My lineage includes a long line of veterans; from Rowley, Massachusetts before a colonial Army was even recognized, to the sands of Omaha Beach the morning of D-Day, and even to our most recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan – members of my family have fought to defend our life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness… I care deeply about the men and women who put on the uniform of the United States and I am grateful to live in Massachusetts, long-known for its superior services to returning veterans and their families.
Getting your financial life in order and coming up with a down payment for your first home purchase can sound harder than climbing Mount Everest to some people, but for a returning military veteran and their family, it may seem nearly impossible. However, Massachusetts offers a mortgage product that allows veterans to purchase their home with 0% down – yes, 0% down!
MassHousing, a self-supporting not-for-profit public agency, offers affordable, no-down payment mortgage financing for veterans of the U.S. Armed Services.
This loan requires a credit score of 720 or above. For those seeking credit counseling, I highly recommend the non-profit American Consumer Credit Counseling. They have a special veterans advisor section and an office in Newton, Massachusetts.
A Check for Your Service
Welcome Home and Veterans’ Bonus
After purchasing your home, some repairs may be needed. To fund those repairs, honorably-discharged Massachusetts Veterans can receive $1,000 or more for serving in our most recent wars. Bonus payments are also available to veterans who served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf War. Visit the Veterans’ Bonus Division or call (617) 367-9333 ext. 859 to speak with the Veterans’ Bonus contact in State Treasurer Steve Grossman’s office
Massachusetts Unclaimed Property
1 out of every 10 people in Massachusetts have unclaimed property owed to them. A quick visit to findmassmoney.com will allow you to search for your and your family and friends’s names to see if they have money waiting to be picked up. (It’s not a joke, my friend funded a trip to Miami after searching for her name on the website).
Forbes.com recently published a story citing a CareerCast.com list of the 10 best jobs for veterans in 2014. Their findings are promising for veterans, and notes that most veterans are more qualified than they realize when entering the job market.
