by Lisa Weber

Created on: February 10, 2010

As of August 1, 2009, military service members can apply to the VA (Department of Veteran’s Affairs) to be able to transfer their GI Bill benefits to their dependents.  This is an incredible opportunity for families to be able to make a choice on which family member will benefit the most from receiving extra money for college.  In the past, the only person eligible to use the GI Bill was the servicemember themselves, and many times they were unable to use the benefit within the required timeframe.  Situations like this leave the benefit unused and therefore wasted.  Now however, you can transfer your benefits to your spouse or your child.  Here are the steps you need to take in order to find out if you and your family members are eligible for this program and how to apply.

*Find out if you are eligible for the Transfer of Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits to Dependents (TEB) Program:

The VA does not determine eligibility for TEB, but specific guidelines for eligibility are available on the GI Bill website.  You can also call your service career counselor or personnel center if you have questions about your eligibility. 

*Determine if your dependents are eligible:

You may be able to transfer your benefits to individuals such as your spouse, one or more of your children, or a combination of your spouse and child.  Also, the family member you want to transfer benefits to must be enrolled in DEERS (Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System) and be eligible for benefits.  Using your CAC card or DFAS pin, log into the DoD (Department of Defense) transferability application website to determine your dependent’s eligibility.  Keep checking the TEB site until the status of your request changes to “approved.”  The approval information will automatically be transferred to the VA. 

*Apply for TEB (Transfer of Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits to Dependents):

Once your family members are approved, they may apply for a certificate of eligibility through the VA using VA Form 22-1990e.  They can apply at the VA office at the school they are applying to, they can call 1-888-GI BILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) to have a form mailed to them, or they can go online to The VONAPP (Veterans On Line Application) website.  This is an official U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website that enables them to apply for benefits using the Internet. 

*Deliver the certificate of eligibility to the school:

After receiving the certificate of eligibility from the VA, the family member should take the certificate to the school for processing.

In the end, just be sure to do your research and understand all of your options to decide if this program can benefit your family in the long run.  The GI Bill benefit program is one of the best ways to finance your education, but being able to defer these benefits to your children or help you spouse get ahead in the job market by getting a degree may be the boost your family needs to make ends meet financially.  Just be sure to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity!

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