Indiana Veterans Benefits & Disabled Veterans Benefits
Indiana Veterans Benefits Programs
There are many federal programs for veterans, but there are also programs for veterans in the state of Indiana. You can also learn about veterans’ benefits in other states.
Education Benefits for Indiana Veterans
In addition to federal programs such as the GI Bill, there are veterans’ benefits programs provided by the states.
Indiana National Guard Tuition Supplement Grant
The Indiana State Commission for Higher Education has a partnership with the Indiana National Guard. As part of that partnership, the Commission “guarantees 100% of tuition and regularly assessed fees for eligible members of the Indiana Air and Army National Guard.” This grant is for full or part-time attendance during fall and spring semesters (no summer school).
To qualify:
- Applicant must be on active drilling status
- Applicant must not have been “AWOL at any time during the 12 months prior to their enrollment in college for any academic term”
- Forms and submission rules may vary depending on the branch of service
- To use this program students must be approved by the unit commander
- To use this benefit, you must recertify every semester
- This benefit is for first degrees
Contact your unit command support staff to learn current application procedures and deadlines.
National Guard Scholarship Extension Program
This is described as a “limited scholarship” covering 100% of tuition and certain fees for honorably discharged Guard members who have used the above National Guard Supplemental Grant in the past.
To receive this benefit you must have served on active duty overseas since September 11, 2001. If you are a former Indiana National Guard member, you can apply for this program using ScholarTrack
Tuition and Fee Exemption for Purple Heart Recipients, Children of Disabled Veterans, and POWs
The State of Indiana offers waived tuition and fees for qualifying dependent children of disabled veterans who:
- Performed hazardous duty
- Served during wartime
- Are Purple Heart recipients
- Are prisoners of war
This benefit is also extended to qualifying Purple Heart awardees as well as their children. You must show proof of the State of Indiana as your home state when you entered military service.
This benefit is offered at state-supported colleges and universities. Those who have researched this benefit in the past should look again, as the State of Indiana made changes to this program in 2019 that include the following requirements:
- The veteran must have entered military service in Indiana OR must have lived in Indiana for five years before applying.
- The student can be as old as 32 when applying but must not have reached their 33rd birthday when applying or becoming first eligible for the benefit.
- For adopted children, adoption must have taken place prior to their 18th birthday according to the State of Indiana.
To apply for this benefit you must use the State of Indiana’s Scholar Track portal. Paper applications are no longer accepted.
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Tax Benefits for Indiana Veterans
Starting in 2022, Indiana phased out state taxes on military retirement pay, and in 2023, Indiana phased out state taxes on active duty, Guard, and Reserve pay. Other Indiana state tax benefits include:
Property Tax Assessment Benefit For Qualifying Veterans
Qualifying veterans may be able to deduct a significant amount (nearly $25k in 2022, your experience may vary) from the assessed value of their primary residence. This applies when:
- The veteran has qualifying wartime service
- The veteran has an Honorable discharge
- The veteran has a service-connected disability VA-rated at 10% or more
Qualifying dates of wartime service include:
- World War Two: December 7, 1941 – December 31, 1946
- Korea: June 21, 1950 – January 31, 1955
- Vietnam: August 5, 1964 – May 7, 1975
- Gulf War: August 2, 1990 – Ongoing at press time
Property Tax Deductions for Veterans and Qualifying Spouses
There is a property tax break worth up to $14,000 (in 2022, your experience may vary) offered to qualifying veterans with peacetime service. This is also offered to surviving spouses of those killed in action or who died on active duty.
To qualify:
- The applicant must be a 100% disabled veteran OR;
- The applicant must be 62 years old with a 10% VA rated-service-connected disability rating OR:
- The applicant must be the surviving spouse of a veteran who died on active duty
Property Tax Combination for Qualifying Disabled Wartime Veterans
A veteran who served in wartime is at least 62 years old and has a VA-rated 10% service-connected disability may qualify for additional property tax consideration.
This also applies to veterans with permanent and total service-connected disability ratings (any age) AND “whose home’s assessed value is $200,000 or less” according to the State of Indiana. These vets may qualify for property tax deductions (totaling nearly $39k in 2022) from multiple programs.
Indiana Vehicle Excise Tax Exemptions For Veterans
An Indiana veteran who owns a vehicle “and is entitled to a deduction” under Indiana state law, “and has any remaining deduction from the assessed valuation to which the person is entitled, applicable to property taxes payable in the year in which the excise tax is imposed” May be entitled to claim an exemption on the yearly excise tax by two dollars for each one hundred dollars “of the taxable value or major portion thereof.”
For veterans who qualify but do not own real estate, the amount of the Indiana state tax credit applied (to a maximum of two vehicles) is “equal to the lesser of the “amount of excise tax liability for the individual’s vehicle,” or $70.
Nursing Home Benefits for Indiana Veterans
The State of Indiana operates the Indiana Veterans Home West Lafayette. Care options here include long-term skilled nursing care, short-term rehab, memory care, and independent living options for qualifying, honorably discharged Indiana veterans, their spouses, and Gold Star parents.
The Indiana Veterans Home accepts Medicare A and B, private insurance, long-term care insurance, and the VA Higher Per Diem Program.
Admission requirements include, but are not limited to:
- Applicants must live in Indiana for at least 12 months prior to admission, with some waivers possible.
- Must be honorably discharged
- Criminal background check required
Burial Benefits For Indiana Veterans
The State of Indiana operates the Indiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Madison. This facility is for qualifying veterans and qualifying spouses.
For specific eligibility requirements, the official site of the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs refers applicants to the Department of Veterans Affairs criteria for eligibility for burial in a VA cemetery. You must have a discharge characterized as anything other than Dishonorable.
Pre-need applications may be accepted, but physical reservations of a burial plot or niche may not be permitted. You must include proof of military service and proof of discharge with your application–do not send originals as they will not be returned.
Services provided may include opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a monument, and outer burial container.
Employment Benefits for Indiana Veterans
Employment Assistance
The Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) and the Local Veterans’ Employment Representative (LVER) program, and Workforce Development Offices are established statewide and have resources that can help veterans transition back into the civilian job market.
The DVOP offers qualifying disabled veterans unique job training and placement opportunities, while LVER helps match veterans with services such as counseling, testing, and job opportunities.
Contact your nearest Indiana Workforce Development Office to learn where the nearest veteran-centered program is near you.
Indiana State Hiring Preference For Veterans
The Indiana State Merit System offers state job preference to qualifying veterans who want “merit positions” in state government. Some veteran programs offer preference points, but this state program adds 10% to the exam scores of eligible vets. You must have served on active duty for at least 181 days and you must have an Honorable discharge.
Peddler and Vendor Licenses
Indiana state law waives peddler and vendor license fees for “any wartime veteran who has an honorable discharge”,
For more information regarding Indiana veterans’ benefits, please visit the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs
PAY AND BENEFITS UPDATES:
- BAH Rates
- Military Pay Dates
- USAA Pay Dates
- Navy Federal Pay Dates
- National Guard Pay and Reserve Pay
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