Veteran Benefits in South Carolina
Veterans may apply for South Carolina VA benefits through the state’s Division of Veterans’ Affairs, a local agency connecting servicemembers to the many benefits available to them. These veterans benefits include support and application assistance, professional nursing home care, burial allowances and hardship grants.
Other veterans administration benefits are available to help servicemembers acquire gainful employment or educational opportunities. Additional veterans assistance is available under the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). These benefits for veterans include disability compensation, scholarships, health insurance, and pension programs. To learn more about the veterans benefits administration, review the sections below.
Disability Benefits for Veterans in South Carolina
Eligible service members may obtain VA disability pay in South Carolina through Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), general disability benefits, or Special Monthly Compensation (SMC).
To apply for VA disability benefits, veterans must complete an Application for DIC, Death Pension, and/or Accrued Benefits (Form 21-534EZ), or they must complete an Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits (Form 21-526EZ) to apply for general benefits.
To make VA disability claims through the SMC program, veterans must complete Form 21-2680.
Service members may apply for VA life insurance policies to help protect their surviving dependents in addition to claiming disability benefits. Available policies include the following:
- Service-Disabled Veterans’ Life (S-DVI)
- Veterans’ Mortgage Life (VMLI)
- Veterans’ Group Life (VGLI)
- Servicemembers’ Group Life (SGLI)
- Family Servicemembers’ Group Life (FSGLI)
- Servicemembers’ Group Life Traumatic Injury Protection (TSGLI)
Note: To receive assistance in obtaining veterans life insurance in South Carolina, military members may contact the state Division of Veterans’ Affairs at 803-734-0200.
Health Insurance Benefits for Veterans in South Carolina
Service members who meet South Carolina VA health care qualifications may apply for health insurance online, in person, by mail or by telephone. To apply for VA health insurance by telephone, veterans must call 1-877-222-8387.
To apply for VA medical benefits by mail, service members must complete an Application for Health Care (Form 10-10EZ) and mail it to the following address:
Health Eligibility Center 2957 Clairmont Road, Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30329-1647
Alternately, servicemembers may obtain SC veterans health insurance in person at a VA medical facility.
After military members apply for health insurance for veterans, they receive coverage for the following services:
- Preventative and emergency health care
- Exams
- Immunizations
- Surgeries
- Prescription medications
- Diagnostic services
- Routine eye exams
- Extended nursing home care
Note: To learn more about health insurance options for veterans, contact 1-877-222-8387 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Pension Benefits for Veterans in South Carolina
Low-income veterans may apply for a VA pension in South Carolina, including tax-free survivors benefits, Aid and Attendance (A&E) or Housebound allowances. To apply for a veterans pension, service members must complete VA Form 21P-527EZ, or Form 21P-534EZ to apply for survivors benefits.
To apply for VA pension benefits under the A&A or Housebound program, claimants must submit a physician’s report to the Pension Management Center (PMC) at the following address:
Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Intake Center Attn: Philadelphia Pension Center P.O. Box 5206 Janesville, WI 53547-5206
Additional veterans pension benefits are also available through the Military Family Relief Fund (SCMFRF). Grants include the Status-Based Grant ($500), Need-Based Grant (up to $2,000) and Casualty-Based Grant ($1,000).
To apply for any of these three grants, servicemembers must complete a South Carolina Military Family Relief Fund Application (SCMFRF Form 1) and mail it to the following address:
SC Division of Veterans' Affairs Attn: SCMFRF Coordinator 1205 Pendleton Street, Ste. 463 Columbia, SC 29201
Housing Benefits for Veterans in South Carolina
South Carolina VA housing benefits include long-term nursing care at state Veterans’ Homes, affordable home loans, and property tax exemptions.
To apply for veterans housing assistance through any of the three Veterans’ Homes in Columbia, Walterboro or Anderson, patients must contact their local Veterans Affairs officer, or they may contact the facility directly using the telephone numbers below.
- E. Roy Stone Veterans’ Pavilion: 803-737-5301
- Veterans’ Victory House: 843-538-3000
- Richard Michael Campbell Veterans’ Nursing Home: 864-261-6734
Additional VA housing assistance includes property tax homestead exemptions for servicemembers with disabilities, or homeowners who are older than 65 years of age. To learn more about the exemption, veterans must contact their county’s tax office.
VA home loan options, mortgage servicing assistance, and Specially Adapted Housing Grants are also available to eligible veterans. To learn more about VA home loan rates or to receive financial counseling, contact the Loan Guaranty Office at 1-877-827-3702.
Education Benefits for Veterans in South Carolina
Federal and South Carolina VA education benefits are available to eligible servicemembers and their dependents. Scholarships for veterans in SC are available through federal programs and include tuition waivers and apprenticeship opportunities.
The GI bill and its variants, such as the post 911 GI bill, help veterans pay for most or all of their educational expenses. The Montgomery GI bill also provides similar types of educational benefits.
To apply for VA GI bill benefits, veterans must complete an Application for Education Benefits (VA Form 22-1990). The following represents some of the educational assistance programs available to veterans in South Carolina:
- The Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
- The Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship
- The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA)
Additional benefits include free tuition for the children of certain war veterans. To apply for these benefits, students must complete an Application for Tuition Assistance for Certain War Veterans’ Children. To learn more about the program, contact 803-647-2434.
Employment Benefits for Veterans in South Carolina
Service members seeking South Carolina VA jobs assistance have access to many resources as they transition into the workforce.
To help applicants find jobs for veterans, the VA offers programs such as Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E), the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), and on-the-job training (OJT) and apprenticeships.
Additional veteran jobs benefits include access to the VA’s online employment center under the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).
Funeral Benefits for Veterans in South Carolina
South Carolina VA death benefits include burial at the M.J. “Dolly” Cooper Veterans Cemetery in Anderson. Additional VA burial benefits include the gravesite, government headstone, flag and a Presidential Memorial Certificate.
To pre-qualify for these veterans death benefits, servicemembers must complete an M.J. “Dolly” Cooper Veterans Cemetery Eligibility Pre-Certification Application and submit it by mail to the following address:
M.J. "Dolly" Cooper Veterans Cemetery 140 Inway Drive Anderson, SC 29621
These burial benefits are available to eligible servicemembers and their spouses. In some cases, however, the cemetery may allow for the interment of dependent children as well.