VA Aid and Attendance Pensions
Long term care costs present a significant financial stress to many families. For certain veterans (and their surviving spouses) the VA offers a pension program that can provide additional monthly income to offset some of the cost of their care.
This program is known as the VA Aid and Attendance pension. In order to be eligible, the veteran must have served at least one day on active duty during an official period of war. In addition, the veteran (or their surviving spouse) must require the aid and attendance of another person to perform certain Activities of Daily Living (“ADLs”). Those ADLs include bathing, feeding, dressing, and using the bathroom. Finally, the veteran (or their surviving spouse) must meet certain financial eligibility requirements.
Here are the official periods of war that the VA recognizes:
- World War II (December 7, 1941 – December 31, 1946)
- Korean conflict (June 27, 1950 – January 31, 1955)
- Vietnam era (February 28, 1961 – May 7, 1975 for Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period; otherwise August 5, 1964 – May 7, 1975)
- Gulf War (August 2, 1990 – through a future date to be set by law or Presidential Proclamation)
If those qualifications are met, we have seen pension applications processed in approximately four months from the initial submission date. Approved pension applications provide the following maximum benefit amounts:
| If you are: | Maximum Monthly A & A Pension |
| Single veteran | $1,830.00 |
| Married veteran | $2,169.00 |
| Two veterans married to each other | $2,903.00 |
| Surviving spouse of a veteran | $1,176.00 |
VA Aid and Attendance pensions make a huge difference in a person’s ability to pay for their long term care. Veterans deserve our thanks for their service and the Aid and Attendance pension is one way that the VA offers support to the people who have made an impact on all of our lives.
McCarty Law is proud to assist veterans and their families through the long term care planning process. Please contact our Elder Law attorneys if you have any questions on how this planning may apply to your specific situation.
Jon L. Fischer
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