You might have heard other veterans talking about a website called “eBenefits” and wonder, “What is that?” Simply put, eBenefits is the easiest way for you as a veteran to access your VA and Department of Defense information and benefits.

As a veteran who uses eBenefits myself, I encourage any and all veterans who have some interaction with the VA or DoD to register to use the website.

So, What Can eBenefits Do for Me?

If you are the recipient of VA benefits or are still affiliated with the DoD, eBenefits allows you to update your contact information right online. This is very helpful as we have seen many times where a veteran mails a form to the VA to notify them of a change of address and six months later they still have the wrong address listed.

When you update it through eBenefits, your address is changed instantaneously. You can also change or add direct deposit information for VA disability or GI Bill benefits. Veterans in receipt of VA disability benefits can download a single page verification letter that they can use to obtain other benefits.

For instance, we have a lot of veterans use eBenefits to obtain the VA disability verification letter to submit with their application for the Disabled Veterans Property Tax Exemption that was featured in last month’s article. You can also update the status of your dependents, re-order your VA prescriptions, download a Certificate of Eligibility for the VA Home Loan, and check the status of your pending disability claim or appeal.

Although I mentioned the popular features, there are more than 50 features that the website offers which you can see on the VA’s eBenefits Fact Sheet.

So, How Do I Sign Up?

First, you need to enter the website address into your browser: www.ebenefits.va.gov. There are two levels of access – Basic and Premium. You want the Premium Account, which will give you full access to the website.

Premium doesn’t mean it costs money, it just means that the government goes more in-depth to verify your identity because they are giving you access to your sensitive information. That means that registration can be a little bit tricky because the government wants to ensure you are who you say you are. Often, it takes 15 to 30 minutes to get registered as you will be required to enter your personnel information, set up a secure password, and answer challenge questions about your identity.

Registration can be frustrating but that is the hardest part and everything beyond that is a breeze. Step-by-step instructions can be found on the VA’s website. If you would like assistance with registering for eBenefits, call our office at 630-232-3550 to set up an appointment to come in and we can help you.

Make sure to “Like” the KCVAC Office on Facebook to stay up-to-date with the latest news on veterans benefits.

About the Kane County Veterans Assistance Commission

The Kane County Veterans Assistance Commission exists to help veterans access the benefits they earned for serving our great nation. Whether you are looking to apply for health care, dental insurance, disability compensation, home loan, GI Bill, or state benefits — the KCVAC office can help! Don’t try to navigate the benefits bureaucracy alone: Veterans Assistance Commission help is free! For more information, visit the Veterans Assistance Commission web page, “Like” the Kane County Veterans Assistance Commission Facebook page and sign up for the Veterans Assistance Commission newsletter.