Chapter 35 and

[US NAVY DAV]

Hello my question is about the VA DEA benefit http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/survivor_dependent_assistance.asp

So the federal level would be DEA however my state offers a college fee waiver for families as well.

My situation would be plan A for the state fee waiver and all it says is that it cannot be concurrent.  So does that mean I can use one or the other after fact?  Thanks

 

The College Tuition Fee Waiver for Veteran Dependents benefit waives mandatory system-wide tuition and fees at any State of California Community College, California State University, or University of California campus. This program does not cover the expense of books, parking or room and board. There are four plans under which dependents of veterans may be eligible.

 

 

 

 

Plan A

• The child of a veteran who is totally disabled due to service-connected disabilities or whose death was officially rated as service-connected is eligible. The child must be over 14 years old and under 27 years old to be eligible. If the child is a veteran, then the age limit is extended to age 30;
• The spouse or Registered Domestic Partner (RDP) of a wartime veteran who has been rated as service-connected totally disabled is eligible. There are no age limit restrictions;
• The unmarried surviving spouse or RDP of a wartime veteran whose death has been rated as service-connected is eligible. There are no age limit restrictions;
• Any dependent of any veteran who has been declared missing in action, captured in the line of duty by hostile forces, or forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign government or power is eligible.

The veteran must have served at least one day of active duty during a period of war as declared by the U.S. Congress, or during any time in which the veteran was awarded a campaign or expeditionary medal. Concurrent receipt of benefits under Plan A and VA Chapter 35 benefits is prohibited. To receive benefits under Plan A, a dependent must sign an "election" statement acknowledging this fact. There are no income restrictions under this plan. To be eligible, the event which caused basic entitlement to benefits (i.e., the date the veteran died of service-connected causes or the date the VA rated the veteran as totally disabled as a result of service-connected disabilities) must have occurred prior to the child's 21st birthday.

 

[Berta]

"My situation would be plan A for the state fee waiver and all it says is that it cannot be concurrent.  So does that mean I can use one or the other after fact?  Thanks"

Since this state waiver is unique to your state, I highly recommend getting ahold of someone in your school's financial aid office ,or their VA Liaison officer (for the school you want to attend) to see what is the most beneficial  plan you should use.) 

Your state Department of Education web site might have more info as well.

You posted:

The College Tuition Fee Waiver for Veteran Dependents benefit waives mandatory system-wide tuition and fees at any State of California Community College, California State University, or University of California campus. This program does not cover the expense of books, parking or room and board. There are four plans under which dependents of veterans may be eligible."

 

Chapter 35 does not cover those costs either.

 

This is confusing.

 

Are you the 100% disabled veteran or is the DEA based on your  veteran parent?

 

I guess what I mean is ,what makes you eligible for DEA?

 

 

[Berta]

Just to add.....it is possible for a veteran to be eligible for Chap 35...my daughter was, and as a veteran they added her 7 years of military service to the DEA entitlement date..

But I wonder if you are thinking DEA is the same as VA Voc Rehab, which it isn't.

This is why I asked about what makes you eligible for DEA?

[US NAVY DAV]

Sorry to clarify I am 100% T & P.  I am trying to determine what to use for my spouse and dependents.  They can either use DEA or the California VA (calvet) state benefit.  My big question and the va guys at the school hardly know how to make the GI bill work, is can my dependents use the DEA and then the calvet benefit as long as its not concurrent, or is it elect one and void the other?  Its very vague and doesn't say if that happens.  A community college may be better for the DEA but it may benefit more at a UC to use the college fee waiver.  Or if one runs out to continue by using the other.

[Berta]

You are asking a good question... DEA does have the age cut off requirement to consider but I found this link:

https://www.calvet.ca.gov/VetServices/pages/college-fee-waiver.aspx

Probably the same one you have, and on the back page of the application form they gave 2 web sites and one is for a county vet org site that might be prepared to answer the question you have.The county can be narrowed down if you click on that link.

I personally don't see why not, if your dependents  don't try to use the benefits concurrently ,that one benefit could  pick up where the other one cuts off.It makes sense but I know you want some conclusive answer.

DEA has the age deadline and one other thing to consider.

I used DEA Chap 35 as survivor of a veteran.

I had to pay my tuition every semester, to AMU ,  then contact the VA counselor, who would verify my tuition payment and then send the VA the info, after about 3 weeks into the actual course, and VA would reimburse me primarily what I paid in tuition. I could never tell when the reimbursement would come.

However when I took accelerated courses, the tuition was the same but the VA reimbursement was less, as I recall, because DEA is based on hours of the course and if you are Part Time , full time etc etc .

So I had to make sure I could pay my tuition for each semester, never quite knowing when the VA reimbursement would come.Luckily the US Marine Corps gave me a book grant. There might be book grants available at these California schools but they would have to be applied for. Books can be VERY expensive but they should have a good Used textbook bookstore too.It might even be online.

I was the sole  civilian in a Military University, at that time and the VA school counselor never dealt with a DEAer before so that got a little complicated at first.Practically all of the other students were using the GI Bill.

I believe the entire DEA handbook is on line and I will try to find a link to it for you. There is a lot to DEA-a fabulous benefit, but also a lot to consider when one must pay their tuition up front and then wait for the VA to reimburse them.

One other point. Years ago my daughter had a question about her Chap 35 DEA entitlement and I wrote to VA Educational Department to ask them.

I got a lovely letter back reminding me that my little baby girl was an adult and in the Armed Services ( USAF INTEL)and she , as a DEA dependent would have to ask the question herself.

Then when she applied for the actual DEA entitlement certificate , they buggered her eligibility all up but mommy fixed that by writing a letter for her to sign and send to them.

VA Educational Department can be an oxymoron.

If your children are still under 18,however,  I think you would have the right to ask questions on their behalf at this point.

 

 

 

 

 

[Berta]

To add, all I could find is a link to the same DEA pamphlet that probably came with your 100% P & T award letter:

http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/docs/pamphlets/ch35_pamphlet_2.pdf