An estimated 563,400 veterans live in New York, making up 3.6% of the state's population or the 51st-highest of the 56 U.S. states, inhabited territories and District of Columbia.
New York Military and Veteran Income Taxes
Military Retiree Income Tax
Military retirement and Survivor Benefit Plan payments are tax free.
Active-Duty Income Tax
It is tax free if you:
- Did not maintain any permanent home in New York;
- Maintained a permanent home outside New York during the entire year (barracks, bachelor officers' quarters or shipboard don't qualify)
- Spent less than 30 days in New York during the tax year.
- Were in a foreign country for at least 450 days during any period of 548 consecutive days.
New York Veteran Property Taxes
New York state has three different property tax exemptions based on a veteran's military service, with additional benefits based upon degree of service-connected disability.
- The Alternative Veterans' Exemption is for veterans who served during wartime or received an expeditionary medal.
- The Cold War Veterans' Exemption is for veterans who served during the Cold War period.
- The Eligible Funds Exemption is for property that a veteran buys with pension, bonus or insurance funds.
Applications must be filed before taxes are due.
Certain surviving spouses may file for the benefit based on their spouse's service. The exemption applies to local and county property taxes but may not apply to special district taxes, such as school taxes.
New York Military and Veteran Education Benefits
Military/Veteran Education
Veterans can receive in-state tuition rates even if they've exhausted their GI Bill benefits.
The Veterans Tuition Award for full-time study provides up to the full cost of undergraduate tuition for state residents at the State University of New York, or the actual tuition charged, whichever is less.
Operation Recognition provides veterans of all eras high school diplomas if they left without graduating to serve in the U.S. military.
Military Dependent Education
Military Enhanced Recognition Incentive and Tribute (MERIT) scholarships provide financial aid to dependents of resident active and reserve members who served on or after Aug. 2, 1990, and died or became severely and permanently disabled as a result of performing their military duties or are unemployable.
New York Military and Veteran Employment Benefits
Veteran Hiring Preference
State preference: Disabled wartime veterans receive a 10-point preference toward an original appointment. Veterans with wartime service receive five points. Other veterans receive 2½ points.
Family deployment leave: Under the New York Paid Family Leave act, workers get 10 weeks of paid time off for various reasons, including to address issues related to a family member's military deployment.
Peddler's license: Resident veterans with other-than-dishonorable discharges who served overseas may receive a free lifetime Veterans Peddler's License.
Military Spouse Employment
A military spouse who leaves their job to move to accompany the military member on a transfer is eligible for unemployment benefits.
New York Veteran Housing and Veterans Homes
Veterans Homes
New York's five veterans homes are in Batavia, Long Island (Stony Brook University), Montrose, Oxford and St. Albans. New York resident veterans with an honorable discharge are eligible for admission. Some spouses and unremarried surviving spouses are also eligible.
Homeless Veterans
The Veterans Emergency Housing Assistance Fund provides up to $2,000 for emergency housing needs under certain circumstances.
Adapted Housing
The Access to Home for Heroes/Veterans Program provides financial assistance to make dwellings accessible for low- and moderate-income veterans with a disability. Permanently disabled veterans whose income is at or below 120% of the area median income may be eligible.
Also see "Financial Assistance."
New York Veteran Financial Assistance
The Homes for Veterans Program provides fixed-rate mortgages with interest rates 0.375% below the already low rates charged on state mortgages, with down payment assistance, to active duty, reserve and National Guard members, and honorably discharged veterans.
New York Veteran Legal Assistance
The New York City Department of Veterans' Services helps veterans with discharge upgrade assistance. It also partners with community organizations to connect veterans to free legal assistance with matters such as eviction, discrimination complaints, debt, child custody, public assistance requests and end-of-life planning.
New York Military and Veteran Recreation Benefits
Hunting/Fishing
Resident veterans with a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) service-related disability rating of 40% or more may receive $5 hunting and fishing licenses and preference for Deer Management Permits.
Active-duty members home on leave receive free fishing, hunting and trapping licenses.
Nonresidents stationed in the state for more than 30 days can buy hunting and fishing licenses at the resident rate.
Parks/Camping
Wartime veterans with a 40% or greater disability may receive the Lifetime Liberty Pass for free vehicle entry to state parks, day use areas, historic sites, numerous state boat launch sites and other facilities; free golf at 28 state park golf courses; free swimming pool entrance at 36 state park pools; and discounted camping and cabin rentals at state campgrounds.
New York Veteran Transportation Benefits
The New York State Thruway Authority offers free, unlimited travel anywhere on the Thruway to certain disabled veterans. You must be eligible for the fee-exempt vehicle registration from the Department of Motor Vehicles.
New York Veteran Burial Benefits
Veterans Cemeteries
New York's state veterans cemetery is in Romulus. Service requirements of 24 consecutive months generally apply to members who enlisted after Sept. 7, 1908, or commissioned after Oct. 16, 1981, with the exception of veterans KIA. Exceptions to the 24-month rule also exist for veterans discharged early for certain causes and reservists eligible for retirement. Spouses and dependent children may also be buried.
Burial Allowance
New York state offers surviving families of military members killed in a combat zone a Supplemental Burial Allowance of up to $6,000.
More Information
Visit the New York State Department of Veterans' Services website for more information on any of these programs.
-- Additional reporting by Jim Absher.
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