Veteran Benefits for Kansas

• Retired Military Pay Income Taxes: Amounts received as retirement benefits in whatever form which were earned for being employed by the federal government or for service in the Armed Forces of the United States are a subtraction modification from federal adjusted gross income. Use Part “A’ on the front of Schedule S, Form K-40 to subtract (exempt) military retirement benefits from Kansas Income Tax.
• State Taxes on U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Disability Dependency and Indemnity Compensation: Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a tax-free monetary benefit paid to eligible survivors of military service members who died in the line of duty or eligible survivors of Veterans whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease.
• Military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)/ Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP)/ Retired Serviceman’s Family Protection Plan (RSFPP) Kansas State Tax Benefits: Military survivor benefit plans are not taxed in Kansas.
• Homestead Refund: The Homestead Refund is a rebate of a portion of the property taxes paid on a Kansas resident’s homestead. Your refund percentage is based on your total household income. The refund is a percentage of your general property tax excluding specials. Tax on property valued at more than $350,000 does not qualify. The maximum refund is $700. Filers eligible for the Kansas Property Tax Relief claim receive 75% of their property tax with no maximum limit. Individuals are only eligible for one claim. WebFile determines the claim that is most beneficial to the household.

Sales Tax:

• Statewide: 6.5%
• Counties: can levy an additional sales tax of no more than 4.10%
• Current average sales tax (with local taxes included): 8.047%

Recreation

Free Hunting & Fishing Licenses: National Guard Members and 30% or greater disabled Kansas resident Veterans can get free hunting and fishing licenses.

Hunting Licenses for Active Duty Members: Active duty military personnel stationed in Kansas can purchase all annual state licenses, permits, and stamps at the resident rate. Military permits for elk draw are available for active-duty military personnel stationed at Fort Riley.

Discounted State Park Admission: Kansas Army and Air National Guard and 30% or greater disabled Veterans get discounted admission to state parks.

Education Programs

Kansas Tuition Assistance for Dependents of Deceased Resident Service Members and former Prisoners of War: Every Kansas educational institution shall provide for enrollment without charge of tuition or fees for any dependent or Spouse of any resident of Kansas who died on or after September 11, 2001, while, and as a result of, serving in military service; and any prisoner of war. Any such dependent or Spouse and any prisoner of war shall be eligible for enrollment at a Kansas educational institution without charge of tuition or fees for not to exceed 10 semesters of undergraduate instruction, or the equivalent thereof, at all such institutions.

Kansas Resident Tuition Rates for Eligible Veterans, Service Members, and Dependents: All Veterans eligible for federal education benefits, along with all current members of the Armed Forces are charged in-state tuition rates at all 32 public post-secondary colleges and universities in Kansas, effective July 1, 2015, regardless of time spent in the state. Eligible spouses and dependent children also qualify for in-state tuition rates. The Veteran, Veteran’s Spouse or dependent Children, must live in Kansas at the time of enrollment.

Kansas has also declared all current members of the Armed Forces residents of the state for tuition and fee purposes (including Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, Kansas Army or Air National Guard, or any branch of the military reserves of the United States), along with the Spouses and dependent children of current members of the Armed Forces, who are enrolled or have been accepted for admission at a Kansas public postsecondary educational institution.

Housing: The following are the sites for Veterans Homes

Kansas State Veterans Home at Winfield

Kansas State Veterans Home at Fort Dodge

Eligibility for admission:

• Veterans must be honorably discharged
• Spouses, surviving spouses, and Gold Star parents of Veterans may be eligible depending on availability
• Monthly costs are based on the need of the Veteran

Employment and Job Training: Veterans Preference

Any Veteran with a campaign medal, a service-connected disability, retired as an O-3 or below, or the spouse of a 100% disabled Veteran can get Veterans preference for a state job. Veterans preference guarantees an interview and to consider for the position.

Kansas State Employee Leave for Military Duty: Eligible employees are provided up to 30 days of paid leave for active duty within each 12-month period beginning October 1 and ending September 30 of the following year. State employees that are ordered to active duty are eligible for military leave.

Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act: Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) protect civilian job rights and benefits for Veterans and members of Reserve components. USERRA also makes major improvements in protecting service member rights and benefits by clarifying the law, improving enforcement mechanisms, and adding Federal Government employees to those employees already eligible to receive Department of Labor assistance in processing claims.

Kansas State Employee Compensation for Active Duty Pay Differential and Allowances: For state employees, the state will make up any difference between the pay and allowances Kansas National Guard and Reserve Service members receive from the military and their state salary at the time they were called to active duty. The maximum amount paid is $1,000 per month. National Guard and Reserve Service members that are state employees that are ordered to active military duty are eligible for compensation.

Kansas National Guard and Reserve Service Members Activation Payment: There is a onetime payment of $1,000 made to state employees upon activation for 180 days or more. These payments will be made retroactively to all National Guard members and reservists who have been activated since September 11, 2001. All National Guard and Reserve Service members who have been activated since September 11th, 2001, are eligible for the Activation Payment.

Burials and Memorials

Please note that your preference regarding burial in a national cemetery and use of a headstone provided by VA should be documented and kept with your paperwork and medical records. Eligibility for burial includes the Veteran being discharged other than dishonorable and have served for at least 20 years. Veterans who die on active duty are also eligible. Dependents are also eligible for burial. There is no fee for Veterans or their dependents, and there is no Kansas residency requirement.

National Cemeteries include:

Baxter Springs: Baxter Springs City Soldiers’ Lot

Fort Leavenworth: Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery

Fort Scott: Fort Scott National Cemetery

Leavenworth: Leavenworth National Cemetery

Mound City: Mound City Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot

Kansas VA Benefit Resources

Kansas provides Veterans with a Regional Benefits Office and VA Medical Centers.

Kansas VA Regional Benefits Office

• Wichita: Wichita Regional Office

Kansas VA Medical Centers

• Leavenworth: VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System – Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Medical Center
• Topeka: VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System – Colmery-O’Neil VA Medical Center
• Wichita: Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center

Important information for Kansas Veteran Benefits:

For Veterans applying for VA benefits for the first time, you must submit a copy of your DD 214 (discharge paperwork). This will provide your discharge status, along with your full name, social security number, branch of service, and dates for which you served. Honorable and general discharges qualify a Veteran for most VA benefits.

You should always keep your paperwork, along with your medical records, in a safe place where you and your family can have access to them. It is imperative to have it in a location where it cannot be destroyed or tampered with, which includes a safe.

Your eligibility for most VA benefits is based upon discharge from active military service under other than dishonorable conditions. Active service means full-time service as a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or as a commissioned officer of the Public Health Service, the Environmental Services Administration or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Any Veteran discharged from the military under the conditions of “Dishonorable” due to bad conduct discharges issued by general courts-martial may bar VA benefits. Veterans in prison and parolees may be eligible for certain VA benefits. VA regional offices can clarify the eligibility of prisoners, parolees, and individuals with multiple discharges issued under differing conditions.

*This information is accurate as of December 2019

Kansas Veteran Benefits

If you are a disabled Veteran in Kansas and are VA rated 90% or less, you may be eligible for additional benefits. Contact Veterans Guardian for a free consultation with no obligation. Let us review your claim to determine whether you qualify for additional benefits.