Understanding GI Bill Transferability: How to Transfer Education Benefits to Family Members

The Veterans Administration provides several benefits to Servicemembers and Veterans, as well as their families. One of the more popular benefits is the “GI Bill,” a piece of legislation that provides military personnel with educational opportunities, including full tuition reimbursement and materials funding in some cases, depending upon the type and length of service. Not only that, but these benefits also extend to the Servicemember’s family and, in some cases, allow for the transference of educational benefits to someone other than the Servicemember, provided they qualify and meet eligibility requirements.

What is GI Bill Transferability?

The Servicemen Readjustment Act of 1944, more commonly referred to as the “GI Bill,” is legislation that provides financial assistance to Veterans and Servicemembers, allowing them to pursue job training, education, and certification with the purpose of helping military personnel to readjust to civilian life after military service. By assisting Servicemembers and Veterans in their education after their service, the military provides a valuable resource for those who took an oath to defend the country, completed their service, and now must forge a new life for themselves outside of the military. Of course, these benefits can also be used while the Servicemember is in the military, but they are most commonly used after service. Its main benefit is to fund college tuition, provide employment counseling, and assist military families in bettering their lives through education. The GI Bill is considered a significant factor in increasing the number of college-educated Americans following World War II and continues to provide the service even today. Read more about the overall GI Bill in this article.

In the years that followed its implementation, the Veterans Administration recognized the role of families in supporting military personnel and extended the benefits to certain eligible dependents and family members of Veterans through a concept known as “transferability.” However, not everyone, including those in the military, fully understands the GI Bill transferability. Essentially, the GI Bill allows military members to transfer any unused education benefits to qualifying immediate family members instead, such as transferring GI Bill to a spouse. The GI Bill is transferable to dependents as well. If the Servicemember does not intend to use the educational benefits, but has a spouse or a child that does, they can transfer these benefits to that recipient.

Who is Eligible for GI Bill Transferability?

The ability to transfer your benefits is indeed a wonderful feature of the GI Bill, but it comes with limitations. To begin with, both the Servicemember and the recipient of the benefits must qualify and meet eligibility requirements for the transfer. For the Servicemember to be eligible, they must meet the following qualifications:

• Be on active duty or in the selective reserve.
• Complete at least six years of service.
• Agreed to serve an additional four years.
• Meet the eligibility requirements for the portion of the G.I. Bill they intend to apply for.
• The Servicemember must submit a transfer request while they are still on active duty.
• The Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) must have a record of the benefit recipient.
• The recipient must be a spouse, dependent child, or stepchild of the Servicemember.

The recipient of the benefits will only receive the benefits their own sponsoring Servicemember would have received themselves. This might differ between rank and branch, length of time and service, and a variety of other factors. Some Veterans might not actually be eligible for certain GI Bill benefits, at which point the potential recipient of the GI Bill transferable benefits would also not receive them. GI Bill transferability is heavily dependent upon many factors, so if you have questions about your eligibility, be sure to contact your local regional VA office and speak to a representative.

How to Transfer Benefits to a Dependent or Spouse

Thankfully, having the benefits of the GI Bill transferable to dependents is actually a straightforward process.

1. First, request a Transfer of Education Benefits (TEB) while you are still on active duty or in the selective reserve. You can request the TEB through the MilConnect website.
2. You must confirm your eligibility for the GI Bill benefits transfer during this process, which includes completing six years of service, committing to four additional years of service, and enrolling the beneficiary in the DEERS system.
3. Submit the application and wait for the Department of Defense to approve or deny the transfer.
4. Once the approval comes through, the recipient then applies online at the Veterans Affairs website by completing VA Form 22-1990E and either uploading it to the website or mailing it to the VA regional processing office.
5. Wait for the VA to send a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to the recipient, which they will then provide to the school they intend to attend.
6. The VA sends tuition funds directly to the school.

While the VA does not set any deadlines for transferring GI benefits to a recipient, it’s important to note that the school you intend to attend may have its own deadlines for paperwork and submissions, as well as its own requirements before admitting a student with VA benefits for tuition. Not every institution meets GI bill transferability requirements. It might also be best to question the admissions department about the GI B bill transferable to dependents or G.I. benefits to spouse acceptance before you apply.

Can You Change or Revoke GI Bill Transferability Once Approved?

Although it does not happen often, occasionally problems arise in which the Servicemember might decide to deny or revoke transfer GI Bill benefits to a recipient once the process has already been completed. Perhaps the couple is divorcing, or perhaps the Servicemember decides to pursue education himself after already transferring benefits to someone else. In any case, rescinding GI Bill benefits once transferred to another individual necessitates a second transfer of education benefits back to the Servicemember, and only unused benefits are GI Bill transferable. The Servicemember must modify or cancel the Transfer of Entitlement (TOE), which they can do at any time after completing the transfer of benefits to someone else. The milConnect platform typically manages changes to these transfer benefits. However, it’s crucial to understand that the spouse or dependent cannot revoke the transferred benefits once they begin to use them. Only unused education benefits qualify for this process. In this case, the Veteran would only get back any unused benefits. There are no fees for this action.

Frequently Asked Questions about GI Bill Transferability

The VA is competent at answering questions about GI Bill transferability, but if you still have questions about your existing GI Bill benefits and any G.I. Bill transferable benefits, consider the following frequently asked questions: