North Carolina Veteran Benefits
Veterans living in North Carolina can take advantage of a variety of state and VA benefits. These benefits can include education assistance, job training programs, healthcare services, and financial support. The amount and type of benefits that are available vary depending on your service history and eligibility.
It’s important to understand what benefits you are eligible for so you can take full advantage of all the resources that are available to you. This blog post will give an overview of the different state and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits for North Carolina veterans.
North Carolina Employment Benefits
State Employment
North Carolina uses the same state employment examination scores as many other states, and as an honorably discharged veteran, you can automatically receive five points on that score. Veterans with a VA service-connected disability can receive an additional 10 points on their exam scores.
State Employment Leave
As a member of the National Guard or the Army Reserve Service in North Carolina, you are eligible for up to 120 hours of military leave each fiscal year.
North Carolina Differential Pay
If as a North Carolina state employee your military pay is less than the state salary, you may receive differential pay. The employee’s payroll office will calculate the differential pay owed once they receive your receipt of military leave and earnings statement.
Fast Track Professional Licensing
Military training can sometimes be directly related to career fields. There is an extensive list of occupations where the military training you received can help fast-track you toward gaining licensure.
License boards that represent licensed occupations in NC are required to provide these fast-track processes for veterans. There can be five to 10 points awarded in the scoring process of examinations or interviews, which have many different possible eligibility requirements.
North Carolina Veteran’s Preference for Federal Jobs
Federal civil service is required by law to give preference to veterans during hiring and in retention of employment during a reduction in force. These are veterans who are disabled or who served on active military duty during specific time periods or military campaigns.
North Carolina VA Education Benefits
North Carolina Tuition Assistance Program (NCTAP)
The tuition assistance program known as NCTAP is for those who are active members of either the North Carolina Army or Air National Guard. This program is also subject to fund availability and may vary from one semester to the next. It is also subject to a list of approved schools.
There is a list of requirements and actions that recipients must maintain in order to be eligible to continue receiving tuition assistance.
North Carolina Scholarship for Children of Wartime Veterans
This scholarship is for the children of wartime veterans. It can be used for eight academic semesters and must be used within eight years. The child must have been born in North Carolina and have continuously been a resident there. Learn more about this scholarship and apply here.
North Carolina Vietnam Veterans, Inc. (NCVVI) Scholarship Program
The NCVVI scholarship is available to Vietnam veterans and their spouses who currently reside in North Carolina. The scholarship may be used at any accredited institution of learning. Scholarship amounts range from $250 to $1,500 and can be used to pay expenses for a year of study at any trade school, community college, junior college, or college.
Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children
The Interstate Compact is designed to remove the educational barriers that might be in the way of success for the children of military families. Oftentimes, military children are affected by frequent moving or their parents being deployed.
The compact can help by facilitating on-time enrollment, remedying issues with attendance, allowing fair enrollment for athletic and educational programs, and further facilitating on-time graduation. The compact aims to share information between other states and promote coordination between states and educational systems.
North Carolina Military Tax Exemption
Income Tax
As of August 12, 1989, when a veteran has had at least five years of creditable service, all military pay they receive is tax-exempt. There can be no deductions available for distributions from private retirement plans or government retirement plans which are not qualified as tax-exempt.
As of January 1, 2021, when a veteran has had 20 years of creditable service or is medically retired, their military retired pay can be deducted from their North Carolina adjusted gross income.
There are additional benefit and protection plans that allow dividends and other proceeds—except for interest on dividends from your G.I. insurance policies—to be exempt from income tax.
Taxable Income Subtraction For Military Retired Pay and Survivors
Military Disability Retirement Pay, which comes from active service in the armed forces, does not need to be included in your taxable income.
The forms of payments which are eligible and considered disability benefits are:
- Disability compensation and pension payments
- Grants for homes designed for wheelchair living
- Grants for motor vehicles for loss of sight or limbs
- Benefits under a dependent-care assistance program
100% VA Disability Property Tax Exemption
If you have a VA disability rating of 100%, you are eligible for a $45,000 deduction on the assessed value of your home. The surviving spouse of a veteran is also eligible if they are using the dependency and indemnity from the VA.
Veteran Care Centers
North Carolina’s veterans’ homes provide a high quality of life to their residents. Each facility is equipped with highly skilled staff members trained to provide professional care and help promote activities and engagement among its members.
The staff includes registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants.
Quality of life benefits includes registered dietitians, social workers, recreational programs and activities, and even special programs throughout the year to honor the veterans at the facility and around the globe past and present.
These home locations are in Fayetteville, Salisbury, Kinston, and Black Mountain, North Carolina, with around 100-150 beds per facility. This guide provides contact info and more details about each facility for anyone looking to inquire about eligibility and openings.
Housing Resources For Homeless Veterans In North Carolina
North Carolina places a high priority on providing resources to help veterans experiencing homelessness. Veterans in danger of experiencing homelessness can also contact the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans (1-877-4AID-VET or 1-877-424-3838). Resources in North Carolina are usually private and charitable organizations that can help with medical issues and substance abuse programs.
North Carolina Veterans Fishing and Hunting License Benefits
There are many wildlife hunting and fishing license discounts for eligible disabled veterans in North Carolina. Additionally, non-resident service members in North Carolina may purchase licenses at the same cost as North Carolina residents. The licenses can be for short-term and annual hunting, trapping, and fishing.
Veterans Affairs Benefits for North Carolina Veterans
As a veteran, you may be eligible for a range of benefits and assistance from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. With access to the most robust veteran support program in any nation, you’ll want to make sure that you are taking full advantage of all the benefits and assistance to which you are entitled.
If you are suffering from an illness or injury, whether long-term or chronic, or a mental health condition, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), you may qualify for VA disability benefits.
How to Know If You Qualify and File a Claim
Navigating a veteran disability claim is complicated. And while the internet is full of information about what qualifies a veteran for disability benefits, some of it just isn’t true. So the best approach is to use official channels like the Veterans Affairs disability web page. And even when you do use these official channels, the information isn’t always easy to navigate.
When you are ready, the first step is applying for disability benefits However, preparing for the application process can be complicated.
Below are some of the items you’ll need to include:
- VA medical and hospital records
- Private records
- Supporting documents from those close to you, including family, friends, clergy members, or those you served with
These documents can help tell the story of when your injuries occurred and how they changed over time. Here is a list of the evidence needed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
How Do I Know If I Am Eligible for Veterans’ Benefits?
To be eligible for benefits, you must have served for at least the minimum period required by your branch of service, and you must have received an honorable discharge from the military.
If you are unsure about your eligibility for benefits or about any other VA-related claims, you may wish to consult with an accredited representative who can assist you with this process. You can visit your state’s veteran’s agency, benefits.va.gov, or contact the VA by phone at 1-877-222-8387.
How Tuley Law Can Help North Carolina Veterans
If you’re struggling to receive benefits as a veteran—including proving disability—the best course of action is to talk to a lawyer at Tuley Law Office.
Fill out our website’s contact form or call us to speak with one of our attorneys about maximizing your North Carolina veteran benefits for you and your family.
Cases Against Camp Lejeune Drinking Water Contamination
If you were stationed in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina between August 1, 1953 to December 31, 1987, you may have been exposed to contaminates in the drinking water, such as trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), dichloroethylene (DCE), vinyl chloride, and benzene that is linked to multiple diseases such as kidney cancer, cardiac defects, liver cancer, and other serious health problems. Learn more about the case against Camp Lejeune drinking water contamination.
Reach out to the lawyers at Tuley Law Office if you are a veteran who may have been exposed to the harmful drinking water at Camp Lejeune. We may be able to help you file a case and receive compensation.