A Financial Safety Net for Massachusetts Veterans
The Executive Office of Veterans Services (EOVS) offers several financial benefits through its MASSVETS program.
Chapter 115 Benefits
The Executive Office of Veterans Services administers financial, medical, and dental assistance to eligible veterans and their dependents under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 115. Chapter 115 is a means-tested program that provides eligible veterans and their families with financial support for food, shelter, clothing, fuel, and medical care.
2024 HERO Act Updates:
Veterans eligible for Chapter 115 financial benefits may now utilize benefits for outpatient behavioral health services, including outpatient psychiatric, substance use disorder, other mental health care, and prescriptions. However, veterans are not eligible for inpatient hospital stays through Chapter 115.
Veterans who receive a Cost-of-Living Adjustment increase in any federal or state benefits that cause a veteran to exceed the income threshold for Chapter 115 benefits will not lose access to their benefits for the same year.
Annuity Payments
EOVS offers an annuity to certain disabled veterans, parents of deceased veterans, and unmarried spouses of deceased veterans living in Massachusetts. As part of the HERO Act, the annuity will be increasing from $2,000 to $2,500 over 2 years. Veterans will receive a payment of $1,250 in February of 2025. Starting in August of 2025, veterans will receive one annuity check per year of $2,500. Learn more and apply here.
Veterans Bonuses
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts provides a bonus to veterans of certain designated campaigns who were living in Massachusetts immediately prior to entry in the armed forces. In case of the death of a veteran, the spouse and children, mother or father, brother or sister or other dependents of the deceased veteran (in that order) are eligible for a bonus. Learn more and apply here.
Property Tax Exemptions for Veterans
Eligible veterans are entitled to a property tax exemption based on their circumstances and if the legislative body of municipality voted to accept the exemptions.
As a result of the passage of the HERO Act, certain municipalities may have voted to double the property tax exemption amount or tie the exemption to inflation, or both. Please refer to your local officials for information about your municipality’s current exemption rate.
Active Duty Service Buyback
- Employees of the Commonwealth are eligible to “buy back” up to four years of active duty service. This ‘buy back’ allows an employee to pay a lump sum of money to “purchase” up to four years of Commonwealth service and receive credit toward their pension.
- For example, if you served in the Navy for six years as active duty personnel, you could purchase four years of service toward your retirement. In this example, you would be eligible to vest in the pension after working for the state for 6 years instead of 10 years.
- The HERO Act expanded the enrollment period to ten years after starting state service. If you are a state employee who would like to take advantage of this program and missed this enrollment period, the HERO Act allows a one year grace period for any state employee to enroll.
Additional Resources
Find help outside of Massachusetts
Massachusetts veterans benefits are for residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
If a veteran lives outside of Massachusetts, they may be eligible for benefits in their state of residence. Every state has an office or department of veterans services. This office can provide information about veterans' benefits offered by that state. Find a list of state offices/departments of veterans' services here.