Veteran Benefits in Illinois
Illinois VA benefits are available under the state Department of Veterans Affairs and include services related to employment, education, scholarships, grants and tuition waivers.
Other veterans benefits include housing, application assistance, burial benefits and compensation. Furthermore, federal veterans administration benefits include health care services, pensions and life insurance. Additional federal veterans assistance programs include home loans, mortgage support and housing grants. To learn more about benefits for veterans in IL and how to obtain veterans benefits by state agencies, review the information below.
Disability Benefits for Veterans in Illinois
Eligible servicemembers may apply for federal VA disability pay in Illinois, including Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) or Special Monthly Compensation (SMC). Other VA disability benefits include general compensation.
To make DIC VA disability claims, applicants must complete VA Form 21-534EZ, or Form 21-2680 to apply for SMC. To apply for VA disability compensation, claimants must complete Form 21-526EZ. However, federal disabled veterans benefits are available under the state Department of Veterans Affairs.
Disabled veteran benefits in IL include the following:
- World War II Bonus Payment
- Korean Bonus Payment
- Vietnam Bonus Payment
- Persian Gulf Bonus Payment
- Global War on Terrorism Bonus Payment
- POW Compensation
To apply for VA disability benefits, veterans must complete an Application for Compensation (IL Form 497-0473) and submit the form along with an Armed Forces Certificate. Servicemembers must mail applications to the following address:
Department of Veterans' Affairs P.O. Box 19432 833 South Spring Street Springfield, Illinois 62794-9432
Additionally, VA life insurance is available to eligible servicemembers and their families. Life insurance for veterans include the following policies:
- Service-Disabled Veterans’ Insurance (S-DVI) – complete VA Form 29-4364
- Veterans’ Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI) – complete VA Form 29-8636
- Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) – complete Form SGLV 8286
- Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection (TSGLI) – complete Form SGLV 8600
Note: Other veterans life insurance policies include Family Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (FSGLI) and Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI). To apply for FSGLI, claimants must complete Form SGLV 8286A or Form SGLV 8714 to apply for VGLI.
Health Insurance Benefits for Veterans in Illinois
Servicemembers may apply for VA health care under the Veterans Administration Health Care System. Under VA health insurance, patients receive basic medical services, inpatient and outpatient procedures, prescription medications, mental health treatments and specialty care for women veterans.
To apply for VA medical benefits in Illinois, eligible applicants must enroll online, in person at a veteran health care facility, by telephone at 1-877-222-8387, or by completing an application for VA health care eligibility (Form 10-10EZ) and submitting the application to the address below:
Health Eligibility Center 2957 Clairmont Road, Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30329-1647
Note: Local veterans health insurance benefits include the Veterans Care Program and the Illinois Warrior Assistance Program. To learn more about the Care Program, servicemembers must visit a local veteran service office (VSO) or they may call 1-866-554-4927 to learn more about the Warrior Assistance Program.
Pension Benefits for Veterans in Illinois
Servicemembers may apply for VA pension benefits in IL if they are financially needy and meet other eligibility requirements, including disability or age qualifications. Available VA pension programs include the Aid and Attendance (A&A) program and Housebound payments.
To apply for veterans pension through these programs, claimants must submit medical evidence to the Pension Management Center (PMC) at the address below:
Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Intake Center Attention: Milwaukee Pension Center P. O. Box 5192 Janesville, WI 53547-5192
Additional veterans pension benefits are available to qualifying servicemembers and their eligible family members. Claimants may apply for the veterans pension program by completing Form 21P-527EZ or 21P-534EZ when applying for survivors benefits.
Housing Benefits for Veterans in Illinois
Illinois VA housing benefits are available to eligible veterans in need of skilled nursing care. Under the veterans housing assistance program, servicemembers receive access to Veterans’ Homes, including the facilities at Quincy, LaSalle, Anna, Manteno and Chicago.
However, these VA housing assistance programs are only available to applicants who pass background checks through the State Police and the state Department of Corrections.
The residential veteran housing programs at Manteno is available to disabled and homeless veterans.
Additional housing assistance for veterans in Illinois includes property tax exemptions such as the Returning Veterans’ Homestead Exemption, Disabled Vets Standard Homestead Exemptions, Specially Adapted Housing Tax Exemption and the Tax Exemption for Mobile Homes. To apply for these VA housing exemptions, military members must contact their local VSO.
Furthermore, the state works to reduce VA foreclosures by providing them with resources for mortgage assistance. To prevent VA home loan assistance, veterans may contact the state’s Hardest Hit Fund at 855-873-7405, or they may call 312-836-5200 to receive mortgage counseling.
Veterans may reduce current VA mortgage rates by taking advantage of the programs under the state’s Housing Development Authority. These programs include HomeIllinois, 1stHomeIllinois, I-Refi and Financial Literacy and Pre-Purchase Counseling. Alternately, veterans may apply for a federal va home loan rates if they meet eligibility requirements.
Education Benefits for Veterans in Illinois
Illinois VA education benefits include opportunities for schooling, financial aid, scholarships for veterans and grants. Available veteran scholarships and grants include the following:
- Certhahauh.Educational Opportunities for Children Ages 10-18 (Form 497-0002)
- MIA/POW Scholarship (Form 497-0472)
- Illinois Veterans’ Grant
- Illinois National Guard Grant
- Making Military Training Count
- Children of Veterans Scholarship
- Work Study Opportunities
Additionally, veterans may apply for veterans education benefits under the GI bill (VA Form 22-1990). To receive post 911 GI bill benefits, veterans must submit an Application for Education Benefits to the following address:
VA Regional Office P. O. Box 32432 St. Louis, MO 63132-0832
Note: Veterans applying for Montgomery GI bill benefits or payments under the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Education Assistance Program (VEAP) may also use Form 22-1990.
Employment Benefits for Veterans in Illinois
Illinois VA employment benefits are available to eligible servicemembers after they leave the military. These veteran employment benefits include preference for federal VA jobs or state employment with Central Management Services (CMS).
Additional VA employment services are available, including jobs for vets, a program under the state Department of Employment Security (IDES). Federal veteran employment services include access to the federal Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program.
Funeral Benefits for Veterans in Illinois
Veterans death benefits in IL include burial assistance with plot/internment allowances at national VA cemeteries. Additional VA death benefits include grave registration, a headstone and burial flag, and cartage and erection fees.
In addition to these VA burial benefits, bereavement counseling is available to the surviving family members of veterans who die while serving on active duty.
Very low-income families may apply for veterans burial benefits of up to $900. To learn more about the burial benefit, contact a local VSO.