The District of Columbia offers many veteran benefits for service members and Veterans that have served in the Armed Forces of the United States of America. These benefits include income and property tax exemptions, financial exemptions, education and training programs, hunting and fishing licenses, vehicle registrations, and assistance with employment. Your residency, military career, and disability status may result in certain differences in what benefits you may be eligible for. The following are benefits for the District of Columbia.
District of Columbia Veteran Financial Benefits
Summary of Washington, D.C. Military and Veterans Benefits: Washington, D.C. offers special benefits for Service members, Veterans and their Families including property tax exemptions, Washington, D.C. employment preferences, education and tuition assistance and vehicle tags. Eligibility for some benefits may depend on residency, military component and Veteran disability status.
Washington, D.C., Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs, Claims Assistance: The Washington, D.C. Mayor’s Office of Veteran Affairs (MOVA) has trained service representatives that can assist Service members, Veterans, retired Service members and their Families find and apply for military/ Veterans benefits under federal and local laws. For more information, please call 202-724-7116.
Washington, D.C. Military Retired Pay Income Taxes: Washington, D.C. offers no reduction in taxes for military retired pay.
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) does not withhold taxes for state or local income tax, but it is reported annually on IRS Form 1099-R. All TSP distributions are subject to taxes and early distributions may incur higher taxes.
Washington, D.C. Taxes on U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Military Disability Retirement Pay: Disability Retirement Pay received as a pension, annuity or similar allowance for personal injury or sickness resulting from active service in the U.S. Armed Forces should not be included in taxable income. Some of the payments which are considered disability benefits include:
- Disability compensation and pension payments for disabilities paid to Veterans or their Families
- Grants for homes designed for wheelchair living
- Grants for motor vehicles for Veterans who lost their sight or the use of limbs, or
- Benefits under a dependent-care assistance program
Washington, D.C. Taxes on U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Disability Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC): DIC is a tax-free monetary benefit paid to eligible survivors of 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) Washington, D.C. Tax Benefits: SBP, RCSBP, RSFPP annuities received from the federal government are excluded from Washington, D.C. gross income.
Washington, D.C. Senior Citizen or Disabled Property Owner Tax Relief: Washington, D.C. resident property owners that are 65 years old or older, or that are totally and permanently disabled, or that are receiving government disability payments are eligible for a reduction in their Washington, D.C. property taxes. This benefit reduces a property owner’s real property assessed value by $78,700 (savings of $668.95) prior to computing the yearly tax liability.
Residents must meet the following requirements:
- Own 50% or more of the property or cooperative unit
- Total federal adjusted gross income for everyone living in the property or cooperative unit (excluding tenants) for 2022 must be less than $139,900
- Property must be occupied as the principal residence and contain no more than five dwelling units (including the unit occupied by the owner).
If the property owner lives in a cooperative housing association, the cooperative will supply and collect the applications.
To apply for the Senior Citizen or Disabled Property Owner Tax Relief, applicants can file online using the Washington, D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue, MyTax DC webpage. A paper form can be requested by calling Customer Service 202-727-4TAX (4829).
What are my Washington, D.C. Military and Veterans Education Benefits?
Washington, D.C. National Guard, State Tuition Assistance Reimbursement (STAR) Program: The STAR program is offered to Washington, D.C. National Guard Service members to cover the costs of higher education that are not covered by Federal Tuition Assistance. Star can be used for up to a master’s degree. Assistance is provided by reimbursing expenses at the end of each semester for successfully completed courses.
Army National Guard Service members can receive up to $2,000 for tuition and $500 for fees each year. Air National Guard Service members can receive up to $6,000 for tuition each year.
Who is eligible for Washington, D.C. National Guard STAR Program? To be eligible Service members must have at least one year remaining in their contract while they are seeking reimbursement, passed most recent APFT and meet height and weight standards. Service members must have received at a least a 2.0 GPA for each course to be eligible for reimbursement.
For more information, Service members should contact their unit or call 202-685-9909.
Learn more about Washington, D.C. National Guard State Tuition Assistance Reimbursement Program
Washington, D.C. Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children (MIC3): The purpose of this compact is to remove barriers to educational success imposed on Children of military Families because of frequent moves and deployment of their parents by:
*This information is accurate as of December 2019
District of Columbia Veteran Benefits
If you are a disabled Veteran in the District of Columbia 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.
