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VETERAN BENEFITS FOR MASSACHUSETTS

Massachusetts offers unique benefits for service members, Veterans, and their families, including a bonus program, Veteran annuities, Veterans’ employment hiring preference, property tax exemptions, education and tuition assistance, vehicle tags, and hunting and fishing license privileges. Eligibility for some benefits may depend on residency, military component, and Veteran disability status. The following are benefits for the state of Massachusetts.

MASSACHUSETTS VETERAN FINANCIAL BENEFITS

  • Massachusetts Income Taxes on Military Pay: Military pay received by Massachusetts resident service members is subject to state taxes.
  • Massachusetts Income Tax Exclusion for Combat Pay and Extension to File: Military pay received by a resident service member for active duty service in a combat zone excluded from their federal adjusted gross income is also exempt from Massachusetts income tax.Service members have 180 days from their return from a combat zone or when they are released from hospitalization due to injuries they received in a combat zone to file their state income taxes.
  • Massachusetts Military Retired Pay Income Tax Exemption: Military retired pay is not taxed in Massachusetts.Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) does not withhold taxes for state or local income tax, but it is reported annually on IRS Form 1099-R. All TSP distributions are subject to state taxes, and early distributions may incur higher taxes.
  • Massachusetts State Taxes on Military Disability Retirement Pay: received as a pension, annuity, or similar allowance for personal injury or sickness resulting from active service in the U.S. Armed Forces should not be included in taxable income. Some of the payments that are considered disability benefits include:
    • Disability compensation and pension payments for disabilities paid to Veterans or their families
    • Grants for homes designed for wheelchair living
    •  Subsidies for motor vehicles for Veterans who lost their sight or the use of limbs or
    • Benefits under a dependent-care assistance program
  • Massachusetts State Taxes on U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Disability Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC): DIC is a tax-free monetary benefit paid to eligible survivors of military service members who died in the line of duty or eligible survivors of Veterans whose death resulted from a service-connected injury or disease.
  • Military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)/ Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP)/ Retired Serviceman’s Family Protection Plan (RSFPP) Massachusetts State Tax Exemption: Survivor pensions paid to a surviving spouse are not taxed in Massachusetts.
  • Massachusetts Property Tax Exemption for Veterans, Spouses, Surviving Spouses, and Gold Star Parents: Veterans, their spouse, surviving spouse, or Gold Star Parents may be eligible for a range of property tax exemptions in Massachusetts. Those eligible can only receive one exemption each fiscal year. Applicants who qualify for more than one exemption will receive the one that provides the most significant benefit.Clause 22 – $400 tax exemption for the following:
    • 10% (or more) service-connected disabled Veteran
    • Purple Heart recipient
    • Gold Star parents of a deceased service member
    • Spouse or un-remarried surviving spouses of an eligible Veteran

    Clause 22A – $750 if the Veteran has:

    • Service-connected loss of use of one foot, one hand, or one eye
    • Medal of Honor recipient
    • Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force Cross recipient
    • Prisoner of War
    • Spouse or surviving spouse of an eligible Veteran

    Clause 22B – $1,250 if the Veteran has:

    • Service-connected loss of use of both feet, both hands, or both eyes
    • Spouse or surviving spouse of an eligible Veteran

    Clause 22C – $1,500 if the Veteran has:

    • Permanent and total disability rating from the VA and received specially adapted housing assistance
    • Spouse or surviving spouse of an eligible Veteran

    Clause 2D – Total exemption for the un-remarried surviving spouses of a service member who:

    • Died in a combat zone or as the result of an illness or injury they received in a combat zone
    • Was declared missing in action and presumed dead

    Clause 22E – $1,000 if the Veteran has:

    • 100% disability rating from the VA
    • Spouse or surviving spouse of an eligible Veteran

    Clause 22F– Total exemption for the following:

    • Veteran who has paraplegia or has a 100% disability rating for service-connected blindness
    • Spouse or surviving spouse of an eligible Veteran

    Clause 22H– Total exemption for the following:

    • Surviving parents or guardians of a service member who was declared missing in action or presumed dead
    • Surviving parents or guardians of a service member or Veteran who died from a service-connected cause that occurred while the service member was serving on active duty
  • Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Excise Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans, Former Prisoners of War (POW), and Service Members: Massachusetts offers a motor vehicle excise tax exemption for eligible service members, disabled Veterans, former POWs, and their surviving spouses.
    • Massachusetts resident service members serving in an active or reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible for one motor vehicle excise tax exemption. The service member must have been deployed or stationed outside Massachusetts for at least 180 continuous days in a calendar year to be eligible. Service members who were wounded or killed in an armed conflict do not have to meet the 180-day requirement.
  • Massachusetts Vehicle Sales Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans: Disabled Veterans who suffered the loss of, or permanent loss of the use of, both legs or both arms or one leg and one arm or has been approved for a Massachusetts Disabled Veteran license plate are eligible for a motor vehicle sales tax exemption for one motor vehicle for personal, non-commercial use.
  • Massachusetts Income Exemption for Nonresident Military Spouses: A nonresident service member’s spouse may be exempt from paying Massachusetts taxes on income earned while stationed in Massachusetts.

RECREATION

  • Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife License Fees for Nonresident Service Members: Nonresident service members stationed in Massachusetts can purchase hunting, trapping, and fishing licenses for resident prices.
  • Massachusetts Free Fishing or Hunting License for Disabled Persons: Disabled Massachusetts residents (blind, paraplegic, or intellectually disabled) may qualify for free Massachusetts freshwater fishing and hunting licenses.
  • Massachusetts Free State Park Parking for Disabled Veterans and Purple Heart Recipients: Day-use parking fees are waived, and annual parking passes are not required at Massachusetts State Parks for vehicles that have a Massachusetts Disabled Veteran or Purple Heart license plate.

MASSACHUSETTS MILITARY & VETERANS MISCELLANEOUS BENEFITS

  • Massachusetts Veterans’ Transportation: The Massachusetts Executive Office of Veterans Services maintains a webpage with links and resources that provide transportation services for Veterans. Transportation providers offer rides to VA appointments, medical appointments, work, education, shopping, and employment-related activities.
  • Massachusetts Military Family Relief Fund: Service members serving in the Massachusetts National Guard and Massachusetts residents serving in the U.S. Armed Forces Reserves who have deployed for at least 30 consecutive days or more are eligible to apply for a need-based grant of up to $1,000. To qualify, the financial hardship must directly result from activation or extended deployment. In addition, family members of Massachusetts resident service members who are killed while serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces may also be eligible.
  • Massachusetts Public Housing Benefits for Veterans and their Families: Massachusetts offers several public housing benefits for low-income Veterans and their families.Massachusetts Public Housing Preference for Veterans and Their Families: Veterans who are applying for public housing assistance and are to be displaced by a low-rent housing project, public slum clearance, urban renewal project, or who were displaced within three years before applying for public housing are given preference in tenant selection in the following order:
    • Veteran who has a service-connected disability rating from the VA
    • Families of Veterans who died from a service-connected cause
    • All other Veterans and their eligible dependents

    Eligible dependents include the Veteran’s spouse, surviving spouse, children, dependent parent, and the divorced spouse who is a legal guardian of the Veteran’s child.

    Massachusetts Public Housing Gross Income Exemption: Money received by a Veteran to pay for tuition, fees, and books is not included in the Veteran’s gross income calculation when determining eligibility for state-aided public housing. Public housing assistance programs will also exclude Military Disability Retirement Pay, which is more than $1,800 for Veterans with an individual unemployable rating from the VA.

    Continued Occupancy: Massachusetts public housing projects cannot deny continued occupancy to Veterans, their surviving spouse, or Gold Star Mother who has lived there for the last eight consecutive years. Housing units must have two bedrooms or less, and the rent can be up to three months past due.

  • Massachusetts Veteran Annuity: Massachusetts offers an annuity payment of $2,000, paid in two installments in February and August of each year, to eligible disabled Veterans, Gold Star Parents and surviving spouse
  • Massachusetts Veterans’ Bonuses: Massachusetts provides bonuses for eligible resident service members and honorably discharged Veterans who served during various conflicts in single or multiple deployments.
  • Massachusetts Statewide Advocacy for Veterans’ (SAVE Program): The SAVE program advocates for Veterans who cannot receive the benefits earned due to institutional or personal barriers. Their primary mission is to prevent suicide and mental health issues among Veterans. They do this by identifying veterans’ issues when transitioning to civilian life and liaising between various federal and state government agencies providing benefits and services.

EDUCATION PROGRAMS

  • Tuition and Fee Waivers for Massachusetts National Guard Service Members: The Massachusetts National Guard Education Assistance Program provides a 100% tuition and fee waiver for Massachusetts National Guard service members to attend a state college, university, or community college program. Service members must be in good standing with their unit while using this tuition waiver. Service members can receive up to 130 semester hours of assistance.
  • Massachusetts National Guard Family Education Program: Massachusetts National Guard service members can transfer some or all their 130 semester hours of educational assistance to their dependent children (must be enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System).The total tuition benefits received by the service member and their dependents can be, at most, a lifetime total of 130 semester hours per member.Eligible children must use this waiver within ten years of the service member’s separation from service or by age 26, whichever date is later.
  • Massachusetts Categorical Tuition Waiver for Veterans and Active Duty Service Members: Massachusetts offers a tuition waiver to eligible Veterans and active duty service members. This waiver can be used to attend a Massachusetts state college, university, or community college program.
  • Suffolk University, Veterans Upward Bound Program: The Suffolk University, Veterans Upward Bound Program is a free pre-college program designed to help Veterans develop the academic and personal skills necessary to succeed in a higher education program.Veterans Upward Bound provides:
    • College and career advice
    • Academic Preparation classes
    • College financial planning
    • College application assistance
  • Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund (MSLF): MSLF is a charitable trust that provides educational assistance grants to the children of Massachusetts resident service members who were killed while serving during the Global War on Terrorism.
  • Massachusetts High School Diplomas for Wartime Veterans: High school diplomas may be awarded to honorably discharged resident Veterans who left a Massachusetts high school before receiving their high school diploma to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II, Korea, or VietnamDiplomas may be awarded posthumously. Veterans or their family members should contact their local Massachusetts Veterans’ Service Officer (VSO) for more information and to apply.
  • Massachusetts In-State Tuition for Nonresident Veterans and their Dependents: Massachusetts offers to in-state tuition rates for eligible Veterans and their dependents at a Massachusetts state college, university, or community college program.
  • Massachusetts Public Service Grant Program, Scholarships for Children of Prisoners of War (POW)/Missing in Action (MIA) and Service Members Killed in Action: The Massachusetts Public Service Grant Program will provide a scholarship to the children of service members declared a POW or MIA during the Vietnam Conflict and the children of a service member who was killed in action, or as a result of that action. Scholarships will be provided for undergraduate studies at an institution of higher education in Massachusetts.
  • Massachusetts Resident Tuition Rates for Nonresident Active Duty Service Members and their Family Members: Massachusetts higher education institutions offer resident tuition rates for nonresident service members and their dependents stationed in Massachusetts. Students will not lose resident status for as long as they remain continuously enrolled in a course of study leading to an associate, bachelor, or post-graduate degree at a Massachusetts institution of higher education.
  • Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children (MIC3): The purpose of this compact is to remove barriers to educational success imposed on children of military families because of frequent moves and deployment of their parents by:
    • Facilitating the prompt enrollment of children of military families and ensuring that they are not placed at a disadvantage due to difficulty in the transfer of educational records from the previous school district or variations in entrance or age requirements
    • Facilitating the student placement process through which variations in attendance requirements, scheduling, sequencing, grading, course content, or assessment do not disadvantage children of military families. Facilitating the qualification and eligibility for enrollment, educational programs, and participation in extracurricular academic, athletic, and social activities
    • Facilitating the on-time graduation of children of military families
    • Providing for the enforcement of administrative rules implementing the provisions of this compact
    • Providing for the uniform collection and sharing of information between and among member states, schools, and military families under this compact
    • Promoting coordination between this compact and other compacts affecting military children
    • Promoting flexibility and cooperation between the educational system, parents, and the student to achieve educational success for the student
  • Massachusetts Purple Star Award Designation for Military-Friendly Schools: The Massachusetts Purple Star Award Designation for military-friendly schools recognizes schools with a significant commitment to students and families connected to the U.S. Armed Forces.
    • For a school to qualify for designation, it must appoint a school liaison specially trained to handle the unique challenges experienced by military families. This liaison will ensure that other teachers at their school are aware of special considerations that students from military families can benefit from. Each school will also have a dedicated page on its school website featuring resources for military families.

HOUSING: THE FOLLOWING ARE THE SITES FOR VETERANS HOMES

Massachusetts has two Veterans Homes, one in Holyoke and one in Chelsea, that provide veterans with acute hospital care, domiciliary care, and long-term nursing care.

Each home provides a variety of services to meet the needs of its residents, which include:

  • Physical and occupational therapies
  • Laboratory and radiology services
  • Outpatient department
  • Social services
  • Recreational activities
  • Religious services

Massachusetts State Veterans Home at Holyoke

Massachusetts State Veterans Home at Chelsea

ELIGIBILITY FOR ADMISSION:

  • Veterans must have an honorable discharge
  • Veterans must have served in the Armed Forces for 90 consecutive days during wartime

EMPLOYMENT AND JOB TRAINING: VETERANS PREFERENCE

  • Massachusetts, MassHire Department of Career Services (DCS), Veterans Job Programs and Services: The Massachusetts DCS helps service members leaving the U.S. Armed Forces, Veterans, and their spouses find employment opportunities by offering employment training and placement services. Assistance is provided through Veteran Employment Representatives (VER) and Massachusetts Disabled Veteran Outreach Program Specialists (DVOPs), who focus on Veterans with service-connected disabilities. VERs and DVOPs maintain up-to-date information about all the programs and services available to assist Veterans at the federal, state, and local levels.DCS also offers Priority of Service to qualified Veterans and their spouses when referring individuals to job openings, DOL-funded training programs, or related services. Those eligible receive access to services or resources sooner than others who are not eligible.

    For Veterans to receive priority of service, they must have served at least one day on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces (does not include active duty for training) and received a discharge other than dishonorable. For a Veteran’s spouse to be eligible, they must meet the following requirements:

    • Spouse of a Veteran who died from a service-connected disability
    • Spouse of a service member serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces who, at the time of application, is listed as missing in action, a prisoner of war, or was forcibly detained for 90 days or more
    • Spouse of a Veteran who has a total service-connected disability, or a surviving spouse of a Veteran who dies while they have a total service-connected disability
  • Massachusetts State Employment Veterans Hiring Preference: Massachusetts offers Veterans hiring preference for civil service employment.Open Competitive Exams: Veterans or their eligible family members who receive 70 points or above on an open competitive exam for a Massachusetts civil service position (including police and firefighter) receive absolute Veterans’ preference and are immediately placed at the head of the eligibility list. This does not mean that the Veteran automatically gets the job, but they are placed at the top of the list and hired when there is a vacancy. Those eligible for absolute preference are ranked in the following order:
    • Disabled Veterans
    • All other Veterans
    • Spouse and single parents of a Veteran who died in combat or from a service-connected cause

    Promotional Exams:  All eligible Veterans have two points added to their scores for promotional exams.

    Labor Service: There is no exam required for labor service positions. Veterans, whether disabled or not, are placed at the top of the eligibility list. Spouses and single parents of Veterans are placed below Veterans but above all other applicants.

    Public Service: Service members serving in the National Guard or the U.S. Armed Forces Reserves who are called to active duty, have taken a civil service test, passed, and are on a current certified list are eligible for protection on their civil service original appointment exams. They must request in writing up to one year following their discharge to be continued or restored to the list for a period equal to the time of military service. If a service member is on multiple lists, they must request this protection separately for each.

    • Veterans who apply for civil service jobs that do not have an exam, and therefore no list, receive preference over non-veterans. If there is more than one Veteran, it is up to the hiring authority to choose between them. A hiring authority must get the Human Resource Division’s (HRD) approval to bypass this law. HRD’s civil service unit also maintains lists of state agencies with vacancies and will notify interested Veterans of openings.
  • Massachusetts State Employment Veteran’s Tenure: Veterans who have state unclassified positions for more than three years cannot be involuntarily separated for lack of work or money when similar jobs exist unless those positions are held by Veterans, in which case separation will be in reverse order of their original hiring date.
  • Massachusetts State Employee Retirement System, Military Service Buyback: Veterans who are members of the Massachusetts State Employee’s Retirement System (MSERS). can buy back up to four years of military service towards their Massachusetts retirement. Employees can purchase service at a rate of one year of active duty military service for one year of Massachusetts retirement. Reserve component service members can buy one year of Massachusetts retirement for every five years of reserve component service.
  • Massachusetts State Public Works Employment Preference: Preference is given to Veterans and Service-connected disabled Veterans when hiring for public works construction by the state, county, town, or district or by a person contracting with or subcontracting for public works construction.
  • Federal Employment Veteran’s Hiring Preferences:  Federal law mandates that Veterans, especially those with disabilities or those who served during specific time periods or in military campaigns, are granted preference over non-veterans when it comes to Federal civil service hiring and retention during workforce reductions. In various scoring processes for examinations and interviews, Veterans may be eligible for an additional 5 or 10 points.
  • 5-point Hiring Preference: Five points are added to the examination score or rating of a Veteran who served:
    • During a war, or
    • During the period April 28, 1952, through July 1, 1955, or
    • For more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred after January 31, 1955, and before October 15, 1976, or
    • During the Gulf War from August 2, 1990, through January 2, 1992, or
    • For more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred during the period beginning September 11, 2001, and ending on August 31, 2010, the last day of Operation Iraqi Freedom, or
    • In a campaign or expedition for which a campaign medal has been authorized. Any Armed Forces Expeditionary medal or campaign badge, including El Salvador, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Southwest Asia, Somalia, and Haiti, qualifies for preference

    10-point Compensable Disability (CP) Preference:  Ten points are added to the examination score or rating of a Veteran who served at any time and who has a compensable service-connected disability rating of at least 10% but less than 30%.

    10-Point 30% Compensable Disability Preference (CPS): Ten points are added to the passing examination score or rating of a Veteran who served at any time and who has a compensable service-connected disability rating of 30% or more.

    10-Point Disability Preference (XP): Ten points are added to the passing examination score or rating of:

    • A veteran who served at any time and has a present service-connected disability or is receiving compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension from the military or the VA but does not qualify as a CP or CPS, or
    • Veteran who received a Purple Heart

    10-Point Derived Preference (XP): Ten points are added to the passing examination score or rating of spouses, Surviving spouses, or mothers of Veterans. Both a mother and a spouse (including a Surviving spouse) may be entitled to preference based on the same Veteran’s service if they both meet the requirements. However, neither may receive preference if the Veteran is living and is qualified for Federal employment.

    Ten points are added to the passing examination score or rating of the spouse of a disabled Veteran who is disqualified for a federal position along the general lines of their usual occupation because of a service-connected disability. Such a disqualification may be presumed when the Veteran is unemployed and:

    • Is rated by appropriate military or VA authorities to be 100% disabled and/or unemployable, or
    • Has retired, been separated, or resigned from a civil service position because of a disability that is service-connected in origin, or
    • Has attempted to obtain a civil service position or other position along the lines of their usual occupation and has failed to qualify because of a service-connected disability

    Preference may be allowed in other circumstances but anything less than the above warrants a more careful analysis.

    A campaign medal holder or Gulf War Veteran who originally enlisted after September 7, 1980, (or began active duty on or after October 14, 1982, and has not previously completed 24 months of continuous active duty) must have served continuously for 24 months or the full period called or ordered to active duty. The 24-month service requirement does not apply to 10-point preference eligible Veterans separated for disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, or to Veterans separated for hardship or other reasons under Title 10 U.S.C. 1171 or 1173.

    Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA): USERRA protects civilian job rights and benefits for Veterans and members of reserve components. USERRA also protects Service member rights and benefits by clarifying the law, improving enforcement mechanisms, and adding Federal Government employees to those employees already eligible to receive Department of Labor assistance in processing claims.

    Absence from Work for Military Duty: USERRA establishes the cumulative length of time that an individual may be absent from work for military duty and retain reemployment rights for five years. Exceptions to the five-year limit, include initial enlistments lasting more than five years, periodic National Guard and U.S. Armed Forces Reserve training duty, and involuntary active duty extensions and recalls, especially during a time of national emergency. USERRA establishes that reemployment protection does not depend on the timing, frequency, duration, or nature of an individual’s service if the basic eligibility criteria are met.

    Disability Accommodation: USERRA provides protection for disabled Veterans, requiring employers to make reasonable efforts to accommodate the disability. Service members recovering from injuries received during service or training may have up to two years from the date of completion of service to return to their jobs or apply for reemployment.

    Return to Work without Loss of Seniority:  USERRA provides that returning Service members are reemployed in the job that they would have attained had they not been absent for military service, with the same seniority, status, and pay, as well as other rights and benefits determined by seniority. USERRA also requires that reasonable efforts (such as training or retraining) be made to enable returning Service members to refresh or upgrade their skills to help them qualify for reemployment. USERRA also provides that while an individual is performing military service, they are deemed to be on a furlough or leave of absence and are entitled to the non-seniority rights accorded to other individuals on non-military leaves of absence.

    Extension of Health and Pension Plans: Health and pension plan coverage for Service members is provided for by USERRA. Individuals performing military duty of more than 30 days may elect to continue employer-sponsored health care for up to 24 months; however, they may be required to pay up to 102% of the full premium. For military service of less than 31 days, health care coverage is provided as if the Service member had remained employed. USERRA clarifies pension plan coverage by making explicit that all pension plans are protected.

    Who is eligible for USERRA Benefits? Veterans, U.S. Armed Forces Reserve or National Guard Service members who leave a position for training or active military service are eligible.

    The Department of Labor, through the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), helps all who have claims under USERRA, including Federal and Postal Service employees.

BURIALS AND MEMORIALS

Please note that your preference regarding burial in a national cemetery and use of a headstone provided by VA should be documented and kept with your paperwork and medical records.

The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) pays tribute to eligible Veterans and their family members by providing a final resting place and a lasting memorial to commemorate the Veteran’s dedicated service to the nation.

The burial benefits encompass a gravesite in any of our open cemeteries with available space, the opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a government-furnished headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate, all at no cost to the family. Some Veterans may also meet the criteria for a burial allowance. Cremated remains are interred or inurned in national cemeteries with the same honors and respect as casketed remains.

Burial benefits extend to eligible spouses and dependents, including burial alongside the Veteran and perpetual care of the interment site. The name and relevant dates of birth and death of the spouse or dependent are inscribed on the Veteran’s headstone at no expense to the family. Importantly, spouses and qualified dependents are eligible for burial even if they pass away before the Veteran and are not required to be interred in the same national cemetery as the Veteran.

National Cemeteries include:

Ayer: Woodlawn Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot

Bourne: Massachusetts National Cemetery

MASSACHUSETTS VA BENEFIT RESOURCES

Massachusetts provides Veterans with a Regional Benefits Office and a VA Medical Center.

MASSACHUSETTS VA REGIONAL BENEFITS OFFICE

MASSACHUSETTS VA MEDICAL CENTERS

Important information for Massachusetts Veteran Benefits:

For Veterans applying for VA benefits for the first time, you must submit a copy of your DD 214 (discharge paperwork). This will provide your discharge status, along with your full name, social security number, branch of service, and dates for which you served. Honorable and general discharges qualify a Veteran for most VA benefits.

You should always keep your paperwork, along with your medical records, in a safe place where you and your family can have access to them. It is imperative to have it in a location where it cannot be destroyed or tampered with, which includes a safe.

Your eligibility for most VA benefits is based upon discharge from active military service under other than dishonorable conditions. Active service means full-time service as a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, or as a commissioned officer of the Public Health Service, the Environmental Services Administration, or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Any Veteran discharged from the military under the conditions of “Dishonorable” due to bad conduct discharges issued by general courts-martial may bar VA benefits. Veterans in prison and parolees may be eligible for certain VA benefits. VA regional offices can clarify the eligibility of prisoners, parolees, and individuals with multiple discharges issued under differing conditions.

*This information is accurate as of November 2023

MASSACHUSETTS VETERAN BENEFITS

If you are a disabled Veteran in Massachusetts and are VA rated 90% or less, you may be eligible for additional benefits. Contact us for a free consultation with no obligation. Let us review your claim to determine whether you qualify for additional benefits.