A separating service member deals with commercial providers across six core categories: retail banking, VA home financing, civilian life coverage, supplemental health or dental protection, higher education, and accredited VA disability appeal representation.
Companies Every Veteran Should Know
| Company | Pricing | Best for | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
FeaturedYour company here, pinned above every listingGet featured → | |||
| Navy Federal Credit Union | Not published | Banking and VA loans for military members and families | Credit union open to all military, DoD and family; no-fee checking; early pay 1 day early; offers VA mortgages. |
| USAA | Not published | Banking and insurance for military families | Sells banking, insurance and term and whole life insurance with a no-cost rider for buying more coverage after leaving service; membership is military-connected. |
| Veterans United Home Loans | Sample VA rates posted on a separate page | VA purchase and refinance loans | Private lender (not endorsed by the VA) offering VA purchase loans, Streamline (IRRRL) and cash-out refinances, and VA jumbo loans; licensed in all 50 states. |
| AAFMAA | Not published | Life insurance after separation | Sells term life (five to 30 years) and whole life to active, Guard and Reserve, transitioning military, veterans, retirees and families. |
| USBA | No fees or annual dues for membership; premiums by online quote | TRICARE and CHAMPVA supplements, plus life insurance | Sells TRICARE supplement plans, a CHAMPVA supplement and group term and whole life; membership open to active duty, honorably discharged veterans, retirees and families. |
| United Concordia | Not published | Dental coverage for military families and retirees | Administers the TRICARE Dental Program for family members and sells nationwide FEDVIP dental plans for retirees. |
| American Public University (APUS) | Not published | Online degrees for military students | Describes American Military University as a trusted choice for military servicemembers, veterans and their families. |
| Berry Law | No fees unless we win; free consultation | VA disability appeals | VA-accredited attorneys handling VA disability appeals nationwide, including PTSD, TBI, Agent Orange diseases, sleep apnea and back injuries. |
| Hill & Ponton | No fee unless we win; fee percentage not published | VA disability claims and appeals | Law firm handling VA disability claims and appeals, PTSD, TDIU, Agent Orange, PACT Act and mental health ratings. |
Pricing is as each company publishes it. Confirm current terms before you sign up. Listed here? Update your listing.
Six Areas Where Veterans Deal With Companies
A veteran deals with companies in six areas: a bank or credit union, a VA home loan lender, life insurance to replace or add to Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) and Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI), a TRICARE supplement or dental plan, a school that accepts the GI Bill, and a VA-accredited attorney if a disability claim is denied. Most of these companies publish few prices, so the table above shows "Not published" where a company's site lists none. Our first year after separation timeline shows the order to handle these decisions in.
Banking and Home Loans
One bank in the table offers early pay up to 2 days early, and one credit union's membership covers all military, DoD and family. Compare checking and savings options in our military banks guide.
For housing, according to the VA home loans program, VA direct and VA-backed home loans assist Veterans, active service members, and eligible survivors to buy, build, improve, or refinance a home. The VA says nearly 90% of VA-backed loans are made with no down payment.
One private lender in the table lists VA purchase loans, Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loans (IRRRL, also known as Streamline refinances), cash-out refinances, and VA jumbo loans. A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) shows a lender that you qualify, and the VA home loans page explains how to find out if you can get one.
That lender states it is a private lender, not endorsed or sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency, and it publishes no rates on its main page. Compare several lenders in our VA loan lenders guide.
Life and Health Coverage
If you had Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) while serving, you can apply for Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI), and private carriers sell alternatives. Under the VA VGLI page, you must apply within 1 year and 120 days of leaving the military. If you sign up within 240 days of leaving, you do not need to prove you are in good health.
Private insurers in the table sell term and whole life policies to military families and veterans. One lists term lengths of five to 30 years, and most do not publish premiums. See our military life insurance comparison.
One association in the table sells supplement plans for TRICARE Prime, Select, Active Duty Family Member, Reserve Select and Retired Reserve, plus a CHAMPVA supplement. It states there are no fees and no annual dues for membership, which is open to active duty, Guard and Reserve, honorably discharged veterans regardless of length of service, retirees, cadets, federal employees and eligible family members.
For dental coverage, per the Office of Personnel Management FEDVIP eligibility guidelines, uniformed service retirees enrolled in a TRICARE health plan qualify to purchase Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) coverage. One insurer in the table administers the TRICARE Dental Program for family members and sells nationwide FEDVIP dental plans to retirees. See our military dental insurance guide, or review plan structures in our TRICARE supplement plans explainer.
School and the GI Bill
One online university in the table describes itself as a trusted choice for military servicemembers, veterans and their families. It publishes no tuition on its main page, so check tuition and GI Bill acceptance with the school and the VA. Compare schools in our online schools for the GI Bill guide before you enroll.
VA Disability Claim Help and Fees
A VA disability claim can be filed without paid help. The VA claim filing guide outlines that you can file a disability claim online, by mail using VA Form 21-526EZ, in person at a regional VA office, by fax, or with help from an accredited attorney, claims agent, or Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative. Our how to file a VA claim guide walks through the steps.
VA reviews your DD Form 214 or other separation documents and your service treatment records. You do not have to submit evidence with the claim, but VA may schedule a claim exam. You have up to a year from the date VA receives your claim to submit evidence.
According to the VA page on getting help with a claim, accredited helpers are VSO representatives, attorneys, and claims agents. VSO representative services are always free on VA benefit claims. Attorneys and claims agents may charge fees.
The two law firms in the table state "no fee unless we win" and offer a free consultation or case evaluation, but neither main page states a fee percentage, so ask each firm for its fee terms in writing. Among the claims they list are PTSD, TBI, TDIU, Agent Orange, PACT Act, sleep apnea, back injuries and mental health ratings. To compare attorneys, see our VA disability attorneys guide.
Before You Choose
Many company sites list neither prices nor rates, so ask each company for its fee schedule or rate quote in writing before you sign anything.
This guide offers general educational information and does not constitute formal financial, insurance, or legal advice.