GI Bill 2026: The Rudisill Ruling, Transfer Deadlines, and the Wealth You're Leaving on the Table

I separated from the military with a folder full of benefit paperwork and zero idea what any of it was worth.

The VA rating letter. The GI Bill eligibility notice. The transfer-of-benefits form I'd submitted three years earlier and never thought about again.

It wasn't until I started actually calculating the numbers — tuition covered, housing stipend, books — that I understood what was sitting in that folder: a six-figure asset that most veterans never fully deploy.

That math got even more complicated in April 2024, when the Supreme Court handed down Rudisill v. McDonough — a ruling that added up to 12 months of additional GI Bill eligibility for over a million veterans. And it comes with a hard deadline: October 1, 2030.

Here's what changed, who it affects, and how to treat your GI Bill like the balance-sheet asset it actually is.

What the Rudisill Ruling Actually Changed

Before Rudisill, veterans who served across multiple periods — earning entitlement under both the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) and the Post-9/11 GI Bill — were stuck with a combined cap of 36 months total. The VA forced them into an "election" that swapped benefits and limited total eligibility.

In a 7-2 decision on April 16, 2024, the Supreme Court rejected that interpretation. If you have separate entitlement under both programs from distinct periods of service, you can now use benefits from either, in any order, up to a combined 48-month aggregate cap under 38 U.S.C. §3695(a).

That's a potential 12 additional months of GI Bill benefits — at current rates, that could mean over $30,000 in additional tuition coverage plus monthly housing allowance, depending on your location and school.

The VA estimates over 835,000 veterans are likely eligible for additional benefits under this ruling. (Source: VA benefits.va.gov/gibill/rudisill.asp)

The October 1, 2030 Deadline

Here's what matters right now: you must apply for a Rudisill recalculation by October 1, 2030 to receive a new benefit expiration date tied to the expanded eligibility. After that date, the Montgomery GI Bill program expires, and the window to stack entitlements closes permanently.

From February 2026, that's 3 years and 7 months. Sounds like plenty of time — until you factor in VA processing timelines, dependent planning, and the fact that children must be between 18 and 26 years old when they use transferred benefits.

Start this now.

How to Check Your Eligibility

You may qualify for expanded Rudisill benefits if:

You served across at least two separate periods of service
One period qualifies for MGIB (generally pre-2001 service with the $1,200 contribution)
Another period qualifies for Post-9/11 GI Bill (90+ days of active duty after September 10, 2001)
You have not yet used the full 36 months previously allowed under either program

The VA has set up an automatic review process for approximately 660,000 veterans whose education claims were decided on or after August 15, 2018 — no action required. However, ~379,000 veterans with earlier claims must file manually.

To request a recalculation:

Go to VA.gov/education/how-to-apply
On page 2, select the Rudisill review option on Form 22-1995
Submit your DD-214(s) and any MGIB contribution records

Use the VA's Rudisill decision tree to confirm your eligibility before applying.

2026-2027 Rate Update: What Your Benefits Are Worth Now

New GI Bill rates take effect August 1, 2026. Here's what 100% eligibility gets you for the 2026-2027 academic year:

Public university tuition: Full in-state tuition and mandatory fees
Private/foreign school cap: Up to $30,908.34 per year (up from $29,920.95 in 2025-2026)
Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA): E-5 with dependents BAH rate for your school's ZIP code

Sample 2026 MHA rates by location:

New York City: $5,073/month
Washington D.C. area (Quantico/Woodbridge): $2,985/month
Houston, TX: $2,136/month
Omaha, NE: $1,932/month

At the national average, a veteran or dependent student at a public university can expect roughly $25,000–$35,000 per year in combined tuition and housing benefit value — and up to 48 months of it if you qualify under Rudisill.

Over four years, that's a $100,000–$140,000 wealth transfer for a child or spouse.

The GI Bill as a Balance-Sheet Asset

This is the angle most financial coverage misses.

We've already written about tracking your GI Bill as part of your net worth and building a transfer strategy for dependents. But Rudisill changes the calculus: if you're now eligible for 48 months instead of 36, you have more to deploy — and more to lose if you don't plan it.

Think of GI Bill entitlement the way you'd think about a 529 plan:

A funded 529 for four years at an in-state public university requires roughly $100,000–$140,000 in contributions, growing over 18+ years
Your GI Bill provides equivalent value with zero investment required — it's already earned

The difference? A 529 transfers cleanly at any time. Your GI Bill transfer window closes the moment you separate from service without completing the milConnect request.

If you're still serving and haven't locked in the transfer, the calculation is simple: do it now. You can always reallocate months later. You cannot initiate a transfer after separation.

Spouse vs. Child: The Rules That Catch Veterans Off Guard

Transfer rules aren't uniform — and the differences matter for planning:

Spouse:

Can use benefits immediately after transfer approval, even on active duty (no MHA while service member is active)
No age restrictions on use
No expiration if separated on or after January 1, 2013

Dependent children:

Cannot begin using benefits until service member completes 10 years of total service
Must be at least 18 years old (or have a diploma/equivalent) to start using
Must be under 26 years old when using benefits
MHA is available even if the service member remains active duty

The child age window is the most commonly missed trap. If your kids are young and you're planning early, the 10-year service threshold and the 18-26 usage window need to map to your separation timeline. Plan this on paper — or better yet, on a dashboard where you can see your full picture.

The Three Mistakes That Cost Veterans Their Benefits

Mistake 1: Assuming the automatic review will catch you. The VA's automatic review only covers veterans with education claims decided on or after August 15, 2018. If your claim predates that — and hundreds of thousands do — you need to file manually. Don't assume the system will find you.

Mistake 2: Waiting until you're ready to use the benefits. Transfer of education benefits must be completed while you're still serving. Once you sign your DD-214, that window is gone. It doesn't matter if your kids are 3 years old — you can transfer months now and let them use them at 18. What you can't do is go back in time.

Mistake 3: Not knowing the child age window. Your 8-year-old might be on your dependent transfer plan. But if you separate at year 8 and your child won't turn 18 for another decade, the math still works — they just need to start using benefits before 26. For veterans with young children, this requires deliberate planning now. Map out the timeline: your separation year, your child's 18th birthday, their 26th birthday. That's the usage window.

Your Action Plan for 2026

If you're still serving:

Submit your Transfer of Education Benefits through milConnect — allocate at least 1 month to each dependent to preserve future flexibility
Confirm your dependents are enrolled in DEERS
After August 1, review updated 2026-2027 BAH rates to recalculate benefit value for your dependents' school locations

If you've already separated:

Check your eligibility for Rudisill recalculation at benefits.va.gov/gibill/rudisill.asp
If your claim predates August 15, 2018, file Form 22-1995 manually — don't wait for automatic review
Mark October 1, 2030 in your calendar as a hard deadline

For everyone:

Add your GI Bill entitlement value to your net worth tracking — it's a real asset with a dollar figure
Model your dependents' usage windows against current BAH rates
Explore how Nova helps veterans track military benefits alongside every other account

The Bottom Line

The Rudisill ruling is the most significant expansion of GI Bill benefits in years — and most veterans still don't know their eligibility has changed.

Twelve additional months at current benefit levels could mean $25,000–$35,000 more in education support for you or your family. The deadline to lock in that expanded entitlement is October 1, 2030.

That's not far away. And the VA processing backlog means the right time to act isn't 2029.

Your military service earned this. The only question is whether you'll claim all of it.

Ready to see how your GI Bill fits into your complete financial picture? Start your free Nova trial — built by a veteran, for veterans who want to track every asset in one place, including education benefits, TSP, VA disability, and more.

Sources: VA.gov Rudisill ruling page | VA.gov Post-9/11 GI Bill future rates | SVA Rudisill update

GI Bill 2026: Rudisill Ruling + Transfer Deadline Guide