Our wartime veterans need and deserve the best care available. For those wartime veterans who are housebound or require care from a third party, there are funds available to help in addition to the monthly pension. These Aid and Attendance benefits are designed to reduce the cost of care for veterans and surviving spouses. These extra funds can help veterans and their families pay for in-home care, board and care, assisted living communities, and private-pay nursing homes.
Aid and Attendance benefits are paid in addition to the monthly pension amount. They are not paid without eligibility for the pension. This additional income can be a big help for veterans and their families who are trying to pay for homecare or cover nursing home costs. The Aid and Attendance pension can provide up to $1,153 a month for a single surviving spouse of a veteran, $1,794 a month for a single veteran, and $2,127 a month for a married veteran.
In terms of eligibility, there are three levels you must meet in order to receive Aid and Attendance benefits:
- The “Service” Level: You (or your deceased spouse) must have served during wartime, which is generally defined as World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Gulf War, and you must have either an honorable or general discharge
- The “Medical” Level: Although there are other factors, the VA will grant this benefit if you require the aid of another person in order to perform personal functions required in everyday living, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, attending to the wants of nature, adjusting prosthetic devices, or protecting yourself from the hazards of your daily environment
- The “Financial” Level: This is where most veterans and their spouses get tripped up. Many veterans who meet the first two levels are told that they either have too many assets or too much income to qualify. It’s a complicated analysis, and that’s why as a free service to all veterans, our firm has come up with a Preliminary Worksheet for Veterans Aid & Attendance. Call or email us and we will send you the Worksheet. With this basic information, we will send you a full report on whether you will qualify for this benefit or, if you don’t qualify, what steps you may be able to take to qualify. Again, it’s a free service that we offer to all veterans and their spouses because this benefit is confusing and we want to make sure you understand your options.
*Note that Glenn Matecun and Monika Burrell at our firm are Accredited Attorneys by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Any person or attorney who is offering advice on the Aid & Attendance benefit must be certified.
Glenn Matecun proudly serves the citizens of Michigan in the areas of elder law, estate planning, and Veterans Attairs. Visit our website to learn more and schedule a consultation.