Education

5 Bills Your VA Rating EXEMPTS You From in 2026 — and Most Veterans Are Still Paying Them

by Dr. Marshall Bahr | Xterra Health

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📚 Main Topics

  1. Understanding VA BenefitsMany veterans are unaware of the additional benefits that come with their disability ratings.
  2. Claiming BenefitsAll benefits must be actively claimed; they do not activate automatically.
  3. Top Five BenefitsThe video outlines five significant benefits that veterans can claim to save money.

✨ Key Takeaways

  • Monthly Payments vs. Additional BenefitsYour disability rating not only provides monthly compensation but also unlocks various benefits that can lead to significant savings.
  • Awareness is KeyMany veterans miss out on these benefits simply because they are not informed about them.
  • Action RequiredVeterans must take the initiative to claim these benefits; they will not be automatically provided.

🧠 Five Key Benefits

  1. VA Home Loan Funding Fee

    • Veterans with any service-connected disability rating can have this fee waived, potentially saving thousands.
    • If previously paid, veterans may be eligible for a refund.
  2. VA Healthcare Copays

    • Veterans with a combined rating of 50% or higher can have their copays for medical visits and prescriptions reduced to zero.
  3. Commissary and Exchange Access

    • Veterans with a service-connected disability rating can access tax-free shopping and groceries at cost, which can lead to significant savings.
  4. National Park Passes

    • Veterans can obtain free access to national parks and federal recreation sites, promoting quality of life and outdoor activities.
  5. Property Tax Exemptions

    • Many states offer property tax breaks for disabled veterans, which can save thousands annually. Veterans should contact their local tax assessor to inquire about eligibility and potential retroactive refunds.

🧠 Lessons Learned

  • Be ProactiveVeterans should actively seek out and claim their benefits to avoid overpaying for services and taxes.
  • Educate YourselfUnderstanding the benefits associated with your disability rating can lead to significant financial relief.
  • Community ConnectionUtilizing benefits like commissary access can help veterans reconnect with their community and fellow veterans.

🏁 Conclusion

Veterans are encouraged to take action on the benefits they have earned through their service. By understanding and claiming these benefits, they can significantly improve their financial situation and quality of life. For more information and resources, veterans can visit exterahealth.com.

Transcript excerpt

0:00 This letter isn't just a monthly check. It's a stack of coupons the government already approved, and most of you are handing your card to the cashier and paying full price anyway. So, let's go collect your discounts. Here's the thing nobody tells you when your rating comes through. That percentage doesn't just trigger a monthly payment to you. It also unlocks a whole second set of benefits, bills you're legally allowed to stop paying. And here's the catch that costs veterans and costs veterans a fortune. Almost none of them turn on

0:32 automatically. You have to know how to apply for them. Nobody at the VA calls to say, "Hey, I need you to stop paying that." No letter shows up reminding you to stop paying that. The money just quietly stays in someone else's pocket. And it's your money because the system runs on you knowing to ask for it. Between these five things I'm going to tell you, we're talking potentially thousands of dollars a year that veterans leave on the table simply because they never knew to reach for it. So, today I'm going to count them down,

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