Veterans Benefits

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Veterans Benefits

• Jill Rayner
• North Georgia College State University
• SASFAA 2008

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Topics Discussed

• Types of Benefits
• Packaging and VA Benefits
• Counting all other resources
• Results from Audits
• HEROS Act
• FAFSA Classification of a Veteran

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Veterans Education Benefits

• Veterans Education Programs
• Montgomery GI BillActive Duty
• Montgomery GI BillSelected Reserve
• Dependents Educational Assistance
• National Call to Service
• Reserve Educational Assistance Program
• Post Vietnam Era Educational Assistance Program
• Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
• Restored Entitlement Program for Survivors

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Veterans Education Benefits

• General Payment Rules for VA Programs
• Payments generally are made to the student
• Payments are generally made monthly
• Payments are affected by-
• The program
• The students training time

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OJT Apprenticeship Rates to Change January 1,
2008

• Effective October 1, 2005 Public Law 108-454,
  Section 103 temporarily increased the
  reimbursement rates for On the Job Training
  Apprenticeship training. This temporary rate
  increase was effective from October 1, 2005 to
  December 31, 2007. Congress has not extended this
  temporary increase, therefore effective January
  1, 2008 reimbursement rates will decrease.

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Montgomery GI BillActive Duty (Ch. 30)

• For Individuals Who Entered Active Duty Pre-1977
  or Post-mid-1985
• Three Basic Full-time Monthly Rates
• 894
• 1,101
• 1,346

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Chapter 30

• Transfer of Montgomery G.I. Bill (MGIB) Benefits
  to Dependents
• Expanded Army Pilot Program
• http//www.gibill.va.gov/documents/Army_Transferab
  ility_to_Dependents.pdf

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Montgomery GI BillActive Duty (Ch. 30)

• Factors that Affect the Amount of MGIBActive
  Duty Payments
• Number of Dependents
• Kickers
• Buy Up
• Active Duty Status
• Remember for aid purposed this is the only
  chapter treated differently
• Volume 3 Chapter 7 pg 121

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Montgomery GI BillSelected Reserve (Ch. 1606)

• For Individuals Who Entered the Selected Reserve
  (Including the Guard) from Mid-1985 to Present
• Current basic rate is 317 per month
• Factors that Affect the Amount of MGIBSelected
  Reserve Payments
• Continued eligibility
• Kickers

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Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP or
Ch. 1607)

• For Reservists Called to Active Duty After Sept.
  10, 2001
• Factors that Affect REAP Payments
• Continued eligibility
• Length of time spent on active duty
• Basic full-time monthly rates are 440.40 660.60
  880.80
• MGIBSR kickers
• Active Duty Status

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Public Law 110-181

• Commonly known as the National Defense
  Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2008 made several
  changes to the GI Bill for reservists.
• Accelerated payment for MGIB-SR and REAP
• Qualification for the 80 rate for REAP based on
  aggregate service of 3 or more years
• 600 buy-up program for REAP participants
• Modified ending dates for REAP participants
  separated from the Selected Reserve
• Modified ending dates for MGIB-SR participants
  involuntarily separated
• Retention of REAP eligibility during breaks in
  Selected Reserve service for members who remain
  in the Ready Reserve during those breaks

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Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP or
Ch. 1607)

• How about a Kicker?
• Tuition Assistance?
• Change from 1607 to Chapter 30?
• Can you say OVERAWARD?
• How about Audit Finding?

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National Call to Service

• For enlisted individuals
• Service must include at least 15 months of active
  duty and may include
• Additional Active duty
• Service in the Selected Reserves
• Service in Americorp

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National Call to Service

• Enlistee can choose 1 of the following
• -5000
• Repayment of up to 18,000 in student loans
• 12 months of 3-year MGIB pay rate
• 36 months of ½ 2- year rate

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Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch. 31)

• A veteran eligible for this benefit has his/her
  tuition and fees paid by VA to the educational
  institution
• VA also pays for necessary books and supplies
• Veteran receives a monthly subsistence allowance
• Current basic full-time rate is 488.50 per month

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Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch. 31)

• Served on or after September 16, 1940 AND
• Service-connected disabilities are rated at least
  20 VA (or 10 if there is a serious employment
  handicap) AND
• Vocational rehabilitation is required to overcome
  an employment handicap AND
• Less than 12 years since VA notified of the
  eligibility (longer if certain conditions
  prevented training)

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Post-Vietnam Era Veterans Educational Assistance
Program (VEAP or Ch. 32)

• For Individuals Who Entered Active Duty
  1977-mid-1985
• Educational Assistance Pilot Program
• Factors that Affect the Amount of Payments
• Amount contributed
• Kickers

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Dependents Educational Assistance (Ch. 35)

• For Children, Spouses and Surviving Spouses of
  Individuals
• Who died while on active duty or
• Whose death was caused by a service-connected
  disability or
• Who died while permanently and totally disabled
  as a result of a service-connected disability or
• Who have a permanent and total service-connected
  disability

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Public Law 109-461 - NEW

• Adds a new group of persons who may be eligible
  for DEA benefits. Effective December 23, 2006
  spouses and children of service members
  hospitalized, or receiving outpatient care for a
  VA determined service-connected permanent and
  total disability may be eligible for DEA benefits

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Dependents Educational Assistance (Ch. 35)

• Current basic full-time rate is 881 per month
• Choice of beginning date of eligibility affects
  payments

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Financial aid Package

• Before
• COA 14,900
• EFC 1800
• Unmet 13,100
• Pell Grant 2,000
• Ch 1606 2781
• (309 x 9)
• Stafford Loan 2625
• FWS 250
• FSEOG 250
• Unmet need 5194

• After
• COA 14,900
• EFC 1800
• Unmet 13,100
• Pell Grant 2,000
• Ch 1607 7740
• (830 x 9)
• Stafford Loan 2625
• FWS 250
• FSEOG 250
• Available aid 235

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Other Resources

• ROTC Scholarships
• Tuition Assistance
• State awards
• GA National Guard service loan

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VA as Resource

• not counted as income
• not reported on the FAFSA as income
• may exclude as a resource a portion of Chapter 30
  benefits not to exceed benefit
• are included for unsubsidized Stafford loans

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Chapter 30 example

• COA - 14900
• EFC 1800 unmet 13,100
• Pell Grant - 2000
• GI Bill - 9600
• FWS - 1000
• FSEOG - 500 unmet need 0

• wants Freshman loan
• eligible for 2625
• 15725 in aid

Another example in the Handbook 0708 Chapter 3-
part 7 pg 121
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Another CH 30 example

• COA - 14900
• EFC 1800 unmet 13,100
• Pell Grant - 2000
• GI Bill - 9600
• unmet need 1500

• wants sub loan 3500
• 15100
• wants unsub
• not eligible meet original COA

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Overaward

• Refer to Volume3 Chapter 7
• How do you know?
• Campus Action Plan

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NGCSU Action Plan

• VA Coordinator Resource FAFSA information if
  any available
• Contacting Counselor if not correct
• Checks VA pay rosters to Resource to confirm
  amounts
• Makes adjustments for changes in Oct. if needed

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The Paper FAFSA

• Pages 5, 8 and 9
• Added instructions for reporting combat pay to
  questions 38/39 and 82/83
• Added instructions for reporting combat pay to
  Worksheet B
• Other untaxed income not reported elsewhere on
  Worksheets A and B, such as workers'
  compensation, untaxed portions of railroad
  retirement benefits, Black Lung Benefits, or
  disability, etc. Tax filers only report combat
  pay not included in AGI (FAFSA questions 38 and
  82).
•  
• Don't include student aid, Workforce Investment
  Act educational benefits, combat pay if you are
  not a tax filer, or benefits from flexible
  spending arrangements, e.g., cafeteria plans.

Treatment of Combat Pay GEN- 05-16, QA 17
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HEROES Act

• Who can get HEROES modifications
• Are serving on active military duty during a war
  or other military operation or national
  emergency
• Are performing qualifying National Guard duty
  during a war or other military operation or
  national emergency
• Reside or are employed in an area that is
  declared a disaster area by any Federal, State,
  or local official in connection with a national
  emergency or
• Suffered direct economic hardship as a direct
  result of a war or other military operation or
  national emergency, as determined by the
  Secretary.

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Federal RegisterDecember 26, 2007 Volume 72,
Number 246

• Notice extending the waivers and modifications of
  statutory and regulatory provisions pursuant to
  the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for
  Students (HEROES) Act of 2003, Public Law 108-76
  until September 30, 2012

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Is the Student a Veteran?

• Has engaged in active duty in the Armed forces or
• released under a condition other than
  dishonorable
• Students serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed
  Forces for other than training purposes or state
  call up
• What about someone who enters active duty
  fraudulently
• if period of service not voided
• other than dishonorable

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Is the Student a Veteran?

• Check DD214
• make sure it is Presidential order
• not for BASIC or AIT
• not for Training
• not for State call up like Katrina

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Definition of an Independent Student2007-08
Implementation

• Paper and online FAFSAs will include new
  dependency status question in Step 3

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More Information

• Dear Colleague Letter
• GEN 06-05 (April 27, 2006)
• GEN 06-10 (June 20, 2006)
• GEN-05-16 (October 27, 2005)

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Web Sites

• Education Service Home Pagehttp//www.GIBill.va.g
  ov
• Has information on basic monthly rates for ch.30,
  ch.1606, and ch.1607
• Veterans Benefits Administration Home Page at
  http//www.vba.va.gov
• Click on Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment

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Need VA Training

• http//www.gibill.va.gov/School_Info/landing_schoo
  ls.htm
• Check with your local RPO
• Most states of VA Education Associations
• www. NAVPA.org

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Other Website assistance

• http//education.military.com/education-home
• http//www.militaryconnections.com/education_main.
  cfm

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Questions?

• Jill Rayner
• jprayner_at_ngcsu.edu
• [phone]

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There once was a farmer....