Have you heard of these 5 "need to know" GI Bill facts?

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There are 5 facts you must know if you plan on using your GI Bill benefits to help make the process easier.

1) You have 15 years to use your GI Bill benefits.

From the moment you separate from the service, you have about 15 years to use all of your benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. If, at any point, you rejoin active-duty in the service for another 90 days, your 15-year deadline starts over from your newest discharge date.

2) The GI Bill is not Federal Financial Aid.

In the traditional sense, the GI Bill is not considered Financial Aid. Depending on the type of GI Bill Benefit portions of the benefit may be paid directly to the beneficiary. If you are using any benefit other than Post 9/11, those monies are paid directly to the beneficiary and then beneficiary is responsible to pay the tuition to the school or training facility. If you are using Post 9/1, the tuition portion of the benefit is paid directly to the school or training facility and the beneficiary receives the book striped and the housing allowance. For more information on GI Bill eligibility, click here.

3) You can use the GI Bill as you see fit.

Many people think that once you apply for the GI Bill benefits, you have to remain enrolled in school in order to take advantage of the full benefit. Fortunately, that’s not true. You can work at your own pace – Take time off and re-apply to use it again at a later date. To find out how to apply today, click here.

4) A "month" of benefits doesn't necessarily mean a month.

The GI Bill benefit offers 36 months of education benefits and depending on your status with the service, the term "month" can mean different periods of time.

For Veterans:

Every time you use the current maximum "payment rate" of MGIB benefits, you use a month of your 36 months of benefits. In this example a "month" isn’t full a month.

Here is what the VA says:

"If you are a veteran and you receive $5,284, and your full-time MGIB rate is $1,321, divide $5,284 by $1,321. Your entitlement charge is four months.

Active duty:

If you are on active duty and you go to school full-time for four months, but your tuition is only $1,000, you will still be charged for four months of your 36 month entitlement. In this example a "month" actually does mean a full month.

5) The GI Bill pays based on the number of credits you register.

The GI Bill payment rates are based on multiple factors - The Post-9/11 GI Bill’s main factor is the number of months served on active duty and the number of credits pursued. For more details, find all of our Post-9/11 GI Bill information here and get started using your benefits today!