The state of Texas offers many veteran benefits for service members and Veterans that have served in the Armed Forces of the United States of America. These benefits include income and property tax exemptions, financial exemptions, education and training programs, hunting and fishing licenses, vehicle registrations, and assistance with employment. Your residency, military career, and disability status may result in certain differences in what benefits you may be eligible for. The following are benefits for the state of Texas.
Sales Tax:
• Statewide: 7.0%
• Counties: can levy an additional sales tax no more than 2.75%
• Current average sales tax (with local taxes included): 9.494%
The Hazlewood Act is a State of Texas benefit that provides qualified Veterans, spouses, and dependent children with an education benefit of up to 150 hours of tuition-free college at state schools. This does NOT include living expenses, books, or supply fees.
The Veteran must have:
Legacy Act (Child)
Veterans eligible for the Hazlewood Act can assign unused hours to a child under certain conditions. Only one child can use Hazlewood Legacy benefits at a time.
The child must:
Hazlewood Act for Spouse/Child
Spouses and dependent children of eligible Active Duty, Reserve, and Texas National Guard who died in the line of duty, as a result of service-connected injury or illness, are missing in action, or who became totally disabled for purposes of employability as a result of a service-related injury or illness are entitled to each receive 50 credit hours tuition-free college.
Like the normal Hazlewood act, the Veteran must have been a Texas resident when they entered the service.
A spouse must:
A child must:
Tennessee Veterans Can Register Early for State Classes:
A military Veteran who is a current resident of this state or whose home of record for military purposes is Tennessee and who is a student at a public institution of higher education shall be allowed to register for classes prior to the general student population at any public institution of higher education. Early registration shall occur using the same procedure used by student-athletes, disabled students and honor students if such groups are permitted to early register.
Tennessee Helping Heroes Education Grant for Veterans:
The Helping Heroes Grant offers $1,000 per semester to a student who successfully completes 12 or more semester hours with no failing grade as the final grade for the course. The student shall receive $500 per semester for successfully completing six (6) to eleven (11) semester hours with no failing grade as a final grade for the course. The student shall not receive an award if enrolled in fewer than six (6) semester hours.
Tennessee Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children:
It is the purpose of this compact to remove barriers to educational success imposed on children of military families because of frequent moves and deployment of their parents by:
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Eligibility for admission:
By Federal law, Veterans who are disabled or who served on active duty in the United States Armed Forces during certain specified time periods or in military campaigns are eligible for preference over non-Veterans both in hiring into the Federal civil service and in retention during a reduction in force. All honorably discharged Veterans can have 5 points added to any state employment examination scores. Those with a VA service-connected disability will get 10 points added to their score. Wartime Veterans have a preference in employment with state agencies or offices, as do widows and children of those killed on active duty. State agencies must practice Veterans’ preference until they have reached 40% Veteran employment.
Texas State Employee Paid Leave for Military Duty:
A person who is an officer or employee of this state, a municipality, a county, or another political subdivision of this state and who is a member of the Texas military forces, a reserve component of the Armed Forces, or a member of a state or federally authorized urban search and rescue team is entitled to a paid leave of absence from the person’s duties on a day on which the person is engaged in authorized training or duty ordered or authorized by proper authority for not more than 15 workdays in a fiscal year. During a leave of absence, the person may not be subjected to loss of time, efficiency rating, personal time, sick leave, or vacation time.
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act:
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) protect civilian job rights and benefits for Veterans and members of Reserve components. USERRA also makes major improvements in protecting service member rights and benefits by clarifying the law, improving enforcement mechanisms, and adding Federal Government employees to those employees already eligible to receive the Department of Labor assistance in processing claims.
Texas State Retirement Military Service Credit:
Non-retired Veterans are eligible to claim their active duty military time toward State retirement. After your first retirement contribution has posted with the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS), you can buy up to 60 months of eligible active duty United States military service to establish service credit.
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. Eligibility for interment in the State Veterans Cemetery follows National Cemetery Administration eligibility requirements.
National Cemeteries include:
Texas provides Veterans with two Regional Benefits Offices and VA Medical Centers.
Texas VA Regional Benefits Office
Texas VA Medical Centers
Important information for Texas 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, 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.
State veteran benefit programs and eligibility requirements change regularly due to federal and state government updates. This information serves as general guidance. Contact us for current program details and personalized benefits assistance.