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Welcome to the Department of Veterans Affairs

Explore this site to learn more about the Department as a federal agency. If you are looking for information related to Veteran benefits and services

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ALL STATES VETERANS AFFAIRS

If you're serving on active duty in the United States uniformed services, including active National Guard and Reserve with federal pay, you may be eligible for VA benefits both during service and after separation or retirement. If you're a traditional or technical member of the National Guard and Reserve, you may also be eligible for some VA benefits. Find out which benefits you may qualify for—and when to apply. You'll also learn about these benefits in your required Transition Assistance Program (TAP) briefing.

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ALL STATES VETERANS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

VA Assistance - Get Financial Help You Deserve

VA benefits you can use during and after service

  • GI Bill and other education benefits 

    Find out if you qualify for VA education benefits to help pay for school or training. If you qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, learn how to transfer your unused benefits to your spouse or dependent children.
    Open to service members and Veterans (active duty, Guard, and Reserve)

  • Certificate of Eligibility for a VA-backed home loan 

    Review the requirements for getting a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to buy, build, improve, or refinance a home.
    Open to service members and Veterans (active duty, Guard, and Reserve)

  • Life insurance for you and your family 

    Find out if you qualify for and how to manage your SGLI coverage, and learn about coverage options for you and your family after separation or retirement.
    Open to service members and Veterans (active duty, Guard, and Reserve)

Other VA benefits to consider as a Veteran

  • Disability compensation 

    File a claim for disability compensation for conditions related to your military service, and manage your benefits over time.
    Open to Veterans (active duty, Guard, and Reserve)

  • Support for Veteran-owned small businesses 

    If you served on active duty, register to do business with VA and get support for your Veteran-owned small business. If you have a service-connected disability related to active-duty service or training, you may qualify to register as a service-disabled Veteran-owned small business.
    Open to Veterans (active duty, Guard, and Reserve)

  • Veterans Pension program 

    If you served on active duty during wartime, are at least 65 years old or have a service-connected disability, and have limited or no income, find out if you qualify for Veterans Pension benefits.
    Open to active-duty Veterans only

  • Aid and attendance or housebound allowance 

    If you need help with your daily activities or you’re housebound, check whether you're eligible to have increased aid added to your monthly Veterans Pension payments.
    Open to active-duty Veterans only

  • Disability housing grants 

    If you have a service-connected disability, find out how to apply for a housing grant to make changes to your home so you can live more independently.
    Open to Veterans (active duty, Guard, and Reserve)

  • More life insurance options 

    Explore life insurance coverage options and services for you and your family, and manage your policy online.
    Open to Veterans (active duty, Guard, and Reserve)

  • Pre-need eligibility determination for burial in a VA national cemetery 

    Apply for a pre-need eligibility decision letter to confirm that you qualify for burial in a VA national cemetery. This can help you pre-plan, and it can make the process easier for your family members in their time of need.
    Open to active-duty Veterans only

ELIGIBILITY FOR VA BENEFITS

DISABILITY COMPENSATION

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VA disability compensation provides tax-free monthly payments. If you have a service-connected condition, you may be eligible for compensation. A service-connected condition means an illness or injury that was caused by—or got worse because of—your active military service. Keep reading to find out if you may be eligible.

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Am I eligible for VA disability compensation?

You may be eligible for VA disability benefits or compensation if you meet both of these requirements.

Both of these must be true:

  • You have a current illness or injury (known as a condition) that affects your mind or body, and

  • You served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training

And at least one of these must be true:

  • You got sick or injured while serving in the military—and can link this condition to your illness or injury (called an in-service disability claim), or

  • You had an illness or injury before you joined the military—and serving made it worse (called a pre-service disability claim), or

  • You have a disability related to your active-duty service that didn’t appear until after you ended your service (called a post-service disability claim)

Presumptive conditions

For some conditions, we automatically assume (or “presume”) that your service caused your condition. We call these presumptive conditions.

If you have a presumptive condition, you don’t need to prove that your service caused the condition. You only need to meet the service requirements for the presumption.

What conditions are covered by these benefits?

You may be able to get VA disability benefits for conditions like these:

  • Chronic (long-lasting) back pain resulting in a current diagnosed back disability

  • Breathing problems resulting from a current lung condition or lung disease

  • Severe hearing loss

  • Scar tissue

  • Loss of range of motion (problems moving your body)

  • Ulcers

  • Cancers or other conditions caused by contact with toxic chemicals or other dangers

You may also be able to get VA disability benefits for conditions like these:

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Mental or physical health conditions related to military sexual trauma (MST)

  • Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

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How do I file a claim for compensation?

You can file a claim online now. You can also file by mail, in person, or with the help of a trained professional.

Get support for your Veteran-Owned Small Business

If you have a Veteran-Owned Small Business, you may qualify for advantages when bidding on government contracts—along with access to other resources and support—through the Vets First Verification Program. This program is run by the Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU). Registering through OSDBU will allow you to work with us (all businesses who work with VA must be registered). Find out if you’re eligible and how to register your business.

Am I eligible to register my business as a Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) through the Vets First Verification Program?

You may be eligible if you’re a Veteran, and you or another Veteran at your company meet all of these requirements.

All of these must be true of you or another Veteran at your company:

  • One of you owns 51% or more of the company you want to register, and

  • One of you has full control over the day-to-day management, decision-making, and strategic policy of the business, and

  • One of you has the managerial experience needed to manage the business, and

  • One of you is the highest-paid person in the company (or can provide a written statement explaining why your taking lower pay helps the business), and

  • One of you works full time for the business, and

  • One of you holds the highest officer position in the company

To be considered a Veteran, at least one of these must be true:

  • You served on active duty with the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard for any length of time and didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge, or

  • You served as a Reservist or member of the National Guard and were called to federal active duty or disabled from a disease or injury that started or got worse in the line of duty or while in training status

Am I eligible to register my business as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)?

You may be eligible if you meet all the requirements of a VOSB listed above, and either you or another Veteran owner of the company meets at least one of the requirements listed below.

You or another Veteran owner of the company must have at least one of these:

  • A disability rating letter from us confirming that you have a service-connected disability rating between 0 and 100%, or

  • A disability determination from the Department of Defense

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