<p>I am asking for the child of a cousin so I don't have all the particulars, but something doesn't smell right. </p>
<p>I know that the Dad is a veteran (purple heart even). He and cousin are having a horrible bitter evil divorce.
Child 1 is a senior, needing to apply to college this year.
Dad just said that he won't release his GI benefits for her because she lives with her Mom.</p>
<p>Does anyone know:</p>
<p>a) if this (his blocking her getting benefits) is possible? Aren't the benefits given just for the relationship and not under HIS control?
b) if there are more benefits she can be asking for? She goes to a small HS and I am not sure that she will get a lot of GC advice. although they should know the veteran's system pretty well since they live in a military heavy town.</p>
<p>She lives in CA so I do know the CA system pretty well, but I don't know much about benefits for veterans. She will most likely do community college because what little money there was has been spent on lawyers and false criminal investigations and sad to say, other women. </p>
<p>Other advice for money would be appreciated. We didn't have to go that route for our kids, so although I know a lot of how to get into college, I don't know a lot about financial aid when it is desperately needed.</p>
<p>Which GI Bill? If it is the post-911 one, he would have had to transfer before getting out of the service and it would have had to have been after Aug 1, 2009. And he does not have to transfer them; it is his option.</p>
<p>There are no transfer options with the Montgomery Bill.</p>
<p>I’m not sure but I always hear people saying that the veteran parent “transfers” their GI benefits to the child. If that’s how it works, then simply being a dependent isn’t enough, the vet has to “do” something. And, (I think), the benefits can’t be used for multiple kids for full amounts, so that might be another reason why the vet would have to designate which child gets the benefit. maybe multiple kids can get “partial” benefits???</p>
<p>cap and mom2 , thanks actually I should have done a bit more research on the GIBill before asking. I see now if the Dad didn’t use the benefits, then he COULD transfer them to the kids. I was unaware of that, I just thought that there were benefits available to all veteran dependents. Guess only for those who lost their parents, not ones whose parents just left the military.</p>
<p>thumper, yes, a CA resident … I don’t think so for Calgrant, the cousin has a fairly decent job. But any money is going to have to come from her alone apparently. Maybe the dad is planning to give all his benefits to his son who lives with him and none to his D’s who live (by their choices) with the mom.</p>
<p>M2K, up to 36 months of post-9/11 GI Bill benefits may be transferred to one or more dependents. So two kids could each receive 18 months, etc.</p>
<p>Transfers have to be while still on active duty and an additional four-year commitment is incurred at that time. Adjustments to how many months per dependent can be made later, as long as the students were named in the original transfer paperwork.</p>
<p>I’m trying to understand this. Cap, are you saying that this dad can unilaterally unassign this benefit to the child (assuming he made the designation while on active duty)?</p>
<p>M2K, up to 36 months of post-9/11 GI Bill benefits may be transferred to one or more dependents. So two kids could each receive 18 months, etc.</p>
<p>I know that the benefit can be split, but it doesn’t have to be. A vet can designate that all 36 months be given to one child…in this case to his custodial son.</p>
<p>Don’t know if the wife’s attorney could argue some point regarding this requiring that either the benefit be split amongst the two kids or that the dad can give you one child, but must provide for the other.</p>
<p>It seems (to me) that the dad is trying to claim that “he” is providing for one child, so his wife has to provide for the other.</p>
<p>Actually there are 3 kids, 2D’s 1S split on sex lines between the parents.</p>
<p>And it looks like the point is moot because the Dad is retired from the military (or discharged, I don’t think he was in for long enough to retire, because some of the time he was a civilian contractor, although still in Iraq). The mom thinks that he does have benefits that he COULD transfer, even now but won’t give them to the girls. She is hoping for a female sympathetic judge.</p>
<p>Yes, the divorce isn’t final and the Dad hasn’t honored the custody arrangements made for the separation so I doubt that he’d honor agreements made at divorce either. As I said, it is an ugly mess a al War of the Roses with the puppy in the microwave ugly. </p>
<p>I appreciate the tips on the GI Bill anyway; hard to wrap my head around some of the language on the web about it.</p>
<p>The mom’s atty should ask for college assistance, regardless of GI Bill. Even if the GI Bill isn’t split, the dad could be ordered to PAY for some/all of the girls’ college.</p>
<p>BTW…they shouldn’t fear orders just because he’s been bad with custody. Money issues are more easily enforced thru wage garnishment.</p>
<p>My point was to the OP. Just because a vet may choose to spraad out his benefits to his multiple kids, in this case, he’s within his rights to designate one child. However, since the parents are divorcing, I would think that an atty could argue that whatever is “gifted” to one child for college, should be gifted to the other kids. So, either order that the benefit be split…or the dad has to provide money for the girls.</p>
<p>The wife shouldn’t fear that her ex won’t pay. Many/most states have wage garnishment to ensure that those payments come. some states garnish automatically, even when not in arrears.</p>