Maryland offers a variety of benefits for veterans, ranging from housing and financial assistance to education, employment, and recreational opportunities.
Housing and Financial Assistance
- Veterans Home: The Charlotte Hall Veterans Home caters to Maryland resident veterans who are 62 years and older or are disabled and unable to work. Costs are reduced through U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs per diem payments.
- Property Tax Exemption: Permanent and totally disabled veterans from service-connected causes are exempt from property tax on their primary residence. This benefit also extends to certain surviving spouses.
- Income Tax Benefits: Service members who are Maryland residents may exempt up to $15,000 of military pay if earned while serving overseas, under certain conditions. Retired military pay and Survivor Benefit Plan payments have exclusions, which increase after the age of 55.
Education Benefits
- State Tuition Waiver: Maryland provides tuition waivers for National Guard members for undergraduate or graduate courses at state-supported colleges and universities, excluding the University of Maryland Global Campus.
- Scholarships: The Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship & Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship Program, and the Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship Program, offer financial aid for veterans and their family members attending public institutions within the University System of Maryland.
Employment Benefits
- State Employment Veterans Preference: Veterans receive a preference in state employment, with a credit of 10 points added to selection tests, and additional points for those with a service-connected disability.
- Veteran-Owned Small Business Loan Program: Maryland offers no-interest loans to veteran entrepreneurs ranging from $1,000-$50,000 to help cover business expenses.
Recreational Benefits
- Hunting and Fishing Licenses: Disabled veterans are eligible for free lifetime hunting and fishing licenses. Maryland residents on active duty and home on leave do not need to purchase a license, and non-residents stationed in Maryland can buy at the resident rate.
- State Parks: Entrance charges to Maryland state parks are waived for all veterans and active-duty personnel.