The changes build on the existing Post-9/11 GI Bill, and the most talked about
change is the one that removes the 15 year time limit for people to use their GI Bill benefit. For this reason, the new changes are being referred to as the "Forever GI Bill."
Major Post-9/11 GI Bill Changes for Massachusetts Military Families
Massachusetts Military Families Experiencing Stressful Conditions
Blue Star Families' annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey provides a
comprehensive understanding of the experiences and challenges encountered by military families.
Domestic Violence Is a Crime Under Military Law in Massachusetts
Domestic violence officially become a separate crime under the Uniform Code of
Military Justice under the defense authorization act.
How to Serve a Massachusetts Service Member Who is Deployed - By Email
Service of U.S. state court paperwork is similar to serving on exclusive federal land
- the Army, for example, will first ascertain whether the servicemember will voluntarily accept service. If not, the requesting party is advised that he/she must comply with the requirements of the host nation or Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters.
Military Divorce Rate Declines in Massachusetts
The overall divorce rate among both male and female service members held
steady in fiscal 2017, marking the fourth year running that the rate has hovered between 3 percent and 3.1 percent.
Protecting Child Custody for Massachusetts Military Servicemembers
The Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act was passed at the start of World War II to
provide legal protection to those serving in the military. Congress later passed the Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act (SCRA) in 2003 to update the original legislation in order to better reflect modern times.
SCRA law recognizes that servicemembers, like all other U.S. residents, may become involved in civil conflict or family law, often by filing for divorce or being served divorce papers. However, when legal conflict arises, it is particularly difficult for these servicemembers to protect their legal rights when they are involved in training, deployed on assignment, or otherwise required to focus all of their energies on national defense.
Expanded Paternity Leave For Massachusetts Sailors
Officials with the U.S. Navy announced that the service branch will
more than double the amount of paid leave provided to Massachusetts sailors whose spouses have given birth. As early as February 2018 the Navy will increase the number of days a sailor can receive in paid time off for paternity leave from 10 to 21.
IRS Tax Tip: What Massachusetts Members of Military Should Know about the Earned Income Tax Credit
The IRS reminds members of the Massachusetts military and veterans that they 
may qualify for the earned income tax credit. This credit benefits certain people who work and have earned income that's less than $53,930.
Massachusetts Military Divorce and PTSD
The lengthy wars in Afghanistan and Iraq tested the U.S. military in dynamic ways
and led to unforeseen consequences both for our Massachusetts servicemen and servicewomen as well as for their families.
Key Points of the New Military Blended Retirement System
The new Blended Retirement System (BRS) created under the 2016 Nation
Defense Authorization Act is a retirement system that blends the traditional legacy retirement pension with a defined contribution to Service members' Thrift Savings Plan account. This new Blended Retirement System goes into effect on January 1, 2018.
