Wisconsin Veteran Financial Benefits
Wisconsin State Taxes on Military Pay: Resident Service members are subject to Wisconsin income tax on their military pay.
Income Tax Exemption for National Guard and Reserve Members on Active Duty: Military pay earned by reserve component Service members called to federal active duty or special state duty under 32 USC 502(f) is exempt from Wisconsin income tax. This exemption does not apply to drill pay or two-week annual training pay.
Combat Pay Exemption: Military pay that is exempt from federal taxes, such as combat pay, hazardous duty, or hostile fire pay, is also exempt from Wisconsin taxes.
Extension of Filing Deadlines: Any federal extension for filing income tax returns automatically applies to Wisconsin income tax returns.
Death Gratuity Exemption: Department of Defense Death Gratuities paid to surviving dependents of active duty Service members who die in the line of duty are exempt from Wisconsin income taxes.
Military Retired Pay: Military retirement pay is not subject to Wisconsin income tax.
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP): Contributions are made with pre-tax dollars, and distributions from TSP accounts are taxable in Wisconsin.
Military Disability Retirement Pay: Military Disability Retirement Pay, including pensions, annuities, or similar allowances for injuries or sickness resulting from active service, is not included in taxable income. This includes:
- Disability compensation or pension payments to Veterans or their families
- Grants for wheelchair-accessible homes
- Grants for vehicles for Veterans who lost sight or use of limbs
- Benefits under dependent-care assistance programs
VA Disability Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC): DIC is a tax-free benefit for eligible survivors of Service members who died in the line of duty or Veterans whose death was service-connected.
Military Survivor Plans: Payments from SBP, RCSBP, or RSFPP are not taxed in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Veterans and Surviving Spouses Property Tax Credit: Eligible Veterans and surviving spouses can claim a refundable property tax credit for their primary residence and up to one acre of land.
Eligibility for Property Tax Credit:
- Veterans who served on active duty with an honorable discharge
- Wisconsin residents at enlistment or for five consecutive years afterward
- Individuals with 100% service-connected disability or rated individually unemployable
- Un-remarried surviving spouses of Service members or Veterans meeting specific residency and disability requirements
- Un-remarried surviving spouses receiving VA DIC
Sales Tax:
- Statewide: 5.0%
- Local: Up to 1.75%
- Current average with local taxes: 5.43%
Recreation
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources – Benefits for U.S. Armed Forces Service Members
Wisconsin law provides numerous hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges for both resident and nonresident active duty and reserve component Service members. Below is a summary of key benefits:
Free Licenses for Service Members on Leave: Wisconsin resident Service members on active duty are eligible for complimentary small game hunting and fishing licenses while on leave. Proof of military ID and leave papers is required when applying.
Additional Benefits While on Leave:
- One bonus antlerless deer harvest permit for any quota-restricted unit, even if the unit is sold out
- Authorization to harvest a buck with a Gun Buck Deer permit and one Farmland (Zone 2) Antlerless Deer permit on public or private lands
- Gun Buck Deer permit may be used to harvest a buck during any firearm deer season, including antlerless-only periods
- Spring turkey harvest permit valid for any zone and open period
- Sturgeon spearing license available after the October 31 deadline, valid through the remainder of the open sturgeon season
Education Programs
isconsin Education Benefits for Veterans and Their Families
Wisconsin GI Bill – Tuition Remission
The Wisconsin GI Bill provides full tuition and segregated fee remission for eligible Veterans, their spouses, and children at any University of Wisconsin System school or Wisconsin Technical College. Benefits cover up to 128 credits or eight semesters, whichever is greater, and may be used for undergraduate, graduate, or continuing education. This program is state-funded and separate from federal VA education benefits.
Eligibility (Veterans):
- Wisconsin resident at time of entry into active duty, or resident for 5+ years before applying
- Honorable discharge
- At least 90 days active duty during wartime, two years during peacetime, or awarded an Armed Forces Expeditionary/Campaign Medal
- Discharged early due to a service-connected disability
Eligibility (Spouses/Children):
- Wisconsin resident for at least 5 consecutive years before applying
- Veteran must have a 30%+ VA disability rating or have died on active duty, from a service-connected disability, or in the line of duty during training
- Children must be between 17–26 years old; surviving spouses must remain unmarried
Applicants must submit forms to both the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) and the school they plan to attend.
Wisconsin Veteran Student Assistance Grant
Provides up to $2,000 per semester (matched by the private college) for Veterans, spouses, or children attending participating private non-profit schools. Benefits are reduced if Wisconsin GI Bill benefits are also used.
Eligibility:
- Same residency/service requirements as the GI Bill
- Veteran must have an honorable discharge, and spouses/children must meet VA disability/death-related criteria
VetEd Reimbursement Grant
Reimburses tuition costs at WDVA-approved schools, based on length of active duty:
- 90–180 days: 30 credits (2 semesters)
- 181–730 days: 60 credits (4 semesters)
- 731+ days: 120 credits (8 semesters)
Additional requirements:
- Must apply for Wisconsin GI Bill first
- Household income under $50,000 (plus $1,000 per dependent after two dependents)
- Must use benefits within 10 years of discharge for full credit
Wisconsin Veteran Job Retraining Grants
Provides up to $3,000 annually for Veterans who are unemployed or underemployed and retraining for new careers. Available for up to two grants, with eligibility based on financial need and retraining program approval. Employers offering on-the-job training may also receive support.
Additional Education Benefits
- Academic Credit for Military Service: Colleges may award credit for military training and coursework.
- Wisconsin National Guard Tuition Grant: Covers up to 100% of tuition (UW–Madison rate) for up to 8 semesters for Guard members in good standing.
- High School Diplomas for Wartime Veterans: Veterans who left school to serve in wartime and later received an honorable discharge may be awarded diplomas, including posthumously.
- Veteran Upward Bound (VUB): Free college-prep program at UW–Milwaukee and Zablocki VA Center offering tutoring, test prep, career planning, and academic advising.
- Resident Tuition Rates: Nonresident Service members, Veterans, and families may qualify for in-state tuition if stationed in Wisconsin (or within 90 miles of the border) or if meeting long-term residency/service requirements.
- Military Interstate Children’s Compact (MIC3): Helps military children transition smoothly between schools during family relocations or deployments.
Housing: Listed below are the available Veterans Homes
Wisconsin Veterans Homes: The state operates three facilities that offer long-term skilled nursing care for Veterans as well as qualifying family members.
Wisconsin State Veterans Home at King
Wisconsin State Veterans Home at Union Grove
Wisconsin State Veterans Home at Chippewa Falls
Some of the services available at Wisconsin Veterans Homes include:
- Dental care
- Physician appointments
- Laboratory testing
- Social work support
- Medical transportation
- Mental health care
- Occupational, physical, respiratory, and speech therapy
- Skilled nursing services
- Social services
- Specialized care units
- Spiritual and religious programs
- Family-style dining areas
- Housekeeping support
- Daily recreational activities
Eligibility for Wisconsin Veterans Homes
Wisconsin residency is not required for admission. Applicants must meet one of the following criteria:
- A Veteran who served at least two years of active duty during peacetime (or for the full term of their initial service obligation) and was honorably discharged, or
- A Veteran who served a minimum of 90 days on active duty, with at least one day during a wartime period, and received an honorable discharge, or
- The spouse of an eligible Veteran, or
- The spouse or parents of a Service member who died while serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Admission Priorities
- Veterans
- Spouses of eligible Veterans
- Surviving spouses of deceased Veterans
- Parents of Service members killed in action
Residency-Based Priority Within Each Group
- Wisconsin residents for more than six consecutive months before applying
- Wisconsin residents for less than six consecutive months before applying
- Nonresidents
Employment and Job Training Benefits for Wisconsin Veterans
Wisconsin State Employment Military Leave Benefit
Permanent state employees who serve in the National Guard or U.S. Armed Forces Reserve are eligible for 30 days of paid military leave each year without loss of benefits. Covered duties include:
- Attendance at military schools
- Annual field training
- Federal or state active duty (when absences exceed three days, not necessarily workdays)
While on military leave, Service members receive the difference between their state salary and base military pay. Those returning from extended unpaid military leave will still accrue credit for annual leave, sick leave, and legal holidays as if continuously employed.
Eligibility: Open to Wisconsin state employees serving in a reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces or National Guard.
Wisconsin Differential Pay for State Employees
State employees called to extended active duty (up to 179 days) may receive the difference between their state salary and their military pay plus housing allowance, provided their state salary exceeds military compensation.
Wisconsin Veterans’ Hiring Preference
Veterans and certain family members receive preference in initial state employment. Additional exam points are awarded as follows:
- 10 points – Veterans
- 15 points – Disabled Veterans (<30% VA disability rating)
- 20 points – Disabled Veterans (>30% VA disability rating)
- 10 points – Spouses of Veterans rated 70%+ disabled by the VA
- 10 points – Un-remarried surviving spouses of Veterans killed in action or who died from a service-connected disability
Wisconsin Veteran-Owned Business Certification
The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) certifies Veteran-owned and disabled Veteran-owned businesses. Certified businesses (at least 51% Veteran-owned with under $1.5M annual gross sales) may use a special logo and receive preference in state contracting.
Wisconsin Veteran Farmer Assistance and Outreach Program
The WDVA and Department of Agriculture support Veteran-owned farms with certification, branding, and outreach to highlight their role in Wisconsin’s economy.
Troops to Teachers (TTT) Wisconsin Program
Helps Service members, Veterans, and retirees transition into teaching careers. Support includes:
- Career counseling and certification guidance
- Assistance with licensing requirements
- Job placement support and mentorship
Financial Benefits:
- Up to $5,000 stipend for teacher training (if working in high-need schools)
- Up to $10,000 bonus for teaching in schools with high numbers of low-income students
Eligibility: Current and former Service members with an honorable discharge.
Federal Employment Veterans’ Preference
Veterans may receive 5 or 10 point preferences in federal hiring exams/interviews. Points vary by service period, campaign medals, or VA disability rating. Spouses and surviving spouses may also qualify in certain circumstances.
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)
USERRA protects the civilian employment rights of Service members by ensuring:
- Job reinstatement after up to five years of military service (with exceptions for extended duty)
- Disability accommodations for injured Veterans
- Retention of seniority, status, and pay upon return
- Health and pension plan protections (coverage up to 24 months for extended service)
Eligibility: Veterans, Reservists, and National Guard members who leave a civilian job for training or active duty.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) enforces USERRA and assists with claims, including for federal employees.
Burials and Memorials
It’s important to record your wishes about burial in a national cemetery and the use of a VA-provided headstone, ensuring these are filed with your documents and medical records.
The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) honors qualified Veterans and their loved ones by offering a dignified resting place and a permanent memorial that reflects the Veteran’s service to the nation.
Burial benefits include a gravesite at any open national cemetery with available space, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a government-issued headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate—all provided at no cost to the family. Certain Veterans may also qualify for a burial allowance. Cremated remains are treated with equal honor and may be buried or placed inurned within national cemeteries.
These benefits also extend to eligible spouses and dependents, who may be interred alongside the Veteran. Their names, along with birth and death dates, are inscribed on the Veteran’s marker at no expense. Notably, spouses and dependents can be buried even if they pass before the Veteran, and they are not required to be laid to rest in the same national cemetery.
National Cemeteries include:
Madison: Forest Hill Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot
Milwaukee: Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot
Milwaukee: Wood National Cemetery
Portage, WI: Fort Winnebago Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot
Prairie du Chien: Fort Crawford Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot
Racine: Mound Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot
Wisconsin VA Benefit Resources
In Wisconsin, Veterans have access to a Regional Benefits Office along with VA Medical Centers that deliver essential support and services.
Wisconsin VA Regional Benefits Office
- Milwaukee: Milwaukee Regional Office
Wisconsin VA Medical Centers
- Madison: William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital
- Milwaukee: Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center
- Tomah: Tomah VA Medical Center
Important Information on Wisconsin Veteran Benefits:
If you’re applying for VA benefits for the first time, you’ll need to provide a copy of your DD Form 214 (discharge document). This form verifies your discharge status, full name, Social Security number, branch of service, and service dates. Veterans with honorable or general discharges typically qualify for most VA benefits.
Always keep your discharge papers and medical records stored safely in a secure and accessible location, such as a fireproof safe, to prevent damage, loss, or tampering.
Eligibility for the majority of VA benefits requires discharge from active duty under conditions other than dishonorable. Active duty includes full-time service in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, as well as commissioned officer roles in the Public Health Service, Environmental Services Administration, or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Veterans separated with a “Dishonorable” discharge, particularly those resulting from bad conduct rulings in a general court-martial, are typically barred from VA benefits. However, some benefits may still be available to incarcerated Veterans and parolees. VA regional offices can help clarify eligibility in cases involving imprisonment, parole, or multiple discharges under different circumstances.
Information current as of November 2023
Wisconsin Veterans Benefits
Disabled Veterans in Wisconsin with a VA rating of 90% or below may qualify for extra benefits. Vital Veterans Consultants offers a free, no-obligation consultation to review your claim. Our team can help determine if you are eligible for a VA compensation increase and explore whether you qualify for additional state or federal benefits.
