Texas Disabled Veteran Benefits Explained – The Insider’s Guide

The State of Texas is one of the most veteran friendly states in America and offers many Texas Disabled Veteran Benefits.

While California remains the most populated state for disabled veterans in 2020, Texas is catching up, and will soon become the #1 overall state for disabled veterans in the country.

The Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) administers a wide range of disabled veteran benefits programs in Texas, including claims assistance, education, employment, entrepreneurs and small business owners, grants, health care advocacy, mental health, and women veterans.

Another fantastic resource for Texas Disabled Veterans is the new TexVet website, which provides a comprehensive listing of Texas Disabled Veteran Benefits by County.

VA Claims Insider has built this extensive listing of The Insider’s Guide to Texas Disabled Veteran Benefits as our gift to the Disabled Veterans in the great state of Texas!

Texas Disabled Veteran Benefits – Financial Assistance

Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption Texas

Property taxes in Texas are locally assessed and administered by each county.

Disabled Veterans in Texas with a 10% to 90% VA disability rating can get a reduction of their home’s assessed value from $5,000 to $12,000 depending on disability percentage.

Surviving spouses also qualify. Disabled Veterans are required to apply for residence homesteads owned by veterans or surviving family each year.

The deadline for filing for a disabled veteran’s exemption is between January 1 and April 30 of the tax year.

However, you may file for a disabled veteran’s exemption up to one year from the delinquency date.

To file for a disabled veteran’s exemption, you must complete the Application for Disabled Veteran’s or Survivor’s Exemptions form and submit it to the appraisal district in which the property is located.

The table below lists the exemption by VA disability rating.

Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption Texas Quick Calculator

Other Texas Disabled Veteran Benefits Discounts and Free Services

With the generous donations of for-profit entities as well as various non-profit organizations, Texas offers Disabled Veterans a ton of discounts and free services.

For a complete list of discounts and free offerings for Texas Disabled Veterans, please click HERE now.

List of Texas Disabled Veteran Benefits Discounts and Free Services

• The Folds of Honor Foundation has two types of scholarship programs for Texas Disabled Veterans: (1) The Children’s Fund Scholarship serves the dependents of disabled veterans rated at 90% or higher, in Kindergarten through 12th grade and (2) The Higher Education Scholarship the dependents of disabled veterans rated at 10% or higher for those seeking a first bachelor’s degree or a certification at a post-secondary institution. Both types of the Folds of Honor scholarships are based on “unmet need” as determined by documentation submitted by the awardee and can be valued up to $5,000. VA Claims Insider is a 1-Star Friends of the Folds partner to enable these incredible scholarship programs for the dependents of Disabled Veterans.

• Freedom Hunters offers Texas Disabled Veterans outdoor adventures and hunting for military, veterans and their families.

• The Gratitude Initiative provides Disabled Veterans in Texas with educational support and college scholarships to the children and families of military service members, veterans, disabled veterans, and those killed in defense of our country, and they work with children and their parents around the globe and throughout the United States at NO COST to include online college & career counseling, test prep, and financial aid counseling through the GI College Success Academy.

• The Veteran Tickets Foundation (VetTix) teams up with major sports teams, leagues, promoters, organizations, venues and ticket holders to provide free tickets to the more than 21 million military and veterans, including Disabled Veterans in Texas.

Texas Disabled Veteran Home Loans

The Veterans Land Board, Veterans Land Loan Program is the only one of its kind in the nation, giving Texas Veterans and Military Members the opportunity to borrow up to $150,000 to purchase land at competitive interest rates while typically requiring a minimum five percent down payment for tracts of one acre or more.

The program is easy to use and offers Texas Veterans and Military Members exclusive financing towards the purchase of their own piece of Texas.

The bonds used to fund the program are retired from loan repayments and the cost of administering the program is financed through a small fee charged on each loan.

Texas Disabled Veteran Land Loans Financing

The current Land Loans interest rate for Texas Disabled Veterans is 7.25%.

VLB provides financing on tracts up to $150,000 with a minimum 5% down payment and a fixed-rate 30-year loan term. 

The 5% down payment is subject to credit approval.

A $325 appraisal and contract service fee are due at the time of application.

There is no pre-payment penalty.

If you have not already identified the land you wish to purchase, consider the following options:

• View VLB land for sale available to the public
• Visit a property search website that lists land for sale in Texas
• Call VLB at 800-252-8387

Once a Veteran, or his or her successor, has successfully paid off a VLB land loan s/he may apply for another VLB land loan.

The same applies to our home and home improvement loan programs.

Disabled Veterans in Texas Recreational Benefits

Free Driver’s License for Texas Disabled Veterans

Disabled Veterans in Texas with at least a 60% VA disability rating and an honorable discharge can get a Texas driver’s license or ID card for free.

Texas Disabled Veterans Free Hunting and Fishing License

Disabled Veterans in Texas with an honorable discharge and a 50% or greater VA disability rating, or who have suffered the loss of use of a foot or leg as a result of service, can get a free Super Combo Hunting and Fishing License each year.

The Super Combo Hunting and All-Water Fishing Package is available at no cost for Texas Disabled Veterans.

The Super Combo License Package includes:

• Resident hunting license
• Resident fishing license
• Archery endorsement
• Freshwater fishing endorsement
• Saltwater fishing endorsement with a red drum tag
• Upland game bird endorsement
• Migratory game bird endorsement
• Federal Duck Stamp is NOT included, but is required for waterfowl hunting

Disabled Veterans State Park Admission

The Disabled Veterans passport allows free entry to Texas state parks for Texas Disabled Veterans with a 60% or more service-connected disability or loss of lower extremity.

One additional person may assist the pass holder at a reduced rate of 50% of the standard entry fee.

Present valid identification (such as a driver’s license) and one of the following to get your passport:

• Disabled Veterans of Texas license plate receipt
• Veteran’s VA Disability Summary Award Verification Letter (which establishes the degree of disability)
• Tax exemption letter for Texas veterans

Texas Disabled Veterans Educational Assistance Program

The Hazlewood Act is a State of Texas benefit that provides qualified Veterans, spouses, and dependent children with an education benefit of up to 150 hours of tuition-free college at state schools. This does NOT include living expenses, books, or supply fees.

To be eligible for the Hazlewood Act in Texas, a Veteran must:

• At the time of entry into active duty the U.S. Armed Forces,
  • Designated Texas as Home of Record; or
  • Entered the service in Texas; or
  • Was a Texas resident;
• Have received an honorable discharge or separation or a general discharge under honorable conditions as indicated on the Veteran’s Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214);
• Served at least 181 days of active duty service (excluding training);
• Currently reside in Texas;
• Have no federal Veteran’s education benefits, or have no federal Veterans education benefits dedicated to the payment of tuition and fees only (such as Chapter 33 or 31; for term or semester enrolled that do not exceed the value of Hazlewood benefits;
• Not be in default on a student loan made or guaranteed by the State of Texas;
• Enroll in classes for which the college receives tax support (i.e., a course that does not depend solely on student tuition and fees to cover its cost),unless the college’s governing board has ruled to let Veterans receive the benefit while taking non-funded courses; and
• Meet the GPA requirement of the institution’s satisfactory academic progress policy in a degree or certificate program as determined by the institution’s financial aid policy and, as an undergraduate student, not be considered to have attempted an excessive amount of credit hours.

To be eligible for the Hazlewood Act in Texas the spouse of the Veteran must:

• Be a spouse of a Veteran who, at the time of entry into the U.S. Armed Forces,
  • be classified by the institution as a Texas resident,
  • designated Texas as Home of Record,
  • or entered the service in Texas;
• Be a spouse of a Veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces or the Texas National Guard who died as a result of service-related injuries or illness, is missing in action, or became totally disabled (100%) as a result of service-related injury or illness or is entitled to receive compensation at the 100% rate due to individual unemployability (IU) due to a permanent service connected injury or illness;
• Have no federal Veterans education benefits, or have no federal Veterans education benefits dedicated to the payment of tuition and fees only (such as Chapter 33 or 31) for term or semester enrolled that do not exceed the value of Hazlewood benefits;
• Be classified by the institution as a Texas resident; and
• Meet the GPA requirement of the institution’s satisfactory academic progress policy in a degree or certificate program as determined by the institution’s financial aid policy and, as an undergraduate student, not be considered to have attempted an excessive amount of credit hours. This requirement does not apply to the spouse of a MIA, KIA, or service connected deceased Veteran.

To be eligible for the Hazlewood Act in Texas the child of a Veteran must:

• Be a child of a Veteran who, at the time of entry into the U.S. Armed Forces,
  • be classified by the institution as a Texas resident,
  • designated Texas as Home of Record,
  • or entered the service in Texas;
• Be a child of a Veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, Texas National Guard, or Texas Air National Guard who died as a result of service-related injuries or illness, is missing in action, or became totally disabled (100%) as a result of a service-related injury or illness or is entitled to receive compensation at the 100% rate due to individual unemployability (IU) due to a permanent service connected injury or illness;
• Have no federal Veterans education benefits, or have no federal Veterans education benefits dedicated to the payment of tuition and fees only (such as Chapter 33 or 31; for term or semester enrolled that do not exceed the value of Hazlewood benefits;
• Be classified by the institution as a Texas resident; and
• Meet the GPA requirement of the institution’s satisfactory academic progress policy in a degree or certificate program as determined by the institution’s financial aid policy and, as an undergraduate student, not be considered to have attempted an excessive amount of credit hours. This requirement does not apply to the child of a MIA, KIA, or service connected deceased Veteran.

Texas Disabled Veteran Homes

Texas State Veterans Homes provide affordable, long-term care for Texas Veterans, their spouses and Gold Star Parents.

Conveniently located across Texas, each first-class facility is designed to enhance the quality of life with a clean, caring and dignified setting appropriate to those men and women who have served our country with honor.

As of March 2020, there are nine (9) homes for Disabled Texas Veterans in the following Texas cities:

• Amarillo
• Big Spring
• Bonham
• El Paso
• Floresville
• Houston
• McAllen
• Temple
• Tyler

Because the VA subsidizes much of a Veteran’s cost to stay at a VLB Texas State Veterans Home, daily out-of-pocket rates are well below average and include the cost of medications for Veterans.

Residents can choose between a spacious private or semi-private room based upon availability.

Memory Care units at each home provide highly specialized care, including beautifully landscaped, secure courtyards.

Like all VLB programs, the Texas State Veterans Homes are self-supporting and cost Texas taxpayers virtually nothing.

Texas Disabled Veterans VA Benefit Resources

The Department of Veterans Affairs operates the largest healthcare system in the world.

Disabled Veterans in Texas can use this VA resource locator for various VA healthcare and VA benefits programs throughout the State of Texas.

List of VA Locations in Texas

About The Author

Brian Reese is a VA disability expert, former military officer, and founder of VA Claims Insider – “The Most Trusted Name in Education-Based Resources for Veterans.”

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Brian’s frustration with the 8-step VA disability claims process led him to create “VA Claims Insider,” which provides disabled veterans with tips, strategies, and lessons learned to win their VA disability compensation claim in less time.

He is also the CEO of Military Disability Made Easy, which is the world’s largest free searchable database for all things related to DoD disability and VA disability, and has served more than 6,000,000 military members and veterans since its founding in 2013.

Veterans can download one of his #1 rated and most downloaded FREE eBooks online: “The Secret Guide to 833 Ratable VA Disabilities” by clicking HERE now.

Brian is a former active duty Air Force officer with extensive experience leading hundreds of individuals and multi-functional teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour to southern Afghanistan in 2011 in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

He is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO and he holds an MBA from Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business, Stillwater, OK, where he was a National Honor Scholar (Top 1% of Graduate School class).