The HEART Act

The Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008 (The HEART Act) provides tax and pension benefits to Service members who are disabled while on active duty for more than 30 days and to their Survivors if they die on active duty.

The HEART Act requires employers and sponsors of qualified defined benefit and defined contribution plans, such as 403(b) arrangements, and section 457(b) education plans to treat Service members as being reemployed by the sponsor company for purposes of entitlement. The purpose of this is to provide Service members and their Survivors for benefits they may not otherwise have been entitled for.

The benefits of the HEART Act depend on the specific benefits of the employer's plan documents and may include:

Accelerated vesting in retirement plans
Additional life insurance benefits
Survivor benefits, such as investment of Death Gratuity and Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) payments into Roth IRAs and Coverdell education savings accounts without ordinary limitations

Benefits Facts

TSGLI

Traumatic Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance provides a one-time, lump-sum, tax-free payment to Wounded Warriors who qualify.

Benefits Facts

G.I. Bill

The Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) provides up to 36 months of education benefits to eligible Service members and Veterans for programs such as: college, business, technical, or vocational school; apprenticeship / on-the-job training; correspondence courses; remedial, deficiency, and refresher training (in some cases); and flight training. You usually have 10 years to use your MGIB benefits, but the time limit can be fewer or more years depending on the situation.

Benefits Facts

DTAP

The Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program (DoD TAP) provides job assistance and separation counseling services for Soldiers and their Families during the transition away from active service.

Benefits Facts

Dual TRICARE and VA

When leaving active duty, Service members may be entitled to or eligible for benefits offered by TRICARE and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), depending on whether the Service member retires or separates.

Benefits Facts

CRDP

Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay is the gradual restoration of the retired pay currently being offset by VA disability pay.

Benefits Facts

ACS

Army Community Service helps Soldiers and Families by providing vital services and information during war and peace.

Benefits Facts

CYS

The Army Child and Youth Services (CYS) provides affordable childcare programs for Army Families. Costs are typically based on Family income. Programs range from daycare facilities to sports and fitness programs.

Benefits Facts

Deployment Support

Mobilization, Deployment and Stability Support Operations' mission is to provide training, information and assistance to Soldiers, Civilians and their Families to maintain individual readiness throughout the entire deployment cycle. Deployment and Mobilization provides guidance, resources and training for all; Soldiers, Civilians and their Families; to include parents, Family Readiness Group members, Rear Detachment cadre and ACS/Reserve staff throughout the Army Deployment and Mobilization cycle. Whether supporting deploying units by providing pre-deployment information and material to Soldiers, Civilians and their Families; to providing reintegration and RESET training as they reconstitute their Family unit, the Mobilization and Deployment Team is there to provide support.

Benefits Facts

TSP

Benefits Facts

SCRA

The Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act provides Soldiers important rights that cover issues such as rental agreements, eviction, credit card and mortgage interest rates, and more.

Benefit News

Stay up to date

05/19/2020

TRICARE Revises Telehealth Policy to Respond to COVID-19

Falls Church, VA, May 19, 2020 - To improve virtual access to health care during COVID-19, TRICARE recently revised its policy on telehealth services. This temporarily allows you access to care more easily during the constraints of the pandemic. These changes will remain for the duration of the stateside public health emergency. They may be in place overseas beyond the U.S. national emergency end date, based on local conditions.

05/15/2020

VA, multiple agencies launch Joint Mortgage and Housing Assistance website for Americans impacted by COVID-19

WASHINGTON, May 15, 2020 - To ensure homeowners and renters have current and accurate housing assistance information during the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today, along with several other agencies, launched a new unified mortgage and housing assistance website.