Alaska disabled Veterans can keep the $150,000 property tax exemption on the same home. Who qualifies and how to file.

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Arkansas Disabled Veteran License Plate: Who Gets It Free

Arkansas issues free Disabled Veteran plates on two tracks: 100% non-service-connected veterans and service-connected veterans rated 30% or higher.

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Arkansas Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption: $0 Tax

Arkansas Veterans rated 100% permanent and total pay zero property tax on homestead and personal property. Eligibility, the VA letter, the 2025 change.

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Arkansas Free DD-214 Recording: File Once at the Circuit Clerk

Arkansas veterans can file a DD-214 with the county circuit clerk for free, pull copies at no charge, and the record stays confidential for 70 years.

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Arkansas In-State Tuition for Veterans: Who Qualifies

Veterans within 3 years of discharge or using the GI Bill pay resident tuition at Arkansas public colleges, instead of the nonresident rate. Who qualifies and how to claim it.

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Arkansas Military Family Relief Fund: Grants Up to $2,500

Arkansas National Guard and reserve members hit by a financial emergency can get one-time grants up to $2,500 for rent, utilities, and essentials. Who to call.

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Arkansas Military Retirement Pay Is 100% State Tax Exempt

Arkansas exempts all military retired pay and SBP survivor benefits from state income tax. What that saves a typical retiree and how to file it on the AR1000F.

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NGTW: The Arkansas National Guard Tuition Waiver, Now Including Private Colleges

NGTW waives Arkansas Guard members' tuition for up to 120 credit hours toward a bachelor's, and since 2025 it also works at Arkansas private non-profit colleges. How to apply through SAMS, and the clawback rules to know.

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Arkansas Surviving Spouse Property Tax Exemption Continuation

How an unmarried surviving spouse keeps an Arkansas disabled Veteran's $0 property tax bill: the statute, the affidavit, and the remarriage reinstatement rule.

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Minnesota Disabled Veteran Homestead Exclusion: $300K Off

Minnesota Veterans rated 100% permanent and total can exclude $300,000 of home value from property taxes. Who qualifies and how to apply.

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California Veteran Benefits 2026: Tax & CalVet

California Veteran benefits that pay: the disabled Veterans' property tax exemption, the military retirement tax break, the CalVet Fee Waiver, and home loans.

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Florida Veteran Benefits 2026: The Full List

Florida Veteran benefits that pay: the full 100% homestead property tax exemption, no state income tax, the Bill Young tuition waiver, and DV plates.

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Texas Veteran Benefits 2026: Hazlewood & More

Texas Veteran benefits that pay: the disabled property tax exemption, Hazlewood Act free tuition, vehicle registration, and Texas Land Board loans.

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Alabama Purple Heart Tuition Waiver: Up to a Full Degree

Alabama public colleges can waive undergraduate tuition and fees for Purple Heart recipients under Ala. Code 16-1-43. The dual residency rule explained.

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How to Apply for ANGEAP: Term Deadlines and Up to $12,454 a Year

How to apply for ANGEAP: FAFSA first, the three-signature application, hard term deadlines, and up to $6,227 per semester at Alabama public colleges. Funds are limited, apply early.

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Alaska PFD for Military: Keep Your Dividend While Stationed Away

How Alaska-resident service members stationed outside the state keep the Permanent Fund Dividend, plus the residency rules, LES proof, and deadlines.

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Alaska Veteran Death Gratuity: $750 for Surviving Spouses

Alaska pays a one-time $750 death gratuity to the surviving spouse of an honorably discharged resident Veteran. Who qualifies and how to apply.

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Alaska Dependent Tuition Waiver: Free UA Tuition for Survivors

Spouses and children of Alaska service members who died in the line of duty or were POWs can get undergraduate tuition and fees waived at UA campuses.

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VA Home Loan: Funding Fee, COE & the Refund

VA loan funding fee by service category, the COE process, IRRRL recoupment, the Net Tangible Benefit test, and the funding-fee refund buyers miss.

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