New Jersey offers a range of benefits to its veterans, from housing assistance and financial support to education, employment services, and recreational opportunities. Here’s a comprehensive overview of the benefits available to veterans in the Garden State:
Housing Benefits
- Veterans Memorial Homes: New Jersey operates veterans’ homes in Menlo Park, Paramus, and Vineland, offering care to honorably discharged wartime veterans, their spouses, and Gold Star parents.
- Veterans Haven: A transitional housing program for homeless veterans with facilities in Glen Gardner and Winslow, focusing on rehabilitation and reintegration.
Financial Benefits
- Income Tax: Active-duty income is not subject to state taxes under certain conditions. Retired pay and Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) payments are tax-free.
- Veteran Income Tax Deduction: A one-time $6,000 tax deduction for honorably discharged veterans in the year they are discharged from active duty.
- Property Tax Benefits: Various deductions and exemptions are available, including an annual $250 deduction for veterans who served in a combat zone and total exemption for permanently and totally disabled war veterans.
- Catastrophic Entitlement: Monthly payment of $150 for permanently and totally disabled wartime veterans with specific disabilities.
Education Benefits
- War Orphans Tuition Assistance: $500 annually for children of veterans who died in service or from service-connected disabilities.
- POW/MIA Tuition Benefit Program: Free undergraduate tuition for children of POWs or MIAs.
- Veterans Tuition Credit Program: Partial reimbursement for tuition costs for eligible veterans.
Employment Benefits
- Civil Service Preference: Veterans receive preference when applying for New Jersey state jobs, with top priority given to disabled veterans.
- CDL License Waiver: Veterans with military commercial drivers licenses may be exempt from the behind-the-wheel portion of the CDL exam.
Recreational Benefits
- Fishing and Hunting Licenses: Free or discounted licenses for disabled veterans and National Guard members.
- State Park Admission: Discounts and free entry for veterans with disabilities and active New Jersey National Guard personnel.
Veteran Cemeteries
- Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery: Offers free interment for NJ resident veterans, their spouses, and dependent children in Wrightstown.