G.I. Bill New Transferability Benefits UPDATE 1/30/09

GI BILL TRANSFERABILITY – The Department of Defense has responsibility for implementing the new GI Bill’s transferability feature, which allows some service members to transfer unused benefits to spouses or children. This month DoD has moved to relax the transfer feature’s eligibility requirement for service members who are retirement-eligible or near so.

The new GI Bill law allows transfer of benefits to a spouse or to children only if service members are on active duty or in the Selected Reserve (drill status) as of Aug. 1, 2009, and agrees to serve an additional four years. The member must have served at least six years already to elect to transfer benefits to a spouse. They must have served 10 years already transfer benefits to children.