FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE
Additional Benefits For TennesseeVeterans
As a Veteran in Tennessee, you may qualify for valuable state and federal benefits that can improve your financial security, reduce education costs, and provide long-term support for you and your family. Understanding available Tennessee disabled veteran benefits can help you maximize the compensation and resources you’ve earned through your service. The Tennessee Department of Veterans Services and related state agencies administer many of these programs. Note that Tennessee has no state income tax.
Tax Relief
Property Tax Exemptions for Veterans in Tennessee
- The state reimburses property taxes on the first $175,000 of the full market value of the primary residence for qualifying disabled veterans. Eligibility requires ownership and use of the property as a primary residence plus one of the following: a service-connected permanent and total disability as determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; a 100% total and permanent disability rating resulting from being a prisoner of war; or a service-connected disability resulting in paraplegia, permanent paralysis of both legs and the lower body, loss or loss of use of two or more limbs, or legal blindness.
- Unremarried surviving spouses of qualifying disabled veterans may continue to receive the same property tax relief on the primary residence, provided eligibility criteria related to the veteran’s service-connected death or disability are met.
Family Tuition Assistance
Education Benefits for Tennessee Veterans
- Eligible honorably discharged wartime veterans who are Tennessee residents for at least one year, have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree, and meet other financial-aid rules may receive up to $1,000 per full-time semester or $500 per part-time semester (maximum of eight full-time semesters). Funds are paid after semester completion upon satisfactory progress.
- Veterans using VA education benefits who live in Tennessee during their studies receive in-state tuition rates at public institutions. Members of the Tennessee National Guard in good standing may receive state tuition assistance under the STRONG Act covering in-state undergraduate tuition for up to 120 credit hours or eight full-time semesters toward an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, provided they maintain a minimum GPA and use federal tuition assistance when available.
Home Financing
Home Loan Benefits for Eligible Veterans
- Eligible veterans, service members, and surviving spouses can obtain VA-guaranteed home loans (often with no down payment required by the VA, competitive rates, limited closing costs, and no private mortgage insurance) for the purchase, construction, improvement, or refinance of a primary residence through private lenders.
- The state operates multiple veterans homes providing intermediate and skilled nursing care for eligible honorably discharged veterans (and, space permitting, spouses or Gold Star parents). Eligibility generally requires Tennessee residency ties.