Texas offers a comprehensive suite of benefits for veterans, including educational programs, housing assistance, financial benefits, and more. Here’s a summary of the best benefits for Texas veterans:
Educational Benefits
- Hazlewood Act: Provides up to 150 hours of tuition exemption at state schools for veterans, their spouses, and dependent children who meet certain residency and service requirements​​​​​​.
- Legacy Act: Allows veterans to assign unused Hazlewood Act hours to their children under certain conditions, ensuring educational benefits for their family​​.
Housing and Financial Assistance
- Veterans Homes: Texas has nine veterans homes located in cities across the state, offering long-term care for veterans, their spouses, and Gold Star parents, with costs based on income​​​​.
- Disabled Veterans Property Tax Exemption: Provides a total property tax exemption for 100% disabled veterans and their surviving spouses, with scaled benefits for veterans with 10% to 90% VA disability​​.
- Veteran Home Loans and Home Improvement Program: The Texas Veterans Land Board offers below-market interest rates for home and land loans as well as home improvement loans for eligible veterans​​.
Employment and Training Services
- Veterans Preference in Employment: Texas provides employment preference to wartime veterans, widows, and children of those killed on active duty, ensuring veterans are considered for state jobs​​​​.
- Veteran Entrepreneur Program: Assists veteran entrepreneurs with business plans, financing, marketing, and other aspects of business management​​.
Recreation Benefits
- Hunting & Fishing Licenses: Disabled veterans and active-duty military members are eligible for free or discounted licenses​​​​.
- State Park Admissions: Offers free admission to Texas state parks for veterans with a 60% or greater disability and for active-duty military members​​.
Veterans Cemeteries
- Texas maintains four state veterans cemeteries, providing burial services for veterans and their eligible family members at no charge for the veteran​​.