Veterans Benefits Guide: Disability, Health Care, Education, Housing & More

Veterans and their families may qualify for benefits covering everything from health care and disability compensation to education, housing and financial support.

The challenge is knowing what’s available.

Different programs have different eligibility rules, and qualifying for one VA benefit does not necessarily mean you qualify for another. This guide gives you a quick look at some of the major Veterans benefits and points you toward more detailed BenefitKarma guides when you want to learn more.

Want help finding benefits you may qualify for? Sign up for a free BenefitKarma account.

VA Disability Benefits

VA Disability Compensation provides tax-free monthly payments to Veterans with physical or mental health conditions caused or made worse by military service.

VA assigns disability ratings based on the severity of qualifying conditions. You do not have to be completely disabled or unable to work to qualify.

Some Veterans with especially serious service-connected disabilities may also qualify for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC), which can provide additional compensation in certain situations.

VA Health Care

Eligible Veterans can receive medical care through VA Health Care, including primary care, prescriptions, mental-health treatment, specialty care and hospital services.

Eligibility can depend on service history, discharge status, disability rating, income and other factors. The PACT Act also expanded health-care eligibility for many Veterans exposed to toxic substances during military service.

Certain spouses, children and survivors may qualify for separate health coverage through programs such as CHAMPVA.

GI Bill and Education Benefits

The GI Bill can help eligible Veterans and service members pay for college, technical training, apprenticeships and other approved education.

Depending on the benefit and your eligibility level, it can help with tuition, housing, books and other education costs.

Some service members can also transfer unused Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to eligible spouses or children if they meet the transfer requirements while serving.

Career and Employment Services

Veterans transitioning to civilian jobs can use federal programs for job searches, training and career development.

One major option is Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E), formerly called Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment. VR&E helps eligible Veterans and service members whose service-connected disabilities affect their ability to work.

BenefitKarma’s Veterans career services guide covers VR&E and other employment resources in more detail.

VA Home Loans and Housing Benefits

VA Housing Benefits can help eligible Veterans, service members and some surviving spouses buy, build, improve or refinance a home.

VA-backed home loans often allow eligible borrowers to buy without a down payment or private mortgage insurance, although borrowers still need to qualify through a lender.

Veterans with certain service-connected disabilities may also qualify for grants to make a home more accessible.

VA Pension

VA Pension provides monthly financial support to certain wartime Veterans with limited income and assets who meet age or disability requirements.

Unlike VA disability compensation, a Veteran does not need a service-connected disability to qualify.

VA considers factors such as household income, net worth, dependents and some medical expenses when determining eligibility.

Aid and Attendance

Veterans and survivors who qualify for VA Pension may be able to receive a higher pension rate through Aid and Attendance if they need regular help with daily activities.

That can include help with bathing, dressing or eating, nursing-home care or other qualifying medical needs.

Aid and Attendance is not a separate caregiver payment. It increases the pension amount available to eligible recipients.

Military and Veterans Life Insurance

Military service members and Veterans may have access to several government life-insurance programs.

Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI) allows many Veterans to continue life-insurance coverage after leaving the military.

Veterans with service-connected disabilities may also qualify for Veterans Affairs Life Insurance, or VALife. VALife replaced Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance for new applicants after S-DVI stopped accepting applications at the end of 2022.

Benefits for Families and Survivors

Spouses, children and survivors of Veterans may qualify for benefits of their own.

The VA Survivor Benefits Guide covers programs including survivor pensions, education benefits, health coverage and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC).

DIC provides tax-free monthly payments to certain surviving spouses, children and parents when a Veteran's death meets VA eligibility rules.

Caregiver Support

Family members caring for Veterans may qualify for VA caregiver programs that provide training, support and other services.

Some caregivers of eligible Veterans can receive additional support through the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers, including a monthly stipend in qualifying cases.

Caregiver programs are separate from Aid and Attendance, so families providing significant ongoing care should check both.

Burial and Memorial Benefits

VA Burial Benefits can help eligible Veterans and their families with funeral and memorial arrangements.

Benefits may include burial in a national cemetery, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, memorial certificates and financial help with certain burial, plot or transportation costs.

Some spouses and dependents may also qualify for burial in a VA national cemetery.

State Veterans Benefits

Veterans should also check benefits offered by their state.

Depending on where you live, state programs may provide property-tax relief, tuition assistance, employment preferences, housing support or other benefits.

These can often be used alongside federal VA benefits.

How to Get Help With Veterans Benefits

You do not have to figure out the VA system alone.

VA-accredited representatives and Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) can help Veterans and families understand benefits, prepare claims and gather supporting documents. Help from accredited VSO representatives is generally free.

You can also apply for and manage many federal Veterans benefits directly through va.gov. If you used to sign in at the eBenefits portal, see where its tools live now.

The Bottom Line

Veterans benefits can help with health care, disabilities, education, housing, employment, long-term care and financial security — and some benefits extend to spouses, children, survivors and caregivers.

The important thing is not to assume that one eligibility decision applies to every program.

Use this guide as a starting point. When a benefit sounds like it may fit your situation, follow the linked BenefitKarma guide for the detailed eligibility rules, current amounts and application steps.