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GI Bill Information: Ask the Expert BlogArchive for March, 2010
March 31st, 2010
by GIBillExpert
by GIBillExpert
I am active duty with 3 years left. I am planning to get married in 10 months, but my fiancee is starting a year long Master’s program 4 months from now. Is there any way that the GI Bill will help with her expenses once we are married, or to get any benefit will we need to be married before she starts school? Can I use the benefits to cover the loans she would be taking out in her own name before we are married? Thank you. — Nate
You can only transfer benefits of the new Post 9/11 GI Bill to a wife or child, so you would have to be married before you can apply for the transfer. Also, you must have served at least 6 years in the military, and agree to serve at least 4 more years (possibly less if you are nearing retirement eligibility) in order to make the transfer. The extra 4 years starts when you make the transfer; it doesn’t add onto your existing obligation.
Also, the GI Bill can only be used to pay for courses as you are taking them. They cannot be used to cover student loans that you already have.
March 31st, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
by Jeffery Anderson
Hi, I am currently in the military, but getting ready to get out. How do I switch to the Post 9/11 GI Bill? I am currently under the Montgomery GI Bill. Robert
Hi Robert, To switch to the Post 9/11 GI Bill from the Montgomery GI Bill go to the VONAPP website, and fill out the online paperwork. It is fairly simple to do. However, prior to making the switch, I am going to bring up the same points that I always do when I get asked this question. Do you know what you are going to use your GI Bill benefits for, and have you done a comparison between the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post 9/11 GI Bill to see which can provide you with the most benefits for your education program? If you have already done all of this, and know that the Post 9/11 GI Bill is the benefit program that suits you best, then go ahead and switch.
If you haven’t decided on an education program yet, or haven’t done a comparison of benefits yet, then wait to switch. In some cases the Montgomery GI Bill can provide you with more benefits. I have had people write in who have switched, and want to know how they can switch back, which can be very difficult. Also, if you are eligible for both GI Bills, and you use all 36 months of your Montgomery GI Bill benefits, then you can still be eligible for 12 months of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, for a total of 48 months. If you switch now, you will only receive 36 months of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.
March 31st, 2010
by GIBillExpert
by GIBillExpert
I am an Army Reservist. I was mobilized and deployed for 15 months in 2003 and again in 2007. During my second deployment, I learned about the post 9/11 MGIB program, applied and was/am eligible with cumulative time from my first and second deployment. In between deployments (2005-2007), I went back to school and earned an MBA. I was eligible at the time I returned to school, but didn’t realize it. I accrued student loans, and would like to find a way to use the MGIB money to help pay them down. Had I known I was eligible, I would have used MGIB and not taken out as much in student loans. Appreciate any advice you can offer. Thanks. — Marianne M.
Actually, the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) and the Post 9/11 GI Bill are separate programs. The newer Post 9/11 GI Bill was only introduced in August of 2009, so you couldn’t have applied for it in 2007. Therefore you must have the original MGIB, either the active duty or selected reserve version.
You aren’t going to be able to use your GI Bill to pay for existing student loans. The program wasn’t designed to do that, and there is just no way use them in that manner. The GI Bill is used only to pay for educational expenses as you incur them. If you are not enrolled in the GI Bill program while you are taking the courses, the GI Bill doesn’t cover the tuition.
On the other hand, you do still have your GI Bill benefits, and that gives you the opportunity to seek out more graduate study programs in order to get ahead in your career. If you are eligible for both the Montgomery GI Bill and the new Post 9/11 GI Bill, you have your choice of which program to use. The choice is important and not always straightforward; graduate programs often benefit more from the older MGIB, but if a school participates in the Yellow Ribbon program, this isn’t absolute.
March 31st, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
by Jeffery Anderson
I am prior service and my husband is active duty right now. I have just used up my old GI Bill funds. My husband has never used his GI Bill (the old one). If he able to transfer his old GI Bill to me? I am still in school full time. Thank you !! Doreen
Hi Doreen, Congratulations on using your GI Bill, so many veterans write in with questions on using their GI Bill benefits, but they have already let them expire. Your husband can not transfer his Montgomery GI Bill benefits to you, there is no provision in the Montgomery GI Bill allowing the transfer of benefits. However, he can switch his Montgomery GI Bill to the Post 9/11 GI Bill, and he may be eligible to transfer those benefits.
If he has been in the military for at least 6 years, then he is eligible to transfer his Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to you. The catch is that depending on how long he has been in the military, he may have to commit to serving up to four years after the transfer is approved.
I don’t know what type of educational program you are pursuing, or if you are attending a school participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program, but you may receive more benefits with the Post 9/11 GI Bill than you were with the Montgomery GI Bill. You will not be eligible for the housing allowance that is available with the Post 9/11 GI Bill while your husband remains on active duty.
Your husband can apply for the transfer of benefits at this Department of Defense website, and they will change him over to the Post 9/11 GI Bill as part of the process. He has the ability to transfer just a part of his benefits, if you don’t need the use of all of them, and he can keep some for his use.
March 31st, 2010
by Ron Kness
by Ron Kness
I would like to know if the Post 9/11 GI bill covers online classes or do you have to attend college on campus? Thank you for your help. — Carrie
Yes, kinda. Let me explain, Carrie. Yes, the Post 9/11 GI Bill will pay your tuition and fees, up to the maximum public school maximum for the state where the school is located. In the case of a school offering only online courses, the VA will use the state where the school headquarters or main office is located. You will also get up to $1,000 per year in a book stipend.
What the Post 9/11 GI Bill will not pay is a housing allowance for online-only students. The way around this is to take one on-campus class per term. As long as the on-campus class applies to your degree plan, it will qualify you for the housing allowance pay whether the class is with your online school or at a different school.
March 31st, 2010
by Ron Kness
by Ron Kness
What are the eligibility qualification for a Service Member that is retiring and wants to transfer his Post 9/11 GI Bill to his son that want to attend college in Florida. He also indicates that his daughter is eligible to 100% free education as long as it’s a state institution. What are the details on this eligibility. — Lonnie
Lonnie, this doesn’t make sense to me. If your service member thinks his/her daughter gets free education at a State school in Florida, why would the son not get the same, unless he is looking at a private school? If they are both looking to attend public schools, why would the service member want to use his/her Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits for one dependent, but not the other, if they both qualify for free education (by-the-way, which they don’t)?
The only way these two dependents would qualify for free education at a State School in Florida is, if the service member parent was:
- killed in action
- deceased as a result of their service
- 100% permanently disabled
- classified a POW or MIA.
You did not mention any of these conditions in your question, so I’m assuming none of them apply.
As far as transferring benefits, the service member has to make the transfer request before retiring; it can’t be done after the date of discharge. He/she can transfer any or all unused Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to either one dependent or split them in any way between both dependents. The dependent child has to be 18, or have a high school diploma, to use the benefit and must use the benefits by age 26 or lose the remainder of the unused benefits.
March 30th, 2010
by GIBillExpert
by GIBillExpert
My nephew started college this school year. He is now being recalled by the Army and due to report in March. If he does not finish his semester, he must pay back $10,000 to the GI Bill. Is this right? He wouldn’t be leaving school, if not for the recall. Thanks. — Laura R.
He shouldn’t have to pay that money back.
If you are using the GI Bill to pay for a course, and you fail to complete it, or by some other means the course doesn’t count toward your educational program, then the VA may require you to repay the amount of benefits provided for that course. When you are unable to complete an academic term for some reason, you can be forced to pay back the GI Bill funds you received for that term.
However, the VA doesn’t require you to pay back benefits for these courses if there are mitigating circumstances, meaning the problem occurred due to no fault of the student. Naturally, being called to active duty is always considered a mitigating circumstance. However, he may have to contact the VA to alert them of this, and perhaps get the proper documents forwarded to them to substantiate his claim.
March 30th, 2010
by GIBillExpert
by GIBillExpert
Hi. I am going to be going to a tech school to earn my certifications in HVAC/R installation and repair. Will the new GI Bill approve of this school and would I be allowed a housing allowance? — Nicholas A.
Your program may or may not be covered under the new Post 9/11 GI Bill, and you may or may not be eligible for the housing allowance. It all depends on the specifics of both the program and your eligibility.
The new GI Bill covers a lot fewer types of programs than the older Montgomery GI Bill. While tech schools, flight school, apprenticeships, certificate programs and many other types of non-traditional education were covered by the MGIB, the new GI Bill generally covers only academic degree programs offered by institutes of higher learning. That means traditional associates, bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees. However, the program can cover other forms of education, such as technical programs, if they are offered by an institution that also offers traditional degrees.
Also, if you are eligible for the MGIB, or ever were, then you are “grandfathered in” when it comes to using the new GI Bill for some kinds of non-degree programs, such as technical schools. This allows you to use the new GI Bill for almost any program that would have been covered by the MGIB.
As for the housing allowance, that depends on the type of courses you are taking. If you are taking only distance learning or online courses, then you are not eligible for the housing allowance. If you are taking even one classroom course, you are eligible for the housing allowance.
March 30th, 2010
by Ron Kness
by Ron Kness
Can my spouse use the remainder of my G.I. Bill? — Jason
Maybe Jason; It really depends on a couple of factors. Generally speaking, first you have to qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill before you can transfer benefits to a spouse meaning you needed to serve three years on active duty after September 10, 2001 and you still need to be serving at the time of transfer. Some branches have transfer policies in place for the Montgomery GI Bill, but most do not.
Second, you have to have served six years and agree to serve another four years before you can transfer benefits, even though you qualified for full Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits with 3 years of service; eligibility and transfer rules are different.
To transfer benefits to your spouse, she has to be listed correctly in DEERS. You transfer using the TEB website, but it uses information from the DEERS database as part of the transfer process.
Also keep in mind once she has the benefits, she can start using them immediately and she will lose unused benefits 15 years from your date of discharge. If you are still serving, she won’t collect a housing allowance, but she will get up to $1,000 per year in a book stipend. However, if you are already discharged when she starts using her transferred benefits, then she will get the housing allowance also.
March 30th, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
by Jeffery Anderson
My father retired in 2007, and served active duty after 9/11 till he retired in 07, he has been in the army for like 30 years. Does he qualify to transfer his Post 9/11 GI Bill to me (daughter-dependent). Please explain. What other education benefits can I be eligible to receive? a
Hi a, I’m afraid your father will not be eligible to transfer his Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to you. It sounds like your father may be eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill, but he is not eligible for the provision of the Post 9/11 GI Bill allowing the transfer of benefits. He would have had to have been on active duty on or after 1 August 2009 to be eligible for that provision. That was when the provision was added to the Bill, and it wasn’t retroactive.
There are a number of places where you might look for education benefits. Check with your state’s Department of Veterans Affairs. States sometimes have education benefits for the dependents of military veterans. Look on the website of the Army Emergency Relief. They have scholarships and grants available for eligible children of Army veterans, and they also have links to other organizations which offer education benefits. Don’t forget about ROTC scholarships, which can pay just about all of the costs for a 4 year degree, and you might also apply for federal student aid.
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