Top Financial Resources for Veterans

Article summary

• Transitioning from military to civilian life can be financially challenging for veterans—58 percent describe the process as "difficult" or "very difficult." Numerous resources are available to help veterans manage money, eliminate debt and secure meaningful employment.
• Veterans have access to a wide range of housing and education support, including VA-backed home loans, HUD housing counseling and education benefits. Job-matching tools also help veterans translate their military skills into civilian careers.
• Veterans facing financial hardship can access emergency assistance for food, housing and utilities through federal programs, the VA Homeless Programs department and organizations reachable by calling 211

Veterans have sacrificed a great deal to defend and protect our country. Yet, according to the Military Family Lifestyle Survey released in 2026, 58 percent of veterans described their transition from military to civilian life as “difficult” or “very difficult.” And 27 percent of veteran family respondents reported that they were “finding it difficult to get by” or “just getting by.”

To navigate the complex transition to civilian life, veterans deserve assistance, especially financial help. From money management and debt elimination to finding meaningful employment, help with education and housing, and a wide range of emergency assistance, the National Veterans Financial Resource Center, or FINVET, offers a useful hub of resources for veterans. With the right guidance, veterans can work toward building a financially secure life after service.

Money management

Veterans can receive up to three free financial counseling sessions through the Veterans Benefits Banking Program, or VBBP. As part of this program, an Accredited Financial Counselor guides veterans on how to create a budget, reduce debt, set savings goals and more. 

Along with a steady income, many veterans have debt they need to tackle once they’ve left the military. The FINVET Debt Destroyer tool is one way veterans can keep track of, and eventually eliminate, debt that could threaten a secure retirement.

Savings is a key component of financial health, and veterans can also save on everyday items. From groceries and gardening tools to restaurants, sneakers and cars, veterans may also be able to save with many discounts.

Veterans who want to secure the next generation with a will or trust can attend one of the many free legal service clinics that the VA offers across the country. 

Employment & income

Veterans are entitled to many benefits, some of which help their financial outlook. From retirement to health and disability, veterans can explore all of their benefits by using the USA.gov Benefits Finder online tool. This is a good way to make sure nothing is left on the table.

For many veterans, establishing employment income is a key component of future financial wellness. Yet, just one in four veterans said they had a job lined up after leaving the military, according to a 2019 survey of U.S. veterans conducted by the Pew Research Center.

Veterans have many valuable skills, but they may not know how those skills translate into the civilian workforce. For veterans looking for resources to help find meaningful and sustainable work:

• My Next Move helps veterans discover aligned career paths based on their interests and the skills they learned in the military.
• Veterans can also search for work using the Veterans Job Matcher, a component of CareerOneStop that identifies available work for veterans based on military occupation and branch.
• American Job Centers also offer employment and training services for veterans, with locations searchable by zip code. 

Some veterans face barriers not only in finding work, but also in keeping a job. The VA offers Compensated Work Therapy, which helps veterans who are experiencing difficulty securing or maintaining work for reasons related to disability, mental health issues, substance use and other circumstances.

Education may be the key step between active duty and meaningful work. For veterans who intend to further their education following service, VA benefits help many veterans and their qualifying family members with college tuition, choosing the right school and career guidance. 

Housing

For many veterans, active duty military meant moving often, making it challenging to put down roots. For eligible veterans, VA direct and VA-backed loans are available for buying, building, improving and refinancing homes.

Veterans can also reach out to a HUD housing counseling agency for support, including credit, loan, foreclosure counseling and more.  

Avoid scams and fraud

Watch out for financial scams that sound too good to be true. Veterans, in particular, need to be mindful of scams that target disability and pension benefits, loan scams, pension poaching, claims predators and more. VSAFE.gov is an important site where veterans can learn about scams and fraud and report suspected fraud. 

Basic needs & emergency assistance

For veterans who have trouble making ends meet, a wide variety of resources are available to help cover basic needs. From food and clothing to homelessness assistance and reducing bills, many federal programs are designed to help.

• Food: Learn about VA services that help veterans overcome food insecurity.  For assistance with basic food needs, veterans can contact the USDA National Hunger Hotline to find food programs and resources.
• Housing: Veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless can contact the VA Homeless Programs department and speak with a trained professional who can navigate individual situations and help find solutions. The National Call Center for Homeless Veterans is 877-424-3838.
• Utilities: Lifeline Support helps qualifying low-income households save money on phone or internet service. For households that meet the eligibility requirements, the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) can help with energy costs.
• Clothing: For veterans with service-connected disabilities that require the use of prosthetics or skin medications that damage clothes, an annual clothing allowance is available.

Dozens of other organizations provide direct financial assistance to veterans. For further emergency assistance with food, housing, utilities and more, call 211 or search for resources online by location.