Family Transfer Benefits Good for Up to Fifteen Years or More

Thinking about transfering your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to your younger children? According to 3.d.2.d (page 16) of this report of transferability guidelines, your child:

• May only start using the benefits after the military personnel has completed ten years of service.
• May not use the benefits until they have received a high school diploma (or equivalent), or reached 18 years of age.
• May use the benefits even after 15 years has passed, but may not use the benefits after 26 years of age.

Twenty-six years is not a random number; with medical school or a PhD averaging eight years, this lets a dependent apply the Post 9/11 GI Bill in the postsecondary education range of eight years.

If you are transferring benefits to your spouse, the rules indicate as follows:

• May start using the benefits after the military personnel has completed six years of service, and agreed to serve another four years.
• Is subject to the same 15-year restriction as the service member.

This means that after the benefits are transferred to the spouse, you effectively must use them within fifteen years or lose them!

The Veterans Benefits GI Bill is prepared to answer questions considering family transferability. You may contact the Department of Defense or the Department of Veteran Affairs at 1-888-GI-BILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) for more official information on the Post 9/11 GI Bill.