Veterans Guide to Retiring in North Carolina

North Carolina has, in recent years, become one of the most popular states that folks move to from other states. North Carolina is also one of the top draws for retirement, and Asheville, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, is the single most popular city to retire to if you're living in the U.S. But how does it do for veterans, especially those who, if they have served in combat, may require more understanding treatment of their needs than ordinary retirees?

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The Tar Heel State does, in fact, operate a number of programs designed to ease retiring veterans into the less-structured world of civilian life. Among the standouts:

• Veteran Housing Programs - Disabled veterans have a choice of four State Veterans Homes, offering skilled care and generally located next to a full-service medical center. They are in Fayetteville, Salisbury, Kingston, and Black Mountain. These homes require referral by a physician.
• Financial Assistance - Military disability pay is not taxed, nor are education and training allowances under the G.I. Bill, grants for "specially adapted housing," most insurance dividends, and the first $4,000 of military retirement pay. Property tax is waived for cars modified to compensate for a service-related disability, and there's an exemption for the first $38,000 in value of a house modified for a disabled vet.
• Employment Benefits - Veterans receive preference in hiring for state government jobs regardless of age, as do their spouses.

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• Free Burial - The state Veterans’ cemeteries offer veterans free burials under certain conditions.
• Health Care - Aside from four major medical centers, in Asheville, Durham, Fayetteville, and Salisbury, there are 24 outpatient clinics scattered through the state to serve its 770,000 veterans.
• Bases - There are eight military bases in North Carolina, which supply a familiar atmosphere for retired vets and six of them serve as intake sites for the Veterans Benefit Administration, with the main office located in Winston-Salem.

Despite all this, North Carolina was rated the 41st best state for retired veterans by Wallethub, which states that "Military retirement is a far more complicated issue than one might initially assume." Given the complications, it is wise to consult with a retirement planner experienced in veterans' needs before settling on a place to move to after leaving the service.

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