Rated 100 percent (Permanent and Total)

If the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has rated you 100 percent Permanent and Total (P&T), or you're rated 100 percent through Individual Unemployability (IU, also written TDIU, Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability), a whole second layer of federal benefits opens up, mostly for your family, not just you. This guide walks through each one: what it is, who actually qualifies at your rating, and the exact steps to go get it. Individual Unemployability (IU) paid at the 100 percent rate counts as "100 percent" for almost everything below, but a couple of items need the Permanent and Total (P&T) box checked specifically, and we flag those. None of this is legal, tax, or financial advice, and none of it is a substitute for the VA's own guidance. We're not the VA and we're not the government. If anything here touches your underlying disability claim or rating itself, that goes to a free VA-accredited Veterans Service Organization (VSO), never to us and never to anyone charging a fee. Everything else below, though, is a benefit you can go claim yourself, and we walk you through it start to finish.

First, confirm your P&T status and get your proof letter

Almost every benefit below asks for proof of your rating and your Permanent and Total (P&T) status, so get this document once and reuse it everywhere.

Step 1 - Go to VA.gov: Download your VA benefit letters and sign in with ID.me, Login.gov, DS Logon, or My HealtheVet.

• Step 1 - Go to VA.gov: Download your VA benefit letters and sign in with ID.me, Login.gov, DS Logon, or My HealtheVet.

Step 2 - Confirm the mailing address on file is correct; VA will prompt you to check this first.

• Step 2 - Confirm the mailing address on file is correct; VA will prompt you to check this first.

Step 3 - Open the Benefit Summary and Service Verification Letter. Before it generates, check the boxes for combined service-connected rating, service-connected disability status, and permanent and total (P&T) designation.

• Step 3 - Open the Benefit Summary and Service Verification Letter. Before it generates, check the boxes for combined service-connected rating, service-connected disability status, and permanent and total (P&T) designation.

Step 4 - Save the PDF. This single letter is the proof nearly every agency below will ask you for.

• Step 4 - Save the PDF. This single letter is the proof nearly every agency below will ask you for.

Step 5 - If the letter does NOT show a Permanent and Total (P&T) designation and you believe you qualify for one, that question goes to a free accredited VSO (find one at VA.gov: Get help filing a claim), not to us. We never charge for claims help, and neither should anyone else.

• Step 5 - If the letter does NOT show a Permanent and Total (P&T) designation and you believe you qualify for one, that question goes to a free accredited VSO (find one at VA.gov: Get help filing a claim), not to us. We never charge for claims help, and neither should anyone else.

CHAMPVA: health coverage for your spouse and kids

The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) is a cost-sharing health plan for the spouse and dependent children of a veteran rated 100 percent Permanent and Total (P&T). It is not free; think of it like a plan with a deductible and coinsurance, not a blank check. Your family cannot have CHAMPVA and TRICARE at the same time, they're mutually exclusive, so confirm which one actually applies to your household first.

Step 1 - Confirm eligibility: your CHAMPVA sponsor (you) must be rated Permanent and Total (P&T) for a service-connected disability, and your dependent must be a spouse or child (children generally lose eligibility at 18, or 23 if enrolled full-time in school). Confirm at VA.gov: CHAMPVA benefits.

• Step 1 - Confirm eligibility: your CHAMPVA sponsor (you) must be rated Permanent and Total (P&T) for a service-connected disability, and your dependent must be a spouse or child (children generally lose eligibility at 18, or 23 if enrolled full-time in school). Confirm at VA.gov: CHAMPVA benefits.

Step 2 - Gather documents: your Benefit Summary Letter showing Permanent and Total (P&T) status, your dependent's Social Security number, a copy of your marriage certificate (for a spouse) or birth certificate/school enrollment proof (for a child), and Medicare Part A and B cards if your dependent is Medicare-eligible (Medicare-eligible dependents must be enrolled in Medicare to keep CHAMPVA).

• Step 2 - Gather documents: your Benefit Summary Letter showing Permanent and Total (P&T) status, your dependent's Social Security number, a copy of your marriage certificate (for a spouse) or birth certificate/school enrollment proof (for a child), and Medicare Part A and B cards if your dependent is Medicare-eligible (Medicare-eligible dependents must be enrolled in Medicare to keep CHAMPVA).

Step 3 - Complete VA Form 10-10d, Application for CHAMPVA Benefits. Apply online at VA.gov: Apply for CHAMPVA benefits (Form 10-10d), or download the paper form at VA Form 10-10d (PDF).

• Step 3 - Complete VA Form 10-10d, Application for CHAMPVA Benefits. Apply online at VA.gov: Apply for CHAMPVA benefits (Form 10-10d), or download the paper form at VA Form 10-10d (PDF).

Step 4 - If applying by mail, send the completed, signed form and copies of the documents above to the address printed on the form. There is no deadline to apply, but coverage starts only after VA processes and approves it, so don't wait.

• Step 4 - If applying by mail, send the completed, signed form and copies of the documents above to the address printed on the form. There is no deadline to apply, but coverage starts only after VA processes and approves it, so don't wait.

Step 5 - Questions on eligibility or the form itself: call the CHAMPVA Help Line at 800-733-8387.

• Step 5 - Questions on eligibility or the form itself: call the CHAMPVA Help Line at 800-733-8387.

Step 6 - Once approved, file claims for care online rather than by paper. Go to VA.gov: File a CHAMPVA claim and sign in with Login.gov or ID.me. This is faster than mailing Form 10-7959a.

• Step 6 - Once approved, file claims for care online rather than by paper. Go to VA.gov: File a CHAMPVA claim and sign in with Login.gov or ID.me. This is faster than mailing Form 10-7959a.

Step 7 - Put a reminder on your calendar for each dependent child's 18th and 23rd birthday. Coverage can lapse quietly if school-enrollment paperwork isn't kept current.

• Step 7 - Put a reminder on your calendar for each dependent child's 18th and 23rd birthday. Coverage can lapse quietly if school-enrollment paperwork isn't kept current.

Dependents' Educational Assistance (Chapter 35) and the Fry Scholarship

Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA), also called Chapter 35, pays your spouse or child a separate monthly education benefit once you are rated Permanent and Total (P&T). It is its own program with its own lower pay rate, not your GI Bill transferred to them. The Fry Scholarship pays at the higher Post-9/11 GI Bill rate but is only for a spouse or child of a service member who died in the line of duty, not tied to your disability rating, so it doesn't apply just because you're rated 100 percent; it's listed here because the same application form covers both, and a family sometimes needs to choose.

Step 1 - Confirm eligibility: your spouse or child qualifies for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) once you're rated Permanent and Total (P&T) for a service-connected disability. On the timing, the rule turns on when you became eligible: if your Permanent and Total (P&T) rating (or the qualifying event) is dated before August 1, 2023, a spouse generally has 10 years from that date to use the benefit, and a child generally uses it between ages 18 and 26; for events on or after August 1, 2023, the fixed 10-year spouse deadline was removed. Confirm your exact window and the current child age band at VA.gov: Dependents' Educational Assistance.

• Step 1 - Confirm eligibility: your spouse or child qualifies for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) once you're rated Permanent and Total (P&T) for a service-connected disability. On the timing, the rule turns on when you became eligible: if your Permanent and Total (P&T) rating (or the qualifying event) is dated before August 1, 2023, a spouse generally has 10 years from that date to use the benefit, and a child generally uses it between ages 18 and 26; for events on or after August 1, 2023, the fixed 10-year spouse deadline was removed. Confirm your exact window and the current child age band at VA.gov: Dependents' Educational Assistance.

Step 2 - Gather documents: your Benefit Summary Letter showing Permanent and Total (P&T) status, the dependent's Social Security number, and the school or training program's name if already chosen.

• Step 2 - Gather documents: your Benefit Summary Letter showing Permanent and Total (P&T) status, the dependent's Social Security number, and the school or training program's name if already chosen.

Step 3 - Complete VA Form 22-5490, Dependents' Application for VA Education Benefits. Apply online at VA.gov: Apply for DEA or Fry (Form 22-5490), or download the paper form at VA Form 22-5490 (PDF).

• Step 3 - Complete VA Form 22-5490, Dependents' Application for VA Education Benefits. Apply online at VA.gov: Apply for DEA or Fry (Form 22-5490), or download the paper form at VA Form 22-5490 (PDF).

Step 4 - If the dependent could qualify under both Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) and the Fry Scholarship for a different sponsor, know that VA generally requires an irrevocable election between the two programs at application. Read the current rules on the application page in Step 3 before submitting, since this choice usually can't be undone.

• Step 4 - If the dependent could qualify under both Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) and the Fry Scholarship for a different sponsor, know that VA generally requires an irrevocable election between the two programs at application. Read the current rules on the application page in Step 3 before submitting, since this choice usually can't be undone.

Step 5 - If you also have Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits you can transfer, the dependent uses VA Form 22-1990e to apply to use the transferred benefit at a specific school instead of Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). Compare the two dollar amounts before choosing; Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) pays a flat monthly rate, while transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill pays tuition plus a housing allowance. See current rate tables at VA.gov: DEA rates and VA.gov: Post-9/11 GI Bill rates.

• Step 5 - If you also have Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits you can transfer, the dependent uses VA Form 22-1990e to apply to use the transferred benefit at a specific school instead of Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). Compare the two dollar amounts before choosing; Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) pays a flat monthly rate, while transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill pays tuition plus a housing allowance. See current rate tables at VA.gov: DEA rates and VA.gov: Post-9/11 GI Bill rates.

Step 6 - Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA, Chapter 35) students now verify enrollment monthly to keep payments flowing. Set a recurring monthly reminder once your dependent is enrolled; the verification prompt and current method are on the program page at VA.gov: Dependents' Educational Assistance.

• Step 6 - Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA, Chapter 35) students now verify enrollment monthly to keep payments flowing. Set a recurring monthly reminder once your dependent is enrolled; the verification prompt and current method are on the program page at VA.gov: Dependents' Educational Assistance.

Step 7 - If your dependent's target school is private, out-of-state, or graduate-level, check whether it participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program (matching funds that cover tuition above the standard cap) at VA.gov: Find a Yellow Ribbon school.

• Step 7 - If your dependent's target school is private, out-of-state, or graduate-level, check whether it participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program (matching funds that cover tuition above the standard cap) at VA.gov: Find a Yellow Ribbon school.

Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge of federal student loans

A Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge is a U.S. Department of Education program, run through Federal Student Aid, that cancels your remaining federal student loan balance if you're rated 100 percent Permanent and Total (P&T), or rated 100 percent through Individual Unemployability (IU). There's no partial version and no lower-rating tier; it's this threshold or nothing. The best part: it can trigger automatically without you filing anything, but that also means it can silently stall if your paperwork doesn't line up. Check it yourself rather than waiting on a letter.

Step 1 - Log into studentaid.gov and check whether you already carry federal student loan debt and whether a Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge is already flagged on your account. The Department of Education runs a data match with the VA on a recurring basis looking for borrowers with a 100 percent Permanent and Total (P&T) or Individual Unemployability (IU) determination on file.

• Step 1 - Log into studentaid.gov and check whether you already carry federal student loan debt and whether a Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge is already flagged on your account. The Department of Education runs a data match with the VA on a recurring basis looking for borrowers with a 100 percent Permanent and Total (P&T) or Individual Unemployability (IU) determination on file.

Step 2 - Confirm your name, Social Security number, and current mailing address match exactly between your loan servicer's records and VA's records. Mismatches or an old address are the single biggest reason this stalls.

• Step 2 - Confirm your name, Social Security number, and current mailing address match exactly between your loan servicer's records and VA's records. Mismatches or an old address are the single biggest reason this stalls.

Step 3 - If you get a notification letter saying you were identified for automatic discharge, read it. You get a 60-day window to opt out before the discharge processes; if you don't want to opt out, you don't have to do anything else. Do not ignore or trash this letter thinking it's spam.

• Step 3 - If you get a notification letter saying you were identified for automatic discharge, read it. You get a 60-day window to opt out before the discharge processes; if you don't want to opt out, you don't have to do anything else. Do not ignore or trash this letter thinking it's spam.

Step 4 - If nothing has been flagged automatically, apply directly. Start the Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) Discharge Application at studentaid.gov: Total and Permanent Disability Discharge, or see the step-by-step at studentaid.gov: How to qualify and apply for TPD discharge.

• Step 4 - If nothing has been flagged automatically, apply directly. Start the Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) Discharge Application at studentaid.gov: Total and Permanent Disability Discharge, or see the step-by-step at studentaid.gov: How to qualify and apply for TPD discharge.

Step 5 - Gather documents: your VA Benefit Summary Letter showing the 100 percent Permanent and Total (P&T) or Individual Unemployability (IU) determination is the standard proof for a veteran applicant.

• Step 5 - Gather documents: your VA Benefit Summary Letter showing the 100 percent Permanent and Total (P&T) or Individual Unemployability (IU) determination is the standard proof for a veteran applicant.

Step 6 - Submit online through the application in Step 4, or upload your signed application and documents via the Document Upload Tool at studentaid.gov (select "Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) Discharge" from the dropdown), or mail to: U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 300010, Greenville, TX 75403, or fax to 540-212-2415.

• Step 6 - Submit online through the application in Step 4, or upload your signed application and documents via the Document Upload Tool at studentaid.gov (select "Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) Discharge" from the dropdown), or mail to: U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 300010, Greenville, TX 75403, or fax to 540-212-2415.

Step 7 - Before you count the forgiven balance as a clean windfall, know the federal tax exclusion on debt discharged through Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge is currently treated as permanent, but state tax treatment varies. If your balance is meaningful, check with a tax professional in your state before assuming it's tax-free everywhere.

• Step 7 - Before you count the forgiven balance as a clean windfall, know the federal tax exclusion on debt discharged through Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge is currently treated as permanent, but state tax treatment varies. If your balance is meaningful, check with a tax professional in your state before assuming it's tax-free everywhere.

VA home loan funding-fee waiver

When you use a VA-backed home loan, VA normally charges a one-time funding fee at closing (a percentage of the loan added to your costs). If you receive VA disability compensation, that fee is waived entirely, which can save you thousands on a purchase or refinance. This is a claimable benefit tied to your rating, and it usually posts automatically, but it can be missed, so it's worth confirming yourself and knowing the refund path if you were charged in error.

Step 1 - Confirm eligibility: veterans receiving (or eligible to receive) VA disability compensation are exempt from the VA home loan funding fee. Read the rule at VA.gov: VA funding fee and loan closing costs.

• Step 1 - Confirm eligibility: veterans receiving (or eligible to receive) VA disability compensation are exempt from the VA home loan funding fee. Read the rule at VA.gov: VA funding fee and loan closing costs.

Step 2 - Get your Certificate of Eligibility (COE), which is the document that tells your lender whether the funding fee applies to you. Request it online at VA.gov: How to request a VA home loan Certificate of Eligibility, and if you need the paper route, use VA Form 26-1880, Request for a Certificate of Eligibility.

• Step 2 - Get your Certificate of Eligibility (COE), which is the document that tells your lender whether the funding fee applies to you. Request it online at VA.gov: How to request a VA home loan Certificate of Eligibility, and if you need the paper route, use VA Form 26-1880, Request for a Certificate of Eligibility.

Step 3 - Have your proof ready: your Benefit Summary Letter showing you receive VA disability compensation. Your lender uses this plus the Certificate of Eligibility to code the loan as exempt so the fee is never charged at closing.

• Step 3 - Have your proof ready: your Benefit Summary Letter showing you receive VA disability compensation. Your lender uses this plus the Certificate of Eligibility to code the loan as exempt so the fee is never charged at closing.

Step 4 - Tell your lender up front, before closing, that you are exempt from the funding fee. Ask them to confirm in writing that the exemption is reflected on your Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure, because catching it before closing is far easier than clawing it back after.

• Step 4 - Tell your lender up front, before closing, that you are exempt from the funding fee. Ask them to confirm in writing that the exemption is reflected on your Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure, because catching it before closing is far easier than clawing it back after.

Step 5 - If you already closed and were charged the funding fee even though your disability claim was pending or approved as of the loan date, you can get it refunded. Contact your lender first, and if that stalls, contact your VA Regional Loan Center; find the current contact route at VA.gov: VA regional loan centers.

• Step 5 - If you already closed and were charged the funding fee even though your disability claim was pending or approved as of the loan date, you can get it refunded. Contact your lender first, and if that stalls, contact your VA Regional Loan Center; find the current contact route at VA.gov: VA regional loan centers.

Special Monthly Compensation (SMC)

Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) is a higher tax-free payment layered on top of your standard 100 percent rate for specific severe losses, like loss of use of a limb, blindness, or needing daily aid and attendance, that the standard 0-to-100 percent rating scale doesn't fully capture. It is triggered by specific medical facts already on your record, not by a percentage, so some veterans already qualify and don't know it.

Step 1 - Review your own VA rating decisions for any of these already-documented conditions: loss or loss of use of a hand, foot, or a creative organ; blindness or severe vision loss; deafness in both ears; need for regular aid and attendance; or being housebound because of a service-connected disability. See the full ladder of triggers at VA.gov: Special Monthly Compensation rates.

• Step 1 - Review your own VA rating decisions for any of these already-documented conditions: loss or loss of use of a hand, foot, or a creative organ; blindness or severe vision loss; deafness in both ears; need for regular aid and attendance; or being housebound because of a service-connected disability. See the full ladder of triggers at VA.gov: Special Monthly Compensation rates.

Step 2 - If you think a condition on file might already qualify but you're not currently receiving a Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) add-on, gather your VA rating decision letters and any medical evidence describing the functional loss (a doctor's statement describing your need for aid and attendance, for example).

• Step 2 - If you think a condition on file might already qualify but you're not currently receiving a Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) add-on, gather your VA rating decision letters and any medical evidence describing the functional loss (a doctor's statement describing your need for aid and attendance, for example).

Step 3 - File a claim for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) using VA Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits, the same general disability-claim form, noting the specific triggering condition and evidence in the claim. Start at VA.gov: File for disability compensation.

• Step 3 - File a claim for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) using VA Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits, the same general disability-claim form, noting the specific triggering condition and evidence in the claim. Start at VA.gov: File for disability compensation.

Step 4 - Because this is a claims action (asking VA to recognize a new or additional entitlement), do this with a free, VA-accredited Veterans Service Officer, not on your own and never with a paid "consultant." Find one at VA.gov: Find a VSO.

• Step 4 - Because this is a claims action (asking VA to recognize a new or additional entitlement), do this with a free, VA-accredited Veterans Service Officer, not on your own and never with a paid "consultant." Find one at VA.gov: Find a VSO.

Step 5 - Ask your VSO specifically whether your existing record supports the anatomical-loss tier, the housebound tier (100 percent plus a separate 60 percent-or-more disability), or a higher tier tied to needing daily personal care. The tiers and current rates are listed at the link in Step 1.

• Step 5 - Ask your VSO specifically whether your existing record supports the anatomical-loss tier, the housebound tier (100 percent plus a separate 60 percent-or-more disability), or a higher tier tied to needing daily personal care. The tiers and current rates are listed at the link in Step 1.

Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) and Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC)

If you're a military retiree who also draws VA disability compensation, federal law normally reduces your retired pay dollar-for-dollar by your VA compensation (the "VA Waiver"). Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) and Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) are the two federal programs that restore some or all of that offset. A 100 percent rating clears the Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) ratings bar easily (the threshold is 50 percent combined), and this section matters only if you are a retiree, not every veteran qualifies.

Step 1 - Confirm you're a retiree: 20-plus years of creditable service (or a qualifying Chapter 61 medical retirement, or a Guard/Reserve retiree age 60-plus drawing retired pay) and currently receiving both retired pay and VA disability compensation.

• Step 1 - Confirm you're a retiree: 20-plus years of creditable service (or a qualifying Chapter 61 medical retirement, or a Guard/Reserve retiree age 60-plus drawing retired pay) and currently receiving both retired pay and VA disability compensation.

Step 2 - Check whether Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) is already showing on your retiree account. It's designed to start automatically once the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) has your 50 percent-or-more VA rating on file; log into myPay at mypay.dfas.mil and check your latest retiree account statement for a Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) line item.

• Step 2 - Check whether Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) is already showing on your retiree account. It's designed to start automatically once the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) has your 50 percent-or-more VA rating on file; log into myPay at mypay.dfas.mil and check your latest retiree account statement for a Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) line item.

Step 3 - If you believe you qualify for Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) and it isn't showing, call DFAS Retired and Annuitant Pay at 800-321-1080 and ask them to review your account.

• Step 3 - If you believe you qualify for Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) and it isn't showing, call DFAS Retired and Annuitant Pay at 800-321-1080 and ask them to review your account.

Step 4 - Separately, if any of your service-connected conditions are combat-related (from armed conflict, hazardous duty like flight or diving, training that simulates war, or an "instrumentality of war" such as a combat vehicle, weapon, or Agent Orange exposure), you may also qualify for Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC), which is tax-free but requires an application and pays only on the combat-related portion of your rating.

• Step 4 - Separately, if any of your service-connected conditions are combat-related (from armed conflict, hazardous duty like flight or diving, training that simulates war, or an "instrumentality of war" such as a combat vehicle, weapon, or Agent Orange exposure), you may also qualify for Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC), which is tax-free but requires an application and pays only on the combat-related portion of your rating.

Step 5 - Gather documents for Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC): your DD Form 214/215, your VA rating decision letters, VA medical records or physician reports tying each condition to a combat-related cause, and any relevant military medical records.

• Step 5 - Gather documents for Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC): your DD Form 214/215, your VA rating decision letters, VA medical records or physician reports tying each condition to a combat-related cause, and any relevant military medical records.

Step 6 - Complete DD Form 2860, Claim for Combat-Related Special Compensation, at DD Form 2860 (PDF), and mail it to your branch of service's Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) office (Army: U.S. Army Human Resources Command, Attn: AHRC-PDP-C (CRSC), 1600 Spearhead Division Avenue, Dept. 480, Fort Knox, KY 40122-5408; Air Force: HQ AFPC/DPPDC, 550 C Street West, Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4708; Navy/Marine Corps: Secretary of the Navy Council of Review Boards, Attn: CRSC Branch, 720 Kennon Street SE, Suite 309, Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5023; Coast Guard: Commander (PSC-PSD-MED), 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20593-7200). Confirm the current mailing or email address for your branch at VA.gov: Combat-Related Special Compensation overview.

• Step 6 - Complete DD Form 2860, Claim for Combat-Related Special Compensation, at DD Form 2860 (PDF), and mail it to your branch of service's Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) office (Army: U.S. Army Human Resources Command, Attn: AHRC-PDP-C (CRSC), 1600 Spearhead Division Avenue, Dept. 480, Fort Knox, KY 40122-5408; Air Force: HQ AFPC/DPPDC, 550 C Street West, Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4708; Navy/Marine Corps: Secretary of the Navy Council of Review Boards, Attn: CRSC Branch, 720 Kennon Street SE, Suite 309, Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5023; Coast Guard: Commander (PSC-PSD-MED), 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20593-7200). Confirm the current mailing or email address for your branch at VA.gov: Combat-Related Special Compensation overview.

Step 7 - File Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) as soon as you can. Filing within 6 years of your VA rating decision preserves your maximum retroactive back-pay window; filing later caps how far back you can be paid.

• Step 7 - File Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) as soon as you can. Filing within 6 years of your VA rating decision preserves your maximum retroactive back-pay window; filing later caps how far back you can be paid.

Step 8 - You can only be paid under Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) or Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) in a given month, not both, for the same offset. Every December, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) mails an Open Season election letter; read it and compare the after-tax value of each program (Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay is taxable, Combat-Related Special Compensation is tax-free) before deciding whether to switch for the coming year.

• Step 8 - You can only be paid under Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) or Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) in a given month, not both, for the same offset. Every December, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) mails an Open Season election letter; read it and compare the after-tax value of each program (Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay is taxable, Combat-Related Special Compensation is tax-free) before deciding whether to switch for the coming year.

VA health care Priority Group 1

VA health care enrollment is separate from your disability claim. Every enrollee gets sorted into one of VA's 8 Priority Groups, which controls how fast you're scheduled and what, if anything, you pay. At 100 percent (schedular or Individual Unemployability) you land in the top tier automatically.

Step 1 - Confirm the rule: a service-connected disability rated 50 percent or more, or a rating of unemployable due to service-connected conditions (Individual Unemployability), places you in Priority Group 1, VA's highest tier, with no copays for outpatient, inpatient, or medication tied to any condition. See VA.gov: Priority groups and VA.gov: Copay rates.

• Step 1 - Confirm the rule: a service-connected disability rated 50 percent or more, or a rating of unemployable due to service-connected conditions (Individual Unemployability), places you in Priority Group 1, VA's highest tier, with no copays for outpatient, inpatient, or medication tied to any condition. See VA.gov: Priority groups and VA.gov: Copay rates.

Step 2 - If you're not already enrolled in VA health care, complete VA Form 10-10EZ, Application for Health Benefits. Apply online at VA.gov: Apply for VA health care (Form 10-10EZ).

• Step 2 - If you're not already enrolled in VA health care, complete VA Form 10-10EZ, Application for Health Benefits. Apply online at VA.gov: Apply for VA health care (Form 10-10EZ).

Step 3 - Alternatives to the online form: call 1-877-222-8387, visit any VA medical facility and ask for the enrollment coordinator, or mail your form to Health Eligibility Center, 2957 Clairmont Road, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30329.

• Step 3 - Alternatives to the online form: call 1-877-222-8387, visit any VA medical facility and ask for the enrollment coordinator, or mail your form to Health Eligibility Center, 2957 Clairmont Road, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30329.

Step 4 - Documents to have ready: your Social Security number, your DD-214 or other discharge paperwork, current insurance information (if any), and your Benefit Summary Letter showing your rating.

• Step 4 - Documents to have ready: your Social Security number, your DD-214 or other discharge paperwork, current insurance information (if any), and your Benefit Summary Letter showing your rating.

Step 5 - Once enrolled, ask specifically to be confirmed as Priority Group 1 at your local VA medical center; this drives your copay exemptions and scheduling priority.

• Step 5 - Once enrolled, ask specifically to be confirmed as Priority Group 1 at your local VA medical center; this drives your copay exemptions and scheduling priority.

Step 6 - At 100 percent (permanent, not a temporary 100 percent rating from something like a lengthy hospital stay), you also become eligible for VA dental Class IV (any needed dental care). Ask your VA medical center's dental clinic to confirm this eligibility once enrolled; see VA.gov: Dental care.

• Step 6 - At 100 percent (permanent, not a temporary 100 percent rating from something like a lengthy hospital stay), you also become eligible for VA dental Class IV (any needed dental care). Ask your VA medical center's dental clinic to confirm this eligibility once enrolled; see VA.gov: Dental care.

Step 7 - If your nearest VA facility is far away or has a long wait, ask your VA care team about a community care referral; VA has published drive-time and wait-time standards (roughly 30 minutes or 20 days for primary and mental health care, 60 minutes or 28 days for specialty care) that can qualify you to see a civilian provider paid by VA. See VA.gov: Community care eligibility.

• Step 7 - If your nearest VA facility is far away or has a long wait, ask your VA care team about a community care referral; VA has published drive-time and wait-time standards (roughly 30 minutes or 20 days for primary and mental health care, 60 minutes or 28 days for specialty care) that can qualify you to see a civilian provider paid by VA. See VA.gov: Community care eligibility.

Commissary and exchange shopping privileges

Veterans certified by VA as 100 percent disabled in connection with military service (this includes Medal of Honor recipients and, since a 2020 expansion, veterans with any service-connected disability rating, along with Purple Heart recipients and former prisoners of war) can shop at military commissaries and exchanges, and use Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) retail facilities, the same as active-duty families.

Step 1 - Confirm you don't need to apply for this one; it's an access privilege tied to your existing VA rating, not a separate benefit application.

• Step 1 - Confirm you don't need to apply for this one; it's an access privilege tied to your existing VA rating, not a separate benefit application.

Step 2 - Get the right ID before you go: either your Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) or a copy of your VA benefit letter showing your disability rating, along with a state-issued photo ID (driver's license or passport).

• Step 2 - Get the right ID before you go: either your Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) or a copy of your VA benefit letter showing your disability rating, along with a state-issued photo ID (driver's license or passport).

Step 3 - If you don't yet have a Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC), request one through your VA health care enrollment (see the VA health care section above); it's issued once you're enrolled.

• Step 3 - If you don't yet have a Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC), request one through your VA health care enrollment (see the VA health care section above); it's issued once you're enrolled.

Step 4 - At the installation gate or facility entrance, present your Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) or VA letter plus photo ID; most installations can verify eligibility on the spot. Confirm current entry requirements for the specific installation you plan to visit before driving out, since gate procedures vary by base.

• Step 4 - At the installation gate or facility entrance, present your Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) or VA letter plus photo ID; most installations can verify eligibility on the spot. Confirm current entry requirements for the specific installation you plan to visit before driving out, since gate procedures vary by base.

Step 5 - For questions on eligibility or documentation, see VA.gov: Commissary and exchange privileges for veterans.

• Step 5 - For questions on eligibility or documentation, see VA.gov: Commissary and exchange privileges for veterans.

Property tax relief (state-run)

Many states cut or fully eliminate property tax on the home of a 100 percent Permanent and Total (P&T) veteran, but this is run entirely by your state and county, not the federal government, so the rules, forms, and deadlines are different everywhere. We've built a full state-by-state guide so you don't have to hunt for your own state's rule.

Step 1 - Go to Benefits by State and find your state's page for the exact rating threshold, the size of the break, the form, and your county's filing deadline.

• Step 1 - Go to Benefits by State and find your state's page for the exact rating threshold, the size of the break, the form, and your county's filing deadline.

Step 2 - Bring the same Benefit Summary Letter from the top of this guide; nearly every county asks for it as proof of your rating and Permanent and Total (P&T) status.

• Step 2 - Bring the same Benefit Summary Letter from the top of this guide; nearly every county asks for it as proof of your rating and Permanent and Total (P&T) status.

Print-and-take checklist

☐ Downloaded my Benefit Summary and Service Verification Letter from VA.gov: Download VA letters, with combined rating, service-connected status, and Permanent and Total (P&T) boxes checked.

☐ CHAMPVA: confirmed my family isn't already on TRICARE, gathered dependent documents, and filed VA Form 10-10d at VA.gov: Apply for CHAMPVA.

☐ Education: filed VA Form 22-5490 for my spouse or child's Dependents' Educational Assistance (Chapter 35) or Fry Scholarship at VA.gov: Apply for DEA/Fry, and checked whether transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill or Yellow Ribbon pays more.

☐ Student loans: logged into studentaid.gov to check my Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge status, and confirmed my name, Social Security number, and address match VA's records.

☐ VA home loan: got my Certificate of Eligibility at VA.gov: Request a COE and told my lender in writing that I'm exempt from the funding fee (or requested a refund if I was charged in error).

☐ Special Monthly Compensation (SMC): reviewed my rating decisions for any already-documented losses (limb, vision, hearing, aid and attendance) and, if found, started a claim with a free accredited VSO.

☐ If I'm a military retiree: checked my myPay retiree account for a Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) line item, and if any condition is combat-related, filed DD Form 2860 with my branch's Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) office.

☐ VA health care: enrolled (or confirmed enrollment) with VA Form 10-10EZ at VA.gov: Apply for VA health care and confirmed I'm coded Priority Group 1.

☐ Requested my Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) for commissary and exchange access.

☐ Property tax: visited Benefits by State for my state's exact form, threshold, and county deadline.

This guide is education only. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or a substitute for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, the Department of Education, or any other government agency, and it is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules, rates, forms, and deadlines change; always verify at the official source linked above before you rely on it. If anything here touches filing or increasing your underlying VA disability claim or rating, that is claims work, and it is free through a VA-accredited Veterans Service Officer. Never pay anyone a fee to file or increase a claim, and never let anyone charge for help with CHAMPVA, Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA), Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge, the VA home loan funding-fee waiver, Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP), Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC), or VA health care enrollment either; these are all free, self-service federal processes. Be especially alert to "pension poaching": unaccredited people or companies who charge fees, push you toward moving money into trusts or annuities, or offer a lump-sum "buyout" of your future VA payments in order to qualify you for a benefit or to "help" with paperwork. Report suspected fraud to the VA Office of Inspector General hotline at va.gov/oig/hotline or by calling 1-800-827-1000.

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