Senior Veteran Benefits

January 28, 2021

What is Aid and Attendance

Aid and Attendance is a pension based benefits program available to veterans through the Veteran’s Associations Benefits program. The program is intended for those who require the assistance of someone else in their home. Many senior veterans utilize this program to help finance the cost of home care. Continue reading to learn more about senior veteran benefits through the Aid and Attendance program.

The Aid and Attendance program might be right for you if you:

  • Require the aid of another person to perform activities of daily living
  • Are bedridden
  • Reside in a nursing home
  • Have eyesight is limited to a corrected 5/200 or less in both eyes

Benefit Amounts:

The amount you receive as a pension from the Aid & Attendance program depends on your income, expenses, and number of dependents that you have. These benefits are paid to the beneficiary monthly via check or direct deposit. The table below shows the VA’s Maximum Annual Pension Rates (MAPR) for each level for senior veteran benefits.

Who Qualifies for Aid and Attendance

There are several qualifying factors you must meet to receive a pension from the Aid and Attendance program for veteran senior care. Initially, you must already be paying for unreimbursed medical expenses. This can include a variety of things including the employment of a home health aide.

Non-Financial Qualifications:

  • Those applying must be at least 65 years of age or older
  • Veterans must not have been dishonorably discharged
  • The veteran must need assistance with Activities of Daily Living at home or in a facility
  • Veterans must have served at least 90 days and served at least 1 day during the wartime dates below
    • World War II: Dec 7, 1941 – Dec 31, 1946
    • Korean War: Jun 27, 1950 – Jan 31, 1955
    • Vietnam War: Feb 28, 1961 – May 7, 1975

Financial Qualifications:

To qualify for the Aid & Attendance pension program, a veteran must meet certain income requirements. As a general rule, the veteran applying must have a countable income less than the pension amount for which they are eligible. However, because the VA allows applicants to deduct certain expenses and forms of income from their “countable income”, the applicants’ actual income can be considerably higher than their countable income.

Veterans should deduct all medical-related expenses for themselves and their spouses that are greater than 5% of the Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR) for the Basic Pension. These medical expenses can include the cost of a home health aide, prescriptions not covered by insurance, and medical insurance premiums. Additionally, veterans do not have to include SSI and welfare benefits as countable income.

How to Apply for Aid and Attendance

To ensure that you as a veteran are receiving the maximum amount of benefits possible, you should consult with an elder law attorney. Caregogi recommends utilizing Julian Gray Associates. Julian Gray and his team have helped hundreds of Veteran’s in the Pittsburgh area and beyond obtain the Veteran’s Benefits that they are entitled to.

There is a great deal of documentation needed to apply for the Aid & Attendance program. Common errors in paperwork can delay the approval process by months. Because Julian Gray Associates are experts in elder law as well as veteran’s benefits, they can expedite the process.

If you want to attempt to apply on your own, we recommend reading Julian Gray Associates’ Veterans Benefits advice sheet before moving forward. For a full list of what is needed to apply for the Aid & Attendance program, click here.

How to Best Use Aid and Attendance

Aid & Attendance benefits are a resource available to help your loved one thrive. You can use these senior veteran benefits for any cost of care that is mandatory for your well-being. You can utilize Aid & Attendance benefits to cover the cost of an independent senior caregiver. Be sure that you keep detailed records of all payment information to independent senior caregivers to ensure that it will be covered by the Aid & Attendance program.

Claim the senior veteran benefits you are entitled to.

If you believe you qualify for Aid and Attendance benefits, reach out to Julian Gray Associates today. They can help you claim the pension you are entitled to as quickly as possible.

Posted in Care Needs