The Servicemember's Civil Relief Act (SCRA) provides a variety of much-needed protections to active duty and deployed military servicemembers unable to meet legal or financial commitments.
The SCRA strives to ease these burdens, allowing them to focus solely on their duty while providing their families stress relief.
Who is covered by the SCRA?
Active duty Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy servicemembers. Those include reservists, members of the National Guard and Air National Guard activated for duty, and active-service commissioned officers of the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Provisions also extend to spouses and other dependents.
What protections and relief does SCRA provide beneficiaries?
- Six percent interest rate caps or reductions on any credit cards, mortgages or other types of loans obtained prior to active duty
- Credit rating protection for outstanding debts incurred prior to military service, including mortgages and credit cards
- Relief from foreclosures, forced sales and eviction proceedings
- Termination of property leases, vehicle leases and cell phone contracts
- Termination and reinstatement of health and life insurance
- Relief from state taxes
- Protection from pending civil court appeals and criminal trials
When does SCRA protection start and end?
Protection begins on the date of entering active duty and generally ends between 30 and 90 days after the date of discharge from active duty.
How do I request relief?
Protections provided by the SCRA for you and your family require action to request relief in a timely manner. Some require written notification while others require evidence - specifically your copy of active duty orders - that materially affected you because of military service.
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