Financial Benefits for Veterans in Georgia
2 Financial benefits for veterans in Georgia.
Military Retirement Income Tax Exemption
Beginning with the 2026 tax year, Georgia allows retired service members of any age to exclude a portion of their military retirement income from state income tax, with no earned-income requirement (an expansion enacted by House Bill 266 in 2025).
Eligibility: Georgia resident receiving military retirement pay from any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. Married couples may each claim the exclusion if both receive military retirement pay.
Estimated value: Up to $65,000 of military retirement income exempt from state income tax (2026 tax year)
How to apply: No separate application. Deduct the qualifying military retirement income on your Georgia income tax return and retain your 1099-R as documentation.
Veterans Business Certificate of Exemption
Qualifying disabled veterans can receive a certificate exempting them from local occupation taxes, administrative fees, and regulatory fees for peddling, operating a business, or practicing a profession for up to ten years.
Eligibility: Wartime disabled veteran of any armed conflict, or a peacetime veteran with a service-connected disability, discharged under honorable conditions, with a 10% or greater service-connected disability rating (25% for peacetime service).
Estimated value: Waived local occupation tax and business/regulatory fees for up to 10 years
How to apply: Complete VS Form 40-025 and bring it with your ID, DD-214, and VA Summary of Benefits letter to your County Probate Court, then register with your County Tax Commissioner.