Louisiana
Military Benefits

Military Pay and State Income Tax

Louisiana exempts all active duty military pay and military retirement from state income tax, providing substantial financial benefits for servicemembers and veterans stationed at Barksdale AFB or Fort Johnson.

Louisiana exempts all active duty military pay from state income tax. This includes base pay, special pays, flight pay, hazardous duty pay, bonuses, and allowances received while on federal active duty orders. Louisiana residents serving on active duty owe zero LA state income tax on their military compensation. This exemption applies whether stationed inside or outside Louisiana.

Louisiana fully exempts all military retired pay from state income tax with no age restriction and no income cap. This applies to retired pay from all branches including Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force, as well as Reserve and Guard retired pay. Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) payments are also exempt from LA income tax under the same rules as the underlying retired pay.

VA disability compensation is fully exempt from Louisiana state income tax, consistent with federal law. No special LA filing action is required beyond retaining your VA award documentation. The exemption applies regardless of disability rating percentage.

Louisiana National Guard members receive supplemental pay from the state during state active duty missions. State-issued pay supplements may also be exempt from LA income tax under certain qualifying conditions. Consult your unit administrative officer for current eligibility rules.

Survivor Benefit Plan payments received by surviving spouses of Louisiana military retirees are exempt from LA state income tax under the same rules that apply to the underlying military retirement income.

Property Tax Exemptions for Veterans and Servicemembers

Louisiana provides full property tax exemption for 100% disabled veterans and a generous $75,000 homestead exemption for all Louisiana homeowners, including military families.

Veterans rated 100% permanently and totally (P&T) disabled by the VA receive a complete exemption from Louisiana property taxes on their primary residence. The exemption applies to the full assessed value of the home with no dollar cap. Apply through your parish assessor's office with your VA award letter showing 100% P&T status, your DD-214, and proof of Louisiana residency.

The surviving spouse of a 100% P&T disabled veteran retains the full property tax exemption on the primary residence as long as they do not remarry and continue to occupy the home as their primary residence.

All Louisiana homeowners who occupy their home as their primary residence qualify for the Louisiana Homestead Exemption. This exemption removes the first $75,000 of assessed value from the taxable base before property taxes are calculated. This is one of the most generous standard homestead exemptions in the Southeast and directly benefits military families who buy homes in Louisiana.

Louisiana offers additional homestead exemptions for veterans with service-connected disability ratings of 50% or higher. The additional exemption amount scales with disability rating. Veterans with lower disability ratings may still qualify for partial additional relief. Apply through your parish assessor.

Federal SCRA protections apply in Louisiana. Courts cannot foreclose on an active duty servicemember's primary residence without a court order while on active duty and for 9 months after separation. Louisiana uses a unique civil law system, so contact a JAG attorney if you receive any foreclosure-related notice.

Louisiana Veterans Financial Assistance Program (LAVFA)

Louisiana's LAVFA program provides low-interest loans and financial assistance to Louisiana veterans for home purchases, giving eligible servicemembers access to below-market mortgage financing.

The Louisiana Veterans Financial Assistance Fund (LAVFA) provides subsidized, below-market-rate mortgage loans for eligible Louisiana veterans and servicemembers to purchase primary residences in Louisiana. Loan limits, interest rates, and program terms are set by the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs and may change based on state funding levels. Contact the LA DVA for current program terms before applying.

To qualify for a LAVFA loan, you must have been a Louisiana resident at the time of entry into military service, OR have been a Louisiana resident for at least 36 months immediately before applying. You must have an honorable discharge or be currently serving on active duty with LA as your domicile. Income and credit requirements also apply.

LAVFA loans can be structured to work alongside your VA loan entitlement. The combination of LAVFA's subsidized rate and the VA loan's no-down-payment feature can make homeownership significantly more affordable for eligible Louisiana veterans. Consult the LA Department of Veterans Affairs and a VA-experienced lender to understand how to structure a combined loan.

The LAVFA program also offers refinancing options for eligible veterans who wish to reduce the interest rate on an existing Louisiana home loan. Eligibility and availability depend on current state funding and program status. Contact the LA DVA for current refinancing terms.

Military Spouse Employment and Licensing

Louisiana has enacted professional license reciprocity and unemployment insurance protections to help military spouses continue careers after a PCS to Barksdale AFB or Fort Johnson.

Louisiana requires licensing boards to act on professional license applications from military spouses who hold a valid license from another state. Boards must issue a decision within a reasonable time period, typically 30 days for a complete application. Covered professions include nursing, teaching, real estate, cosmetology, counseling, and others regulated by the state.

Military spouses who leave employment to follow their servicemember on PCS orders are eligible for Louisiana unemployment insurance benefits. A PCS constitutes a qualifying reason for separation under LA law, and the spouse is not considered to have voluntarily quit without cause.

The Barksdale AFB area in Bossier City and adjacent Shreveport offers employment opportunities in healthcare, defense contracting, government, logistics, and professional services for military spouses. The Family Support Center at Barksdale AFB provides free employment readiness resources on post.

Military spouses near JRB New Orleans have access to the New Orleans metropolitan employment market, which offers opportunities in healthcare, tourism, energy, maritime industries, education, and professional services. The New Orleans metro area has a robust private sector economy with diverse career paths.

SCRA Federal Protections in Louisiana

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act applies in full force in Louisiana. All LA courts, landlords, and lenders must honor every SCRA provision. Louisiana's civil law system has unique procedural features, so consult JAG for complex issues.

You can terminate any Louisiana residential lease with 30 days written notice after receiving PCS orders or deployment orders for 90 or more consecutive days. Deliver written notice along with a copy of your orders to your landlord. The termination is effective 30 days after the next periodic rental payment date following the date of notice.

Any debt incurred before you entered active duty, including mortgages, car loans, student loans, and credit cards, must be reduced to a maximum 6% annual interest rate upon your written request with orders. The lender must forgive all interest above 6% for the active duty period, not just defer it.

Louisiana courts cannot foreclose on an active duty servicemember's primary residence without a court order while on active duty and for 9 months after separation. Louisiana's civil law system means foreclosure proceedings can look different from common law states, making JAG consultation especially important.

Louisiana civil courts cannot enter a default judgment against an active duty servicemember without a hearing. If you are served with a lawsuit while on active duty and cannot respond, request a stay of proceedings immediately through your JAG Legal Assistance office.

Louisiana storage facilities cannot sell a servicemember's property for non-payment without a court order during active duty. This federal SCRA protection applies in all Louisiana parishes.

Education Benefits in Louisiana

Louisiana offers state education programs for veterans and Guard members in addition to federal GI Bill benefits, with Louisiana State University and the University of New Orleans among the major VA-participating schools.

Louisiana National Guard members in good standing may receive state tuition assistance for courses at Louisiana public colleges and universities. The state program supplements federal Tuition Assistance (TA) and helps Guard members reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket education costs at LA public institutions.

Active duty servicemembers stationed in Louisiana and their spouses and dependents are immediately eligible for in-state tuition at all Louisiana public colleges and universities, with no 12-month waiting period.

All Louisiana public colleges and universities participate in federal GI Bill programs. Yellow Ribbon participants in Louisiana include Tulane University, Loyola University New Orleans, Xavier University of Louisiana, and others, covering tuition costs above the public in-state rate for eligible veterans.

Louisiana's Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) scholarship has provisions to protect eligibility for dependent children of military families whose parent was stationed out-of-state during the qualifying academic period. Verify current eligibility rules with the LA Office of Student Financial Assistance at osfa.la.gov.

Louisiana State University (LSU), the University of New Orleans, and Northwestern State University (near Fort Johnson in Natchitoches) all have dedicated veterans services offices and School Certifying Officials who process GI Bill certifications. Northwestern State is particularly convenient for Fort Johnson families.

Voting and Residency Rights

Louisiana honors your right to maintain your legal domicile and vote in your home state while stationed at Barksdale AFB, Fort Johnson, or any other Louisiana installation.

Being stationed in Louisiana does not change your legal domicile. You may continue to vote in your home state via absentee ballot under UOCAVA. File your Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) at FVAP.gov to register and request absentee ballots.

If you wish to vote in Louisiana and claim LA as your home state, you may voluntarily change your domicile. Louisiana's full exemption of military pay and retirement from state income tax and its $75,000 homestead exemption make it a financially attractive domicile choice. Register to vote with your parish registrar of voters.

Military spouses may independently choose their state of domicile under the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018. The spouse's domicile does not have to match the servicemember's. Louisiana must honor this right.

Louisiana accepts the FPCA as both a voter registration and absentee ballot request for military voters. Contact your installation VAO for FPCA filing assistance. Louisiana law has specific deadlines for absentee ballot requests; contact your installation VAO well in advance of any election.