As crazy as this may sound. I agree on the transferring to a spouse over the children. I explain to my kids that they play a big part in paying for college. First, do well in school so you put yourself in line for scholarships. Second, save your money and we (parents) will match it. Lastly, doing an enlistment to ensure you have your own GI Bill and a skill is an option. I don't encourage my kids to join the military, but it's not a bad lifestyle considering what's out there. I'm retired now after 20 years and I obtained my Associates while on Active Duty and am presenty using my GI Bill to complete my Bachelor's. All this while still working to provide for my family. I read somewhere that a financial advisor mentioned that you can finace your children's education, but you can't finance your retirement. That's makes so much sense to me. My job as a parent is to raise responsible citizens by guiding them on the right path, not giving them everything on a silver platter. When you give to much, you enable your children and make them dependent instead of independent. My girls think I'm hard on them, but I'm teaching them and setting them up for success, they just don't see it yet. The transfer rules may seem unfair, but as we all know, it's about timing and if you don't fall into that category, dust yourself off and keep pushing.

Great Point Shu66,
Think you've changed my thinking on passing it to my children. Thanks for the input...

Both my husband and I served 20 years, both of us receiving retirement pay and benefits. After 20 years of moving around, we have finally been able to buy a home that we can afford and will never have to leave. I don't need college now, I have a great job, so does my husband. We appreciate the educational benefit, but both agree it is a waste of money and time for us old dogs. So, that means that money we invested as young, ambitious volunteers will be wasted, as we have NO ambition to use it. That said, why are we greedy for wanting to use money that we are entitled to for our children's education? We have to pay for their schooling anyway. So, why can't we use what we are ENTITLED to aleave the debt we will incur helping our children better themselves? I understand that WWII and every other "action" alotted vets to educational benefits. Yea for our nation, recognizing what vets should be entitled. How can we not evolve, like the world around us, to allow vets to use their benefits as THEY see fit? Helping their children better themselves, while not running up debt. WE EARNED THAT RIGHT! Grow, just as the world does, and learn that because it didn't happen for your grandfather, doesn't mean it can't happen for YOU!

quote:

Originally posted by JulieReyesWhitney:
Helping their children better themselves, while not running up debt. WE EARNED THAT RIGHT! Grow, just as the world does, and learn that because it didn't happen for your grandfather, doesn't mean it can't happen for YOU!

You EARNED that Right? Show me where you have the Right - is it in your or your spouses contracts anywhere? No. It's a privilege not a right that is only being offered to soldiers currently on active duty. Don't confuse a privilege with Rights.

Rights are entitlements or permissions, usually of a legal or moral nature. If transferability of benefits to your children was written into a contract - you would have a right. You have a Right to your retirement, you have the privilege of using the commissary, px, MWR, etc.