Veteran Benefits for North Dakota

• North Dakota Military Pay Income Taxes: If you are a full-year resident of North Dakota who is required to file a federal income tax return, you are required to file a North Dakota income tax return. As a North Dakota resident, you are subject to North Dakota income tax on all of your income regardless of its source. This applies regardless of where you may have been stationed during the year. Your income is taxable to the same extent it is taxable for federal income tax purposes. A North Dakota resident, who is a National Guard or Reserve member mobilized under Title 10 for federal active duty, is allowed to deduct their federal active duty compensation in calculating their North Dakota taxable income. (It does not include compensation received for attending annual training, basic military training, professional military education, or active duty for which the member volunteered and did not receive mobilization orders)
• North Dakota Income taxes on Retired Military Pay: North Dakota’s individual income tax law exempts military retirement benefits from state income tax for retired military personnel and Surviving Spouses of retired military personnel of the U.S. Armed Forces, National Guard, and Reserve, effective with the 2019 tax year.
• North Dakota State Taxes on U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Military Disability Retired Pay: Military Disability Retirement Pay received as a pension, annuity or similar allowance for personal injury or sickness resulting from active service in the Armed Forces should not be included in taxable income if any of the following conditions apply:
  
  • You were entitled to receive a disability payment before September 25, 1975;
  • You were a member of the military (active or reserves) or were under a binding written commitment to become a member on September 24, 1975;
  • You receive disability payments for a combat-related injury. This is a personal injury or sickness that:
    
    • Resulted directly from armed conflict,
    • Took place while you were engaged in extra-hazardous service,
    • Took place under conditions simulating, including training exercises such as maneuvers, or
    • Was caused by an instrumentality of war.
  • You would be entitled to receive disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) if you filed an application for it (the exclusion under this condition equals the amount you would be entitled to from the VA).
• North Dakota 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.
• North Dakota Renter’s Refund Program for Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons: The North Dakota Renter’s Refund program falls under the Homestead Property Tax Credit program. It provides renters a partial refund on rent paid for living quarters or for a mobile home lot. Refunds can be up to, but not exceeding, $400.

Sales Tax:

• Statewide: 5.0%
• Counties: can levy an additional sales tax of no more than 3.5%
• Current average sales tax (with local taxes included): 5.73%

Recreation

ND State Park Fees For Disabled Veterans: North Dakota veterans with a 50 percent or greater VA disability and former POWs are eligible for a free annual permit. All other North Dakota veterans with service-related disabilities are eligible to receive an annual permit for $20.

Disabled Veteran Game License: North Dakota resident 100 percent disabled veterans can get a combined general game, habitat stamp, small game, and fur-bearer license for $3.00, with an additional $1.00 fee to purchase the resident certificate.

Disabled Veteran Fishing License: North Dakota resident 50 percent or greater disabled veterans can get a fishing license for $5.00 (plus a $1.00 fee to purchase the certificate).

Active Duty Hunting & Fishing: North Dakota residents on active duty can hunt and fish without a license while on leave.

Education Programs

Veterans Educational Training (VET): Available to honorably discharged North Dakota veterans, VET is a free program of a study funded by the state of North Dakota to prepare you for a certification program, two-year or four-year college degree. The program provides refresher training, as well as training in English, computers, math, and study skills.

Dependent Tuition Waiver: Available to dependents of resident veterans who were killed in action or died from wounds or other service-connected causes, or were totally disabled as a result of service-connected causes. The dependent can attend any North Dakota state school and not pay any tuition or fees. The dependent must earn a degree or certificate within 45 months or 10 semesters.

Housing: The following are the sites for Veterans Homes

North Dakota State Veterans Home at Lisbon

Eligibility for admission:

• Veterans must be North Dakota residents
• Discharged other than on dishonorable accounts
• Cost is based on income

Employment and Job Training: Veteran Preference

All honorably discharged Veterans can have 5 points added to any state employment examination scores. Those with a VA service-connected disability will get 10 points added to their score.

North Dakota Private Employment Veteran’s Hiring Preference: A private, non-public employer in this state may provide a preference to a Veteran for employment. Spouses of honorably discharged Veterans who have a service-connected permanent and total disability also may be preferred for employment. This preference is not considered a violation of any state or local equal employment opportunity law.

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 the Department of Labor assistance in processing claims.

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 interment in the State Veterans Cemetery follows National Cemetery Administration eligibility requirements. Veterans and their spouses are eligible for burial. There is no charge for the veteran, a small fee is charged for the spouse. You DO NOT have to be a North Dakota resident.

National Cemeteries include:

Harwood: Fargo National Cemetery

North Dakota VA Benefit Resources

North Dakota provides Veterans with a Regional Benefits Office and a VA Medical Center.

North Dakota VA Regional Benefits Office

• Fargo: Fargo Regional Office

North Dakota VA Medical Centers

• Fargo: Fargo VA Health Care System

Important information for North Dakota 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

North Dakota Veteran Benefits

If you are a disabled Veteran in North Dakota 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.