Transferring the Post-9/11 GI Bill to your family

One of the most valuable things you can do with an unused Post-9/11 GI Bill is transfer it to your spouse or children. But there are firm rules — and the biggest one is that you must do it while you’re still serving.

Who can transfer

Active-duty service members and Selected Reserve members who:

• Have completed at least 6 years of service when the request is approved, and
• Commit to 4 more years of service, and
• Have the family member enrolled in DEERS.

(Purple Heart recipients are exempt from the added service obligation but must still request the transfer while on active duty.)

How to transfer

Request the Transfer of Education Benefits (TEB) through milConnect — this is a Department of Defense step, not a VA one, and you cannot do it after you separate. You assign months to each dependent (and can adjust the split later). Your dependent then applies to the VA (spouses online; children under 18 use VA Form 22-1990e).

When your family can use it

• Spouse: can use the benefit right away, and (if you separated on/after Jan 1, 2013) there’s no expiration.
• Children: can use it only after you’ve completed 10 years of service, must have a high-school diploma (or equivalent), and generally must be between 18 and 26.

Transferred benefits provide up to 36 months total (which you can split among family) and cover tuition, a housing allowance, and a books stipend. Estimate the housing piece with our GI Bill housing calculator.

Related: the education benefits guide and the military spouse benefits page.

General information; rules are set by the DoD and VA and can change. Confirm at VA.gov and milConnect. Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs / Department of Defense.