GI Bill 48-Month Expansion (Rudisill Decision)
Veterans with two or more qualifying periods of service can now get up to 48 months of GI Bill benefits — an extra 12 months — after the 2024 Supreme Court Rudisill decision.
Who qualifies: Veterans, Active duty, National Guard.
**What It Is**
In 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court's Rudisill v. McDonough decision (and the related Perkins ruling) changed how veterans with multiple periods of service can use their GI Bill. Previously, using the Montgomery and Post-9/11 GI Bills together was effectively capped at 36 months. Now, eligible veterans can receive up to **48 months** of combined entitlement — a full extra year of education benefits — and have more freedom in which order they use them.
**Who Benefits**
Veterans who served **two or more separate qualifying periods of active duty**, where one period independently qualifies for the Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30) and another independently qualifies for the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33). A reenlistment can create two separate periods; a stop-loss or an extension of the same enlistment does not.
**How Much**
• Up to 48 months of total entitlement (vs. the standard 36)
• That extra 12 months can mean another year of tuition, housing allowance, and book stipend
**How to Get It**
The VA is automatically re-evaluating affected files and will contact you if you're owed more. You can also request a review yourself with VA Form 22-1995 (choose the Rudisill option). Applications to extend a benefit's expiration date must be in by October 1, 2030.