Apples to Oranges: Comparing the Montgomery and Post-9/11 GI Bills

Servicemembers who qualify for both the Post-9/11 and Montgomery GI Bills, might only look to use the version that “pays” the most overall. However, a number of factors go into figuring out which version of the GI Bill will provide the most benefits:

GI Bill Payment Rates

• The Montgomery GI Bill pays qualified servicemembers a fixed monthly amount of $1,368 to pay for school. Tuition and fees must be paid by the servicemember.
• With the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the VA pays the school directly at a rate that is based on the amount of time the servicemember has spent in the service as well as the zip code of the school. Additionally, up to $1,000 per year is awarded as a book stipend.

What the GI Bills Will and Won’t Pay For

The Montgomery GI Bill covers:

• College/university degree programs
• License and certificate programs (training as well as tests)
• Vocational-technical schools programs
• Flight training
• Apprenticeship/on-the-job training
• Correspondence courses

The Post-9/11 GI Bill covers:

• Campus-resident and online degree programs
• Vocational-technical programs
• One license or certification test reimbursement, but not the training leading up to the test

GI Bill Transferability Options

• Montgomery GI Bill: No options to transfer benefits
• Post-9/11 GI Bill: Qualified servicemembers may transfer all or remaining unused benefits to a spouse or to dependent children

GI Bill Expiration

• Montgomery GI Bill: Benefits must be used within 10 years of the date of discharge
• Post-9/11 GI Bill: Benefits must be used within 15 years from date of discharge

Picking which version of the GI Bill to use is not a one-size-fits-all situation. Servicemembers should factor in their own circumstances against each version of the GI Bill to help them reach a decision. Those who are eligible may switch to the Post-9/11 GI Bill from the Montgomery GI Bill, but it’s important to note that this switch is irreversible.

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