Getting Help From Military Friendly Schools On Your GI Bill Status

By Michael Considine

If you are a veteran are you taking full advantage of your GI Bill?

Do you know the differences between the new Post-9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery Bill? Do you know which one you qualify for, and if both do you know which one is best for your educational needs?

The responses to these questions are important since they will be an irrevocable choice of your benefits. Since you clearly want to end up with the highest amount of financial aid that you can, you need to think carefully about which way you are going to go.

Here are some of the differences between the two Bills.

The Post-9/11 Bill pays for tuition and fees (paid to the school), not greater than charged by the most expensive state Institution of Higher Education in the state you are attending classes.

Under this Bill you also are entitled to a monthly housing allowance. The payments are based on the housing allowance for an E-5 with dependents and the zip code of the location of the school you will be attending.

Eligible candidates can receive stipends up to $1,000 for textbooks, in addition to $500 to cover qualified candidate's relocation costs.

For full-time students with at least three years of active service, the Montgomery GI bill provides a hassle-free monthly allowance ($1,321 at press time).

Although a cursory glance would suggest that the Post-9/11 bill would give you the most money, individuals who qualify for both bills needs to examine their school's tuition and fees before making a decision.

It is important to speak to an adviser at your school before making a choice. He or she will help you choose the option that will provide you with the most money. Once you make a decision, you can't change your mind. Before you can figure this out, you will need to determine what your housing expenses are, as well as what your Post-9/11 option will be (based on your school's zip code).

This all becomes much easier if you are dealing with Military friendly schools that have staff that understand the GI Bill benefits and can help you work out the numbers to you advantage.

If you are a veteran you earned these benefits by serving your country, and should take full advantage of the best option for you and your family.

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