What happens to money if husband doesn't use all of his GI Bill??

Question

My husband is going to go back to school when he gets back from Iraq and out of the Army in 2009. I know that he can get the GI Bill for 36 months, but he shouldn't need to go to school for that long. So, are we just going to get the monthly checks while he's in school and then forfeit the rest?? Or can we collect the entire GI Bill in some way??

Answer 1

He will have 10 years to use his GI Bill. There is a bill out there that is tryig to change that but has not been passed. Depending on how long he enlisted for he will get a tax free check every month. Currently the rates are as follows for just the GI Bill for Active Duty

Enlistment Period of Three or More Years:

Full Time Student: $1,075.00 per month
3/4 Time Student: $806.25 per month
Half Time Student: $573.50 per month
Less than 1/2 time but more than 1/4 Time: $573.50
1/4 time or less: $268.75
Note: For anything less than 1/2 time, the MGIB reimburses tuition and fees *up to* the amounts specified. In other words, if you're only taking one course, and it costs $90.00 per month, you'll only receive $90.00 per month. The above rates would be paid until your entire entitlement ($38,700) is used. In other words, full time students would receive $1,075.00 per month for up to 36 months, 1/2 time students would receive $573.00 per month for up to 72 months, etc.
Enlistment Period of Less than Three Years:

Full Time Student: $873.00 per month
3/4 Time Student: $654.75 per month
1/2 time Student: $436.50
Less than 1/2 time but more than 1/4 Time: $436.50
1/4 time or less: $218.25
The above rates would be paid until your entire entitlement ($31,428) is used.
Full time generally means taking at least 12 credit hours in a term or 24 clock hours per week. 3/4 time generally means taking at least 9 credit hours in a term or 18 clock hours per week. Half time generally means taking at least 6 credit hours in a term or 12 clock hours per week. 1/4 time generally means taking at least 3 credit hours in a term or 6 clock hours per week.

For approved programs in college and vocational or technical schools, basic payments are monthly and the rates are based on your training time. When you train at less than half time, you’ll be paid tuition and fees. But if tuition and fees amount to more than you would be paid at the half-time rate (or the quarter-time rate if you’re training at quarter-time or less), your payments will be limited to the half-time (or the quarter-time rate).

For on-the-job training (OJT) and apprenticeship programs, rates are monthly and based on your length of time in the program. Your MGIB rates decrease as your wages increase according to an approved wage schedule.

For correspondence courses, you receive 55% of the approved charges for the course.

For flight training, you receive 60% of the approved charges for the course.

For reimbursement of tests for licenses or certifications, you receive 100% of the charges up to a maximum of $2,000 per test.


If he has the Army College Fund the ammounts will be totally different. Then the most he can have with the ACF is $73,836 (if he enlisted for 6 years) and get a tax free check per month of $2,051 as long as he is a full time student. 2 year around $37k, 3 years $52k, 4 years 67k, 5 years 70k, and the six mentioned above. Those are approx for 1-5 years.

If he doesn't use the GI Bill or ACF he will forfeit it after the 10 years. They also just started up that he can transfer some of the GI Bill to your spouse and children. Get with your education center on post to find out the complete details.

Answer 2

Once he starts using the GI bill, he actually has 10 years to use it. If he is finished with school, but doesn't use the total amount, he still has plenty of time if he needs to go back and take additional classes for his career. You are right, in the fact it pays for 36 months, but he doesn't have to use them consecutively.

Answer 3

"Use it, or lose it."

I got my Masters right out of the service in four quarters. I had some left so I got my Doctorate too a few years later... in another five quarters. I still had a little left, but not enough for another degree, so I lost a few bucks. But heck, I retired. Bought my hone on a VA loan... it's paid for. I have a pension. I can go just about anywhere in the world I want for free. I have access to VA and military medical and dental. So I figure I made out ok.

Answer 4

10 years to use it then forfiet the remainder, no other options for Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill.

I loose the rest of mine in 2010. I only needed 24 months so Bye Bye to the rest.

I believe this is crap since I put my money into the program!

Ret. USAF SNCO

Answer 5

He has TEN YEARS after his separation to use his GI Bill. If after TEN YEARS he has not used it, he loses it. The best bet would be for him to use it as much as possible as that is what it is for, not as a means of saving money and getting it back later.

Answer 6

You lose the rest, but your husband is eligible for this money up to 10 years after seperation, so there is no rush.

Answer 7

He has to use it within a certain time frame or it is lost. It goes back into the fund for others to use.

Answer 8

Whatever isn't used by the time it's supposed to is lost. They will send you a letter stating your deadline is approaching.

Answer 9

He has 10 years to use that money and its a use it or lose it situation so if I was him, I would definitely use it!

Answer 10

You can only get it for yourself and while you're in school. If you don't use it, it just goes back to the treasury.