I wish the benefits were for retirees also! I spent close to 29 years on active and reserves and all I get is a delayed retirement check. My kids need to go to college and I can not afford it. I know the GI Bill was designed to keep people in but how about something for the retired reservist who have given also?!

"For example, spouses of active duty members who hope to use transferred benefits to attend private colleges will be delighted at the value of the benefit for them. It will cover full tuition and fees, with no ceiling, and therefore will be worth far more than benefits transferable to college-bound children or even benefits available to veterans using the full plan themselves.

On the other hand, active duty spouses who use transferred benefits to attend public colleges or universities will have a more modest education package than other GI Bill users including eligible children. That's because active duty spouses will not qualify the GI Bill's monthly living allowance or annual stipend for books and supplies."

Ok, now this is very confusing. If I'm reading this right, the first paragraph says basically that my spouse, who will attend a private law school, $33K/yr tuition, will have that completely paid for?

I thought under this new program that private colleges still fall under the 'not to exceed the maximum in-state undergraduate tuition and fees at a public institution of higher learning' deal.

quote:

Originally posted by 12016958:
"For example, spouses of active duty members who hope to use transferred benefits to attend private colleges will be delighted at the value of the benefit for them. It will cover full tuition and fees, with no ceiling, and therefore will be worth far more than benefits transferable to college-bound children or even benefits available to veterans using the full plan themselves.

On the other hand, active duty spouses who use transferred benefits to attend public colleges or universities will have a more modest education package than other GI Bill users including eligible children. That's because active duty spouses will not qualify the GI Bill's monthly living allowance or annual stipend for books and supplies."

Ok, now this is very confusing. If I'm reading this right, the first paragraph says basically that my spouse, who will attend a private law school, $33K/yr tuition, will have that completely paid for?

I thought under this new program that private colleges still fall under the 'not to exceed the maximum in-state undergraduate tuition and fees at a public institution of higher learning' deal.

There is no "Cap" on tuition and fees for Active Duty soldiers and benefits transfered to their Spouses. The "not to exceed the maximum in-state, etc" will apply to Veterans and benefits used by Spouses after the Active Duty soldier becomes a Veteran and all children using these benefits.

quote:

Originally posted by RetiredCareerCounsel:
There is no "Cap" on tuition and fees for Active Duty soldiers and benefits transfered to their Spouses. The "not to exceed the maximum in-state, etc" will apply to Veterans and benefits used by Spouses after the Active Duty soldier becomes a Veteran and all children using these benefits.

Thanks so much for the quick reply. So I guess I'm not understanding how the Post-9/11 GI Bill transfer program will pay out if I'm still on active duty and my spouse uses the benefits. The only things I can find about what the program will pay are the tuition and fee 'cap' chart on VA website. I don't see anywhere where it says there is no limit to how much it will pay for spouse of active duty. I only see that it will not pay BAH or book stipend. My spouse has a 75% scholarship for her $33K/yr tuition and I am hoping by reading this right that the VA will definitely cover the rest. BTW I have not used any of my regular GI Bill benefits. Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by 12016958:

quote:

Originally posted by RetiredCareerCounsel:
There is no "Cap" on tuition and fees for Active Duty soldiers and benefits transfered to their Spouses. The "not to exceed the maximum in-state, etc" will apply to Veterans and benefits used by Spouses after the Active Duty soldier becomes a Veteran and all children using these benefits.

Thanks so much for the quick reply. So I guess I'm not understanding how the Post-9/11 GI Bill transfer program will pay out if I'm still on active duty and my spouse uses the benefits. The only things I can find about what the program will pay are the tuition and fee 'cap' chart on VA website. I don't see anywhere where it says there is no limit to how much it will pay for spouse of active duty. I only see that it will not pay BAH or book stipend. My spouse has a 75% scholarship for her $33K/yr tuition and I am hoping by reading this right that the VA will definitely cover the rest. BTW I have not used any of my regular GI Bill benefits. Thanks!

If your spouse is attending an institution approved for VA Ed Benefits - they will pay 100% Tuition and Fees - I'd been checking to see if they will give her the cash from the scholarship since VA will be paying all the tuition and fee charges.

quote:

Originally posted by RetiredCareerCounsel:
If your spouse is attending an institution approved for VA Ed Benefits - they will pay 100% Tuition and Fees - I'd been checking to see if they will give her the cash from the scholarship since VA will be paying all the tuition and fee charges.

Ok so I called a VA education advisor yesterday to find out if the VA will pay 100% of tuition and fees for my spouse while I'm on active duty. Cause if so, it's a really sweet deal. Not that I don't take your word, RetiredCareerCounsel, it's just that I have not been able to find this wording anywhere official...and I've searched. Well, I was less than pleased with the 'advisor's' knowledge on the program in general. At first, she kept wanting to get me off the phone saying that 'we can't determine eligibility for you'. After clarifying that I did not have an eligibility question, she told me that since I am active duty, my spouse will get the housing allowance and book stipend along with benefits paid as 'not to exceed the maximum in-state, etc' rhetoric. She was obviously reading from something and minutes would go by as she was flipping pages. I told her to look back at what she just read because I know for a fact that she will not get housing or stipend pay. Then she corrected herself, but was dead-set on the tuition and fee caps. Needless to say, that was a very frustrating call and I still would like to see officially where spouses of active duty get 100% paid for.

Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by 12016958:

quote:

Originally posted by RetiredCareerCounsel:
If your spouse is attending an institution approved for VA Ed Benefits - they will pay 100% Tuition and Fees - I'd been checking to see if they will give her the cash from the scholarship since VA will be paying all the tuition and fee charges.

Ok so I called a VA education advisor yesterday to find out if the VA will pay 100% of tuition and fees for my spouse while I'm on active duty. Cause if so, it's a really sweet deal. Not that I don't take your word, RetiredCareerCounsel, it's just that I have not been able to find this wording anywhere official...and I've searched. Well, I was less than pleased with the 'advisor's' knowledge on the program in general. At first, she kept wanting to get me off the phone saying that 'we can't determine eligibility for you'. After clarifying that I did not have an eligibility question, she told me that since I am active duty, my spouse will get the housing allowance and book stipend along with benefits paid as 'not to exceed the maximum in-state, etc' rhetoric. She was obviously reading from something and minutes would go by as she was flipping pages. I told her to look back at what she just read because I know for a fact that she will not get housing or stipend pay. Then she corrected herself, but was dead-set on the tuition and fee caps. Needless to say, that was a very frustrating call and I still would like to see officially where spouses of active duty get 100% paid for.

Thanks.

This is from the chart at: http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bi..._Chart.htm#911amount

Note: Active duty members receive 100% tuition and fees of whatever school they attend, but do not receive the housing allowance or books and supplies stipend.

They redesigned the VA web page so I've lost several of my shortcuts and couldn't find the page that lists how they will pay spouse/children who are using transfered benefits. But I do know that the spouse of active duty using transfered benefits will be paid as if they were the active duty soldier using the post 9/11 gi bill. So, Since Active duty members receive 100%, your spouse will also. Since the transferability is not effective until 1 August 09, I think that they took that web link off line.

As far as calling the VA Toll-Free phone #, Please understand that they just hired approx. 150 new people and all the people working at the toll-free call center are just now going through training WHILE they are trying to help people.

I do know people working at three different Regional Processing Offices (RPO) and have confirmed that A) This program does in fact pay 100% of tuition and fees for Active Duty - I was surprised because I also thought that the cap per state applied to active duty and veterans. B) that spouses of active duty members using benefits transfered under Post 9/11 will be paid exactly the same as the active duty service member will be paid, and C) if the spouse uses post 9/11 AFTER the active duty member becomes a veteran - the spouse (and veteran) are subject to the by-state cap on payments of tuiton and fees.

When I see the web page online again at www.gibill.va.gov, I'll post it for you.

Thanks RetiredCareerCounsel. I appreciate the willingness to follow-up and try and find some official wording. Like I said, the only thing I'm hearing from the VA so far on spouses benefits of active duty is that tuition and fee cap rhetoric. I'm getting the same response from my spouses financial aid office at the law school. Then again, like you said, nobody will know for sure until the VA says otherwise probably after Aug 1. I've searched around quite a bit on this issue and I'm suprised that as I can tell, nobody else is posing this question.

Ok, here's where I'm thinking the answer should be found.

Current as of 9 July, 38 CFR Part 21 (Post-9/11 GI Bill Final Regulation):

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/...ecfr;start=1;size=25

Here are the related sections I found (long post):

§ 21.9570 Transfer of entitlement.
(k) Rate of payment of educational assistance. VA will apply the rules in §21.9640 (and §§21.9650 and 21.9655 when applicable) to determine the educational assistance rate that would apply to the transferor. VA will pay the dependent and/or the dependent's institution of higher learning (or school, educational institution, or institution as defined in §21.4200(a) if the dependent is using transferred entitlement to pursue and complete the requirements of a secondary school diploma or equivalency certificate) the amounts of educational assistance payable under 38 U.S.C. chapter 33 in the same manner and at the same rate as if the transferor were enrolled in the dependent's program of education, except that VA will—

(1) Disregard the fact that either the transferor or the dependent child is (or both are) on active duty, and pay the veteran rate to a dependent child;

(2) Pay the veteran rate to a surviving spouse; and

(3) Proportionally adjust the payment amounts, other than the book stipend, a dependent would otherwise receive under §21.9640 if the dependent's months of entitlement will exhaust during the certified enrollment period, by—

(i) Determining the amount of established charges the dependent would otherwise be eligible to receive for the entire enrollment period, then dividing this amount by the number of days in the dependent's quarter, semester, or term, as applicable, to determine the dependent's daily rate, then determining the actual amount of established charges to be paid by multiplying the dependent's daily rate by his or her remaining months and days of entitlement to educational assistance as provided under §21.9570; and

(ii) Discontinuing the dependent's monthly housing allowance effective as of the date the dependent's months and days of entitlement exhausts.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3319)

§ 21.9620 Educational assistance.
VA will pay educational assistance for an eligible individual's pursuit of an approved program of education. The eligible individual and/or the individual's educational institution will receive payment amounts in accordance with the formulas listed in §21.9640. The maximum amounts of tuition and fees payable for the upcoming academic year under 38 U.S.C. chapter 33 will be published in the “Notices” section of theFederal Registerby the first of August of each calendar year. The maximum amounts payable may also be obtained by visiting the GI Bill Web site at http://www.gibill.va.gov or by calling VA's customer service department toll-free at 1–888–442–4551. The maximum amounts payable, as published, will be effective for each term, quarter, or semester that begins during the academic year.

§ 21.9640 Rates of payment of educational assistance.
(d) Amounts payable for individuals on active duty. Individuals on active duty who are pursuing a program of education may receive a lump sum amount for established charges paid directly to the institution of higher learning for the entire quarter, semester, or term, as applicable. The amount payable will be the lowest of—

(1) The established charges that similarly circumstanced nonveterans enrolled in the individual's program of education would be required to pay;

(2) That portion of the established charges not covered by military tuition assistance under 10 U.S.C. 2007(a) or (b) for which the individual has stated to VA that he or she wishes to receive payment.

(3) The lesser amount of paragraph (d)(1) or (2) of this section, divided by the number of days in the individual's quarter, semester, or term, as applicable, to determine the individual's daily rate which will then be multiplied by the individual's remaining months and days of entitlement to educational assistance in accordance with §21.4020 and §21.9635(o);
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I'm having a hard time with this legal mumbo. Is there anything in here that alludes to spouses receiving no cap on tuition and fees?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 12016958,

Thanks for the info clarification. Are any of the benefits of the new GI Bill applicable to a retiree who retired 8/08? Is the housing allowance offered? I've tried finding a contact number or answer, but I guess I;m getting old and confused.

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by RetiredCareerCounsel:

quote:

Originally posted by 12016958:

quote:

Originally posted by RetiredCareerCounsel:
There is no "Cap" on tuition and fees for Active Duty soldiers and benefits transfered to their Spouses. The "not to exceed the maximum in-state, etc" will apply to Veterans and benefits used by Spouses after the Active Duty soldier becomes a Veteran and all children using these benefits.

Thanks so much for the quick reply. So I guess I'm not understanding how the Post-9/11 GI Bill transfer program will pay out if I'm still on active duty and my spouse uses the benefits. The only things I can find about what the program will pay are the tuition and fee 'cap' chart on VA website. I don't see anywhere where it says there is no limit to how much it will pay for spouse of active duty. I only see that it will not pay BAH or book stipend. My spouse has a 75% scholarship for her $33K/yr tuition and I am hoping by reading this right that the VA will definitely cover the rest. BTW I have not used any of my regular GI Bill benefits. Thanks!

If your spouse is attending an institution approved for VA Ed Benefits - they will pay 100% Tuition and Fees - I'd been checking to see if they will give her the cash from the scholarship since VA will be paying all the tuition and fee charges.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 5wahls:
Thanks for the info clarification. Are any of the benefits of the new GI Bill applicable to a retiree who retired 8/08? Is the housing allowance offered? I've tried finding a contact number or answer, but I guess I;m getting old and confused.

Thanks[QUOTE]

http://forums.military.com/eve...8451/m/3700017122001

Well it's now Aug 1st, my TEB application has been reviewed by my service and I'm fulfilling the service commitment in order to get it approved for transfer. At this point, I am really anxious for an official wording to the spouses of active duty getting no limit on tuition and fees. I've tried to interpret the legal wording, but like I said VA reps insist on the tuition and fee caps.

BTW, I am 12016958 that posted previous.

Well, I'm glad to see now that the VA reps are on the same page as DoD guidance. Confirmed - active duty spouses get full tuition and fees with no caps.