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GI Bill Information: Ask the Expert BlogArchive for January, 2010
January 28th, 2010
by Ron Kness
by Ron Kness
Sir, I am looking for some guidance. I transferred my Post-9/11 GI bill entitlement to my daughter in August 2009. I have the approval letter from the Navy and the letter from the VA. My daughter recently applied to the VA so she can use the benefit (college starts in August). The VA denied her request because she is not 18 yet. She will already be in her first semester of college when she turns 18. Can you point me in the right direction of who to talk to so i can attempt to get a waiver for this age requirement. She did not start school early. She went to DOD schools and they allow children to start school when they are 4. Thanks! — Chris
Great question Chris! Actually she can start college before her 18th birthday. The Post-9/11 GI Bill regulation says 18th birthday or high school diploma. Here is the exact wording excerpt under the heading of Nature of Transfer:”
“Family member use of transferred educational benefits is subject to the following:
- Child:
- May start to use the benefit only after the individual making the transfer has completed at least 10 years of service in the Armed Forces.
- May use the benefit while the eligible individual remains in the Armed Forces or after separation from active duty.
- May not use the benefit until he/she has attained a secondary school diploma (or equivalency certificate), or reached 18 years of age.
- Is entitled to the monthly stipend and books and supplies stipend even though the eligible individual is on active duty.
- Is not subject to the 15-year delimiting date, but may not use the benefit after reaching 26 years of age.”
Are you sure she was denied for that reason? I ask that because if her school has not submitted her certificate of enrollment, the VA will deny benefits also. The exact wording is “If your family member has not received the certificate of eligibility from VA when he/she enrolls in school, he/she should ask the veterans’ certifying official at the school to submit an enrollment certification for the academic term to the VA.” VA Form 22-1990 explains the process very nicely. Ensure Block 8b is filled out properly.
In an earlier blog I discussed all the ways to contact the VA. If you call, be prepared for long on-hold times. Many people have better luck contacting one of the State or Regional Offices. Good luck Chris! Let me know how you come out.
January 28th, 2010
by Ron Kness
by Ron Kness
I hold a degree in music performance on electric bass, is it possible to go for a second bachelors in jazz studies on the upright bass, or to go for a composition concentration in jazz studies, most masters programs for music don’t allow electric bass and require that you play the upright bass, or if that is not allowed would i be permitted to do a second performance program in classical studies on the upright bass….long question hope you can answer it. thanks a lot. — Bob
Whew Bob, what a question. Both the Post-9/11 GI Bill or Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) will pay you to get a second bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree providing the degrees are related to your first bachelor’s degree which it sounds like they are. The real key is do you have enough education benefits left on your GI Bill?
If you are using the MGIB, and you qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, exhaust your MGIB benefits first and then switch to the Post-9/11 GI Bill. You should get an additional 12 months of benefits, up to a maximum of 48.
If you are going to a private music school, ask if the school is a Yellow Ribbon School? If it is, they will pay up to half of the tuition the VA does not cover and the VA will pick up an equal amount under the Yellow Ribbon Program.
January 27th, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
by Jeffery Anderson
I retired from the military on 3/20/2000. My son is a senior and getting ready for college. What is he entitled to as far as my GI Bill for any tuition assistance or any financial college assistance? Miguel
Hi Miguel, Unfortunately, your son is not eligible for any benefits from your GI Bill. The provision for transferring benefits to spouses and dependents was added to the New GI Bill in August, 2009. In order to qualify for the transfer of benefits provision you had to have been on active duty August 2009, or come onto active duty since then. Part of the requirement for being approved for the transfer of benefits is that the service member usually has to extend their time on active duty.
However, there may be other options for you and your son. Some states have programs which provide education benefits for the dependent children of veterans. You might check with your state’s Department of Veterans Affairs. Also, you didn’t mention which branch of the military you were in, but each branch has a non-profit relief organization which provides support for service members, veterans, and their families. Army Emergency Relief and the Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society have scholarships and grants for dependent children of veterans. The Air Force and Coast Guard also have organizations, and your son might qualify for assistance through the organization which supported your branch of service. Lastly, I would check with the financial aid office of the school your son is thinking of attending. There may be small independent grants or scholarships available to children of veterans that they are aware of.
January 27th, 2010
by GIBillExpert
by GIBillExpert
Hello, I have already been approved for the new Post 9-11 GI bill through Old Dominion University, but now I’ve changed schools, and would like the new GI Bill to go towards a different school. What do I need to do to change schools and get approved for Centura College instead of Old Dominion? Thank you. – Jessica T.
It’s actually very easy to make sure that your GI Bill keeps working smoothly when you change schools.
First, contact the Veterans Affairs office at your new school and tell them the situation. They will send the VA department the information they need from the university.
Second ( and just as important), call the VA department yourself to advise them of the change. You can contact the VA’s GI Bill office at the toll-free number 1-888-442-4551. Although it can sometimes take a while to get through, it’s important that you contact the VA yourself so that they know of any gaps in payment eligibility. If you or your school receive any payments that shouldn’t have been sent, you will be required to re-pay the amount, and it could take a while to clean up the paperwork mess.
January 27th, 2010
by GIBillExpert
by GIBillExpert
I’m under the old GI bill. I am having trouble with a class and am close to getting an F. If I do fail this class, do I owe GI Bill money back? — Kevin H.
Technically, no. But the answer isn’t that simple.
While a failing grade is not, by the wording of Chapter 30 benefits, a reason for you to have to repay the money that the GI Bill paid for the course, it still puts you in jeopardy of having to repay money, if you aren’t careful.
For example, failing a course affects your GPA, which can affect your eligibility to complete your program. This means that a lot of students will drop a course in order to avoid having a failing grade on their record, and to avoid having to re-take an entire course. Dropping a course for this reason does require you to repay the VA for your GI Bill benefits. The VA lets you drop courses once, up to 6 credit hours worth, without risking losing your benefits, but only once. After that, you have to prove mitigating circumstances, such as illness or change in employment.
More details on the Montgomery GI Bill can be found in this very useful pamphlet.
January 27th, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
by Jeffery Anderson
I was strongly considering joining the Air Force, before I do I would like to know a few details about the GI Bill. My plan was to give my benefits to my wife after I was done with my service, so she could go to Pharmacy School at either Auburn University or the University of Florida. Can you apply the GI Bill toward a doctorate degree like that, or does it have to be an undergraduate degree? Also, what exactly are the requirements for us to do something like that? Sean
Hi Sean, The benefits provided by the New GI Bill can be used toward a doctorate degree. If you transfer your benefits to your wife, and you have full benefits, she will have 36 months of educational benefits which can be used towards earning a doctorate.
However, there are some requirements you must meet in order to transfer your benefits. You must have served on active duty for at least 6 years, and before your request to transfer your benefits is approved, you must agree to extend your time on active duty for another 4 years. When your request to transfer benefits is approved your wife can start using your benefits, she doesn’t have to wait until the 4 additional years are finished. If she uses the benefits while you are on active duty, she will not be eligible for the housing and books stipends.
She will be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon program, however. The New GI Bill will pay tuition in the amount of the highest in-state tuition for a public college in your home of record state. So if your wife attends Auburn University for her doctorate, chances are the amount the GI Bill provides will not cover the cost of her tuition. If Auburn is a Yellow Ribbon school, it has agreed to pay a portion of the cost of tuition over and above the amount that the GI Bill will pay. It can agree to pay up to 50 percent of the overage, and the Department of Veterans Affairs will match the school’s contribution. So it is possible that your wife could have her total tuition paid if Auburn or the University of Florida are Yellow Ribbon schools.
January 27th, 2010
by Ron Kness
by Ron Kness
I served 8-years active duty (1986 – 1994), but never used any education benefits from my Montgomery GI Bill. I’ve also served in the National Guard from 1997 to present and I’ve deployed twice in support of operations in Afghanistan. What education benefits am I eligible for? — Marvin
This is a great question Marvin. Your Montgomery GI Bill benefits from active duty service expired in 2004, however, you do have some benefits from your National Guard service.
As a National Guardsman, you are eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR). Normally, the MGIB-SR must be used within 14 years while you are still a member in good standing in the Guard. However, if deployed, your eligibility ending date is extended by the length of your deployment plus 4 months. Assuming your two deployments were each 12 months, you’re ending date should be extended by 32 months – out to 16 years and 8 months.
What I can’t answer for sure is if you retain your eligibility after you get out. The VA’s information says you may retain your benefits after you get out, but it does not say you will, so you I recommend you contact the VA for sure if you are considering getting out before your eligibility end-date.
January 27th, 2010
by Ron Kness
by Ron Kness
I want to attend Louisiana Technical College in Hammond, La and was wondering if the new post 911 GI Bill pay for me to attend? If not the new GI bill, does the old Montgomery GI bill cover tuition and fees? — Aimee
Yes Aimee, the new Post-9/11 GI Bill should pay you to attend Louisiana Technical College – Hammond, LA. While that location does not have any specific GI Bill information yet, Louisiana Technical College – Baton Rouge was just approved on January 10, 2010. Their maximum amount per credit hour is $430.00 and $2622.70 maximum for fees.
I imagine the rest of the Louisiana Technical College locations would be approved in the near future. Contact your school’s VA Certifying Official to be sure.
If you find out from your school that the new GI Bill will not pay you to go to LTC at Hammond, the Montgomery GI Bill will pay. With the older Montgomery GI Bill, the VA doesn’t pay the school directly for tuition and fees. Instead, they pay you $1,368 per month and you have to pay everything your tuition, fees and books yourself.
January 26th, 2010
by GIBillExpert
by GIBillExpert
I served in the Air Force from 2002-2006. I used the old GI bill to obtain my BA in Political Science and graduated in 2008. I have funds left over from the old GI Bill. I was thinking about going to business school with the new GI Bill. My question is how long will the new benefits last if I switch to the new post 9/11 GI Bill? – Joshua R.
That depends on what you mean by “how long will they last.” If you are asking how many months of benefits will you have under the new Post 9/11 GI Bill if you switch over, the answer is simple. You will have the same number of months benefits remaining as you do under the older Montgomery GI Bill.
If you are asking how long you will be eligible to use those remaining GI Bill benefits, that’s pretty simple as well. Currently, under the old GI Bill, you have up to 10 years to use your GI Bill benefits before they expire, starting on the date you last left active duty. If you switch to the new GI Bill, the starting date remains the same, but you have up to 15 years from that day to use your benefits. That’s one of the little perks of the new GI Bill.
January 26th, 2010
by GIBillExpert
by GIBillExpert
I’m currently living in Australia with my Aussie fiance and would like to take a course out here. How would I get my GI bill benefits sent to me so that I can use them overseas? I have been using them for UMUC (University of Maryland University College) courses online, and would also like to finish this degree. – Jason D.
You should have little difficulty getting your GI Bill benefits when studying overseas. Your situation is particularly simple, because your school has its main campus in the US. This means that there is no real issue with getting your GI Bill benefits, regardless of where you are living.
If you are using the Montgomery GI Bill, you just have to make sure that the VA has your correct mailing address to send you your checks and information. If you are using the new Post 9/11 GI Bill, then the money goes directly to the school, and you have to worry about mailing issues less often. For the new GI Bill, remember that if you are taking only online classes, you are not eligible for the housing stipend, so your location matters less.
If you decide to attend an overseas university, then there is a little more complication. In that case, you should consult the VA to make sure that your specific educational program is covered by the GI Bill. If you are taking traditional classroom courses in an overseas location, then you may be eligible for a housing stipend. In that case, instead of using your ZIP code to determine your housing rate, it defaults to a flat amount, which was $1,333.00 in the year 2009.
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