Indiana's Veteran Benefits

Whether you're a veteran or you're stationed at one of the military bases in Indiana, you'll find that there are many benefits available to you, as well as to the family members and surviving spouses of deceased veterans.

At Low VA Rates, we've put together a full-list of Indiana-specific benefits you can enjoy.

Veteran Home Loans

VA Loans

Have you thought about buying a home in the Hoosier State? Whether you've left the service and are settling down here, or you're currently stationed at one of the Navy, Air Force, or Army bases, Indiana is a great place to live.

For those who are stationed here, you might even want to consider buying a home near your assigned base so getting to work is just as convenient.

Using a VA loan could make the purchase of a home more affordable. Both current military personnel and veterans may be eligible for a VA loan in Indiana. Thousands of military personnel have used them to buy homes because of their amazing features, which include:

Lower interest rates than many other types of mortgages
No need to put money down to buy a home
No minimum credit score required to qualify
No private mortgage insurance (PMI) payments needed

Private lenders create VA loans using VA guidelines. The VA gives a guaranty to each private lender for every VA loan, ensuring the lender will get back some of each loan, even if you stop paying. That's why lenders are able to offer these, and other, VA loan benefits.

Maybe you're wondering how much money could get for a home if you use a VA loan. The first thing you need to know is that the exact amount you get will vary depending on your financial history and current situation.

Each lender determines the terms, rates, and size of your particular VA loan. So, in order to get the best veteran loan rates in Indiana for your situation, you should get quotes from several reputable VA lenders.

Low VA Rates, for example, creates loans for veterans and military personnel all day long, every day. You can trust us to understand what you need from Indiana veteran loans and work hard for you to achieve that. If you're interested in getting a quote, please feel free to call us at 866-569-8272, or you can also apply online.

Veteran Housing Benefits

The main housing benefits in Indiana for veterans and military servicemembers include the state veterans' home and a property tax deduction for disabled veterans.

Indiana Veterans' Home

If you need nursing care, domiciliary care, memory care, or short-term rehabilitation, you can apply to the Indiana Veterans' Home. In addition, the home also offers programs that promote independent living in a home-like environment. To be eligible, you must:

Have lived in Indiana for a year or longer before your admission to the home (although you can request to get in without the residency requirement)
Have an honorable discharge from the military

It is not a requirement that you have wartime service experience.

Besides veterans, others may also qualify, including spouses of eligible veterans and Gold Star parents.

Disabled Veteran Property Tax Deduction

Indiana offers two different levels of property tax deductions for disabled veterans. A deduction lowers the assessed value of your home for tax purposes. These deductions can change from year to year, but the most recent ones are outlined below.

The first level offers a deduction of $12,480 to veterans whose homes are worth less than $175,000. To be eligible, you must:

Have at least 90 days of military service experience
Have an honorable discharge
Have a 100% service-related disability OR a service-related disability of 10% or more AND be 62 or olderer

The second possible deduction is for $24,960. To be eligible for this deduction, you must:

Be a veteran of WWII, Korea, Vietnam, or the Gulf War
Have an honorable discharge
Have a service-related disability of 10% or more, which has been compensated by the VA

Veteran Employment & Education Benefits

If you're looking for educational opportunities, employment, or small business benefits in Indiana, the benefits covered below can help.

Education Benefits

Indiana Free Tuition for Children of Disabled Veterans

Indiana students can receive a tuition and fee exemption if they are the child of a disabled veteran. This benefit may pay for up to 124 credit hours.

Eligible students include:

Children of disabled veterans
Children of Purple Heart recipients
Children of POWs
Children of formerly-MIA veterans

Veteran eligibility depends on:

Having been an Indiana resident for a certain amount of time
Having served during a wartime period OR having received a Purple Heart

Before applying for this Indiana benefit, the student should apply for FAFSA benefits. Then, the student can apply for this benefit on Indiana's ScholarTrack website.

During the application process, the state will need a copy of the student's birth certificate or adoption documents. They'll also need the veteran's DD-214 form and a disability award letter from the VA.

Tuition & Fee Exemptions for Purple Heart Recipients

Veterans who have been recipients of the Purple Heart decoration can also get exemptions for their tuition and fees at college or university that is state-supported.

In order to qualify, they must have:

Been awarded a Purple Heart Medal
Received an honorable discharge
Entered active duty from a permanent home address in Indiana

In addition, they must also qualify for in-state tuition.

To apply, the process is similar to what the children of disabled veterans do. Namely, the Purple Heart recipient should apply for FAFSA and then use the ScholarTrack application to apply for this specific benefit. The application should include a copy of the veteran's DD214. If the DD214 does not include proof of their Purple Heart Medal, proof will also need to be submitted.

High School Diplomas for Wartime Veterans

Indiana provides high school diplomas to veterans who did not graduate because they joined the military during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War.

To be qualify, the veteran must have:

Been a student in good standing at an Indiana high school before joining the military
Missed graduation and not gotten a diploma because of military service
Received an honorable discharge from the US Armed Forces

You can apply to the Indiana Department of Veterans' Affairs for your diploma. Alternately, family members or a surviving spouse can submit an application on behalf of a veteran.

Employment Benefits

Workforce Development Offices

If you're looking for work in Indiana, you can use the Workforce Development Offices throughout Indiana. Their staff helps veterans to become successful in civilian life. They provide:

Customized training
Job placement services for veterans with service-related disabilities
Career counseling
Employment testing

Check out the list of all the Workforce Development Offices where you can make an appointment with a veterans' representative who can help you.

Veterans Service Center

You can contact the Veterans Service Center for help finding work. You can also fill out an application; based on the information you provide about your employment needs and abilities, an employment specialist will get back to you with ways to move forward in your search.

Employment specialists are scattered throughout Indiana, so you will likely be matched with someone near you. Some of the services they can help you with include:

Guiding you through the employment process with individualized service
Determining your skills, goals, interests, and education
Checking if you need financial help from the Military Family Relief Fund
Improving your resume or giving you a resume template to complete
Practicing interview skills with you
Identifying jobs fo you to apply to
Building relationships with the HR department of employers where you apply
Following up with you and your employer after you get a job

You can look at the list of companies that already have relationships with the Indiana Department of Veterans' Affairs. This list is a good place to start your job search and a great resource for companies you might want to apply to.

State Employment Veterans Preference

Indiana offers a State Merit System that provides veterans with employment preference points when they apply for state jobs or promotions. These additional points are given to veterans who qualify, including having received an honorable discharge.

Vendor's, Peddler's, or Hawker's License

If your work includes vending, peddling, or hawking goods, you may be able to get a free license from your county auditor. In order to qualify, you must:

Be a wartime veteran
Have had an honorable discharge

Once granted, this license will be valid in all cities and towns in your county, and no additional fees may be charged. To read the full details about the scope of the license, you can read Indiana's state law.

Indiana Veteran Owned Small Business Program

The Indiana Department of Administration has a program for veteran-owned small businesses. As part of this program, they try to have a certain number of contracts per year with veteran-owned small businesses.

If you have a small business that could provide services or products to the government, you could try bidding on government work in order to take advantage of this benefit.

CDL Skills Test Waiver

You may not have to take the skills tests to get a commercial driver's license (CDL) in Indiana. That's because the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) can let you waive the test if you:

Are a veteran of the US Armed Forces
Were a truck driver in the military
Completed qualifying driver's training in the military

When you apply for your CDL at the BMV, you can ask about this waiver.

Other Veteran Benefits

Military Family Relief Fund

The Military Family Relief Fund (MFRF) helps families by giving emergency grants up to $2,500 to help veterans and their families facing financial hardships. These grants can be used to pay for needs such as:

Medical bills
Transportation
Housing
Food
Utilities
Insurance payments

If you have other need not listed, you may still qualify. Simply apply for the grant, and the Indiana Veterans Affairs Commission will review your request and make the determination on a case-by-case basis. However, there are some expenses that will never qualify, and these include court costs, non-essential living expenses, credit card or student loan payments, or phone or cable bills.

To qualify, you must meet the following conditions:

Be a veteran with active duty service during a time of war or national conflict or the family of a deployed member of the Indiana National Guard or Reserves
Either have an honorable discharge or be serving honorably
Have a year or more of qualifying service, with active duty as part of it
Show that you need financial assistance
Be a resident of Indiana OR have joined the military from Indiana and keep Indiana as your Home of Record

To apply for the MFRF, you can fill out this application. It explains what documentation is required, where to send your packet, and who to contact with any questions.

Renewal or Replacement of Driver's License

Members of the military in Indiana have a lot of options and benefits when it comes to renewing or replacing their driver's license.

Veterans and servicemembers, as well as their spouses and dependants, who are Indiana residents can enjoy the benefit of having their license remaining valid for 90 days after returning from deployment or being discharged from the military, even if it's already expired. This benefit applies even if you are not currently living in Indiana.

To take advantage of this benefit, you will need to print out and carry Indiana's Military Extension Letter with you, as well as proof of your military service. The same standards apply to your spouse or dependants.

If you renew your expired license within 90 days after being discharged from the military, you will be able to renew your license without taking the skills or knowledge tests, as long as your license isn't suspended and doesn't have 6 or more active points against it.

You can even renew your driver's license on the Internet, as long as:

You have the same name and Indiana address as the last time you received your license
You don't have any 2-9 or J restrictions

If you are, for some reason, unable to renew an expired license online, you, your spouse, and your dependants can also email or call the DMV.

Driver's License Designations

ou can get one of three different military designations on your driver's license:</p

Get "active duty military" if you're on active duty with the US Armed Forces and have a current Common Access Card (CAC)
Get "veteran" if you're a veteran and have proof of a discharge that was other than dishonorable
Get "veteran spouse" if you're a surviving spouse and have a marriage certificate, death certificate of the deceased veteran, and proof of the veteran's discharge

There is no fee to add one of these designations if you are renewing your license or getting a new one because yours has expired.

Special Motor Vehicle License Plates

The Indiana BMV has several specialized license plates for military veterans and families. You can click the link to view detailed eligibility requirements and application instructions for each type of plate, including:

Hoosier Veteran
Disabled Veteran
POW
Purple Heart
Gold Star Family

Easy Plate Renewal

Indiana makes offers easy plate renewal to members of the military who are either stationed in Indiana or who are residents stationed outside of Indiana. And, even if you miss the renewal deadline, you get the added benefit of not being charged a penalty.

If you're an Indiana resident but currently live in another state, you can have the BMV to send your renewal materials to your home address in Indiana, as long as you have a forwarding address on file with the post office. You can instead ask the BMV to send the materials to a family member or friend who can then send the materials to you.

For military servicemembers who aren't Indiana residents but are stationed here, you can also renew your registration through the BMV. You simply need to provide the following documents:

A copy of your Leave and Earnings Statement
A Military Affidavit signed by your commanding officer
Your current military ID card

State Parks Admission

Disabled veterans can get one year of unlimited access to Indiana's state-operated parks, forests, reservoirs, and recreation areas through a Hoosier Golden Passport.

Eligible veterans include former POWs, as well as those who qualify for a Disabled Hoosier Veteran license plate. Those who have the older "Disabled American Veteran" license plates also qualify.

If you do not have any of these vehicle plate types, but believe you still qualify, you can request the plates and then send it to Indiana's Department of Veterans Affairs so they can verify it. And, if you have any questions, you can contact the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Hunting And Fishing Licenses for Disabled Veterans

Indiana's Department of Natural Resources offers discounted Indiana licenses for disabled veterans to hunt and fish in Indiana. To get the licenses, you must complete and turn in an application.

You can also get these licenses from the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs or from County Veterans Service Officers.

Indiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery

Eligible resident veterans can be buried for free at the Indiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Using the chapel for associated interment services is also free. Veteran eligibility is the same for burial in a national cemetery; these requirements can be found on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website.

In addition, the spouse of an eligible veteran can also be buried, for a fee, in the Indiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

If you need an application, you can download it here.

Veteran Benefits Assistance

Indiana's County Veterans Service Officers (CVSOs) help veterans and their families to get the military benefits they're eligible for. Your CVSO keeps in close contact with the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs, the federal VA, and other veterans service organizations in order to serve you better.

To find out the CSVOs available in your county, just visit the link and click your country on the map.

Vital Documents for Veterans Benefits

If you need your DD-214 form to get benefits and you entered the military from Indiana, you can request the form from the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA). It can take around two weeks to receive it. Your CVSO or the IDVA can also help you apply for any other documents you need.

Women Veterans

There are many resources and benefits for female veterans. In order to help connect female veterans to these resources, Indiana has created a Hoosier Woman Veteran registry, and all female veterans from Indiana are encouraged to register.

About Low VA Rates

If you want help with VA loans in Indiana, please get in touch with Low VA Rates. Our primary mission has always been to help veterans and servicemembers be able to own a home. We're able to work with veterans in a variety of situations, so even if you aren't sure you qualify, reach out and let us help.

For more information on Indiana veteran loans or to get a quick quote, you can apply online or call Low VA Rates at 866-569-8272. A knowledgeable and friendly loan officer will ask you questions about your situation and find the best solution for you.