3 Important Steps When Seeking Reimbursement For Veteran Certifications
If you're a veteran and seeking additional skills for the workplace, there are plenty of certifications you can get. Thanks to your military service, you can get reimbursed for whatever certification tests you take. To make this process as stress-free as possible, take these steps.
Understand How Reimbursements Work
So that you take the right actions after completing a certification test, you need to know how reimbursements work. As long as you take one of the approved tests according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the full amount will be covered.
Even if you didn't pass the test, you don't have to worry about paying for any of the costs. If one of your certifications requires you to re-certify every year, you can still get reimbursed each time you test.
Gather the Necessary Documents
In order to apply for these reimbursements, you must first compile and submit the necessary documentation. Having this information on hand and organized is paramount for facilitating this entire process and getting back the money you're entitled to.
You'll need to gather your VA claim number, the name of the test you took along with the test date, organization that's issuing the license or certification, a copy of the test results, and a document showing how much you paid for each test. Once these documents have been found and organized, you'll need to send them over to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Get Some Assistance
If you've never had to seek reimbursement for one of these certifications before, you may not know what protocol to follow. That's perfectly okay because there are plenty of online resources you can use to help troubleshoot any questions or problems you may run into along the way.
If your questions are pretty general, there are plenty of government websites you can visit. They'll provide answers to common questions, such as the maximum amount you can get reimbursed for and checklists detailing what documents you'll need after taking a certification test.
If your questions are more specific, you should call the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs directly. You'll get assistance from a knowledgeable representative, who can go into more specifics regarding your certification dilemma.
Being a veteran comes with all sorts of benefits, such as progressing your career through certifications at zero cost. As long as you follow the correct protocol when applying for a certification reimbursement, you shouldn't run into any significant snags. Contact a school, like University of Maryland University College, for more help.