<p>I plan on transfering my benefits to my daughter. She will start college in AUG 11. Has anybody used the benefits for their children yet? Was the money applied to demonstrated financial need or EFC? What about the 36 month BAH? How was that calculated by the college?</p>
<p>I don’t have any info for you but if you don’t get any responses, PM me. I work in an office that deals tangentially with this, and should be able to track down some answers for you.</p>
<p>USMCDAD,
I have a couple of squadron mates I fly with who’s kids are using the Post 9/11 GI Bill right now. I’ll pass mine along to a child next year. If you qualified for the 100% benefit, you can pass that on to your child. The benefit will pay 100% of your kids tuition up to the most expensive in state tuition; fees, up to most expensive in state fees; living stipend at the E-5 with dependent rate according to the zip code your kids selected school is located; $1000 per year book allowance. These have nothing to do with your EFC or demonstrated financial need. They are a benefit you earned, just like your BAH or retirement pay. The benefit, by rule, is treated separately from any scholarship you child may earn. If your child gets 10K a year (5k a semester) in scholarships, the Post 9/11 will pay all the stuff it pays, then the scholarship would pay anything remaining. If that results in an overpayment, the school will cut a check to your student. Check with your individual school on that. All the schools I have delt with have treated it that way, however. The school has nothing to do with the Post 9/11 bill, and your student earned the scholarship. Also, check into the “Yellow Ribbon” program that many schools participate in. You can estimate your monetary benefits at this site [New</a> GI Bill - Calculate your benefits and more](<a href=“http://www.newgibill.org/]New”>http://www.newgibill.org/).
The most important thing you can do right now, and I mean today if you already haven’t done it, is to go on to the Veterans On-line Applications website and get your kid signed up. It takes some time to process but they are getting better. Website is at <a href=“VONAPP is Retired - Veterans Benefits Administration”>VONAPP is Retired - Veterans Benefits Administration. Contact the VA office at whatever your school your kid selects. Ask about the Yellow Ribbon Program. They can help a lot and the knowledge foundation for this program is growing rapidly, as it is no longer brand new. There are many sites and much information on the net now. Google the bill. This is a good place to start [Welcome</a> to the GI Bill Web Site | The Home for All Educational Benefits Provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs](<a href=“http://www.gibill.va.gov/]Welcome”>http://www.gibill.va.gov/).</p>
<p>Thanks for the information. The new GI bill is great. I will check with each of college financial advisors to see how they handle it.</p>
<p>Semper Fi</p>
<p>I just wanted to add that the State of Texas has implemented The Hazlewood Act for those Texas veterans who served before 911. If you enlisted in the state of Texas and served a minimum of 180 days and were honorably discharged you can transfer your benefits to your dependent children. My H served in the early 90’s but never used his GI bill because he was already a dentist when he went in… We just found out about this a couple of weeks ago. Our D is starting college in a couple of weeks and we were able to get her tuition bill zeroed out! It was such a blessing and a huge surprise! They do have to go to college at a Texas public university to get the benefit.</p>
<p>Just curious if you still have to use the education benies within 10 years of discharge like us Viet Nam War era folk. Anyone know?</p>
<p>From the website above it looks like 15 years unless you transfer to a child. Then it’s good until they are 26 years old.</p>
<p>That is correct…my H got out of the Air Force in 1995. It did not matter that he was an officer either…his benefit was the same :)</p>
<p>Benefit the same and not able to transfer it since he got out before the incentive… :(</p>
<p>From what my dad was able to find out, you benifits from the GI bill do not work if you are retired. As such they only apply to active duty or reserve. :<</p>
<p>My husband came back from Afghanistan with many health problems. He got out on medical in March of last year and consequently was not able to transfer his GI BILL. How fair is that?</p>
<p>21 1/2 years in the Florida National guards amd 6 years away from home…</p>