Members of the military have a lot
of special financial challenges that most people don’t encounter. However, they have access to many special benefits, tax breaks and legal protections that can make a huge difference in their families’ personal finances.
Kiplinger provides the 10 of the top financial benefits available to servicemembers and how to make the most of them to improve your family’s financial future.
Minor children of a retired parent are eligible to receive Social Security benefits. According to the Social Security Administration, in 2017, Social Security Administration distributed an average of $2.6 billion each month to benefit about 4.2 million children because one or both of their parents are disabled, retired, or deceased. Those dollars help to provide the necessities of life for family members and help make it possible for those children to complete high school.
Children up to 18, or 19 if they are full-time students and have not graduated from high school, are eligible to receive benefits.
Your children will each get one-half of your entitled full retirement benefit. However, the Social Security Administration limits the total benefits your family receives. If you have multiple children, the total amount they can get cannot exceed 150 to 180 percent of your retirement benefit.
Biological or adopted children or stepchildren can be eligible for Social Security benefits. To receive them, the child must meet the following criteria:
How to Receive Benefits
You must apply in person. First, the family must present the child’s birth certificate, the parents’ Social Security numbers, and the child’s Social Security number. There may be additional documents required, as well.
A few months before the retiring parent reaches retirement age, he should call the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213 to apply for retirement benefits. The parent must provide his Social Security number, his birth certificate, the Social Security number of each dependent child, each child’s birth record and a bank routing number so checks can be electronically deposited.
Veterans may be eligible for care through a provider in their local community depending on their health care needs or circumstances, and if they meet specific eligibility criteria. Even if a Veteran is eligible for community care, they generally still have the option to receive care from a VA medical facility.
In most cases, Veterans must receive approval from VA before receiving care from a community provider to avoid being billed for the care. VA staff members generally make all eligibility determinations for community care.
Eligibility
A Veteran’s eligibility for community care depends on his/her individual health care needs or circumstances. Please note the following about eligibility for community care:
https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/programs/veterans/General_Care.asp#Eligibility
From August 14 to 16, the anniversary of the landing in Provence near Théoule sur Mer.
Theoule-sur-Mer was the only point in the Alpes-Maritimes where troops reach land during the Landing in Provence. On August 15, 1944, allied forces landed on the tip of the Esquillon to liberate the region. To commemorate this historic feat of arms on August 14 to 16 and to honour the memory of those killed and the courage of all those who fought for freedom.
On the morning of August 15, 1944, between Cavalaire and Saint-Raphaël, begins the Operation Dragoon, codename of the landing in Provence, complementary to that of June 6 in Normandy (Operation Overlord).
On August 15, shortly after midnight, Colonel Walker’s “First Special Service Force” neutralizes the batteries on Hyères islands, while African commandos, led by Colonel Bouvet, reach the coast near the Cap Negre and overtake it.
Commander Seriot’s Naval Assault Group, arrived at the tip of Esquillon near Theoule sur Mer, faces the minefield in Trayas and fights hard.
Blue Water Navy Veterans and survivors who filed compensation claims in January and February 2020 have so far received over $140 million in retroactive benefits. This information can be found in a new monthly report published on the 10th business day of each month to inform Veterans and other stakeholders about BWN claims decisions.
These figures show the latest results from VA directly acting upon the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veteran Act of 2019 that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2020.
The BWN Act extends the presumption of herbicide exposure, such as Agent Orange, to Veterans who served in the offshore waters of the Republic of Vietnam between Jan. 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, as well as Veterans who served in the Korean Demilitarized Zone between Sept. 1, 1967, and Aug. 31, 1971. Prior to this law, only Veterans who served on the ground in Vietnam or within Vietnam’s inland waterways were eligible to receive disability compensation based on a presumption of herbicide exposure.
How to file
Filing a claim for BWN benefits is a straightforward process. Veterans who wish to file an initial claim for an herbicide-related disability that have not been previously decided by VA can use VA Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits, online at https://www.va.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim.
However, BWN Veterans who were previously denied will be able to reapply using VA Form 20-0995, Decision Review Request: Supplemental Claim. As of Jan. 1, VA began processing BWN claims that were stayed in the VA review process or under appeal.
Survivors and dependents who have never filed a claim but want to file a claim now can use VA Form 21P-534EZ. Survivors and dependents who have been previously denied a Dependency and Indemnity claim and want to file another claim now can use VA Form 20-0995. For additional Dependency and Indemnity claims information, visit https://www.va.gov/disability/dependency-indemnity-compensation.
Retired Military Veteran Life and Wellness 