Your Guide to VA Aid and Attendance
Did you know that there are hundreds of thousands of veterans that qualify for the VA Aid and attendance benefit?
If you or a family member who has served in the military or their spouse and need help with day to day activities or are housebound, you could be entitled to some assistance.
You may qualify to receive a VA pension. Plus you can receive aid and attendance or housebound benefits on top of the pension benefits.
Want to learn more? Please read on to find out how this benefit may be able to help you or a family member.
VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound Benefits
If you qualify for a benefit, it can only be one or the other. You may not collect both at the same time.
To qualify for aid and attendance, one of the following must describe your situation:
- You can't take a bath, feed or get dressed. It is hard for you to do and you need assistance from someone else.
- You are bed-bound or in a bed almost all day long because of an illness.
- Or you are in a nursing home being treated due to a loss of physical or mental abilities because of a disability.
- Or your eyesight is only 5/200 in both eyes even with the aid of eyeglasses or contact lenses.
- Or the concentric contraction of your field of vision is 5 degrees or less.
You could qualify for housebound benefits if you are already receiving a VA pension and you spend most of your days in your house because of a disability that is not expected to go away.
What You'll Need to Apply for Veterans Aid and Attendance
To get either of these benefits, you'll need to write the pension management center for your state, or you can apply in person.
If you decide to write the PMC for your state, make sure you include the following information.
You will need proof of your disability or illness from your doctor. You will need to have your doctor fill out a VA form 21-2680 to provide the information in the format the VA requires.
You will need detailed information about how you get to your doctor's appointments, the store, pharmacy, etc., what you can do on a day to day basis. In other words, describe a day in your life.
Information that describes in detail the kind of illness, injury, physical or mental disability limits your ability to do a task like bathing, take a shower by yourself.
You should include all of the applicable information listed below:
- Separation or Discharge papers; DD-214
- Copy of Marriage Certificate unless only the veteran is applying
- Copy of death certificate
- Copy of current social security award letter
- Net worth information
- Proof of Income
- Physician statement
- Nursing home or assisted living facility, or home care expense statement
- Proof of insurance premiums
- Bank information - for the deposit of aid & attendance including a voided check.
- If you are under age 65, you will need to provide employment history
If you are going to apply in person bring the same information to the regional VA benefits office nearest you.
2019 VA Aid Disability Rates
Once you have applied for the benefits, it will take some time for it to be approved and for you or your family member to begin receiving payments. It is a process, and it can vary from case to case.
There was a 2.8% increase for the 2019 veterans aid and attendance benefit to account for the increased cost of living expenses.
The effective date for this increase is December 1, 2018.
Maximum Annual Pension Rate
If you are a veteran your yearly income cannot be any more than the following:
- Veteran only $13,535
- Medical expenses must exceed 5% to be deducted, or, $676
- Veteran plus one dependent $17,724
- Medical expenses must exceed 5% to be deducted, or, $886
- Housebound benefit veteran only $16,540
- Housebound plus one dependent $20,731
- Aid & Attendance veteran only $22,577
- Aid & Attendance plus one dependent $26,766
- 2 Vets Married One to Another $17,724
- 2 Vets Married One to Another One of which is Housebound $20,731
- 2 Vets Married One to Another for which Both are Housebound $23,734
- 2 Vets Married One to Another of which One Aid & Attendance $26,766
- 2 Vets Married One to Another for which One Aid & Attendance One Housebound $29,764
- 2 Vets Married One to Another Both Aid & Attendance $35,813
- Mexican Border War Time frame or WW1 - Increase any category above $3,075
- Additional Child Increase any category above $2,313 for each
- Child Earned Income Exclusion effective 1/1/2019 $12,200
Of course, the list above is not all-inclusive and cannot take into account every detail of your particular circumstances. The VA provides maximum veterans aid and attendance rates but determines what your benefit will be on a case by case basis.
To qualify for this benefit, along with qualifications already outlined, you must be:
- Sixty-Five years old or older
- Or permanently and completely disabled
- Or in a nursing home or receiving specialized care
- Or being paid social security disability insurance
- Or being paid supplemental security income
Veterans must have no less than 90 days of active duty service time, with one of service during a wartime period to qualify for a VA pension.
If you went on active duty after September 7th, 1980 wartime service must have been no less than one day and twenty-four months; or the complete time that you were called or ordered to active duty.
Should You Apply for Veterans Aid and Attendance
We have outlined the VA Aid and Attendance and what it would take to qualify for this benefit. You may be in a situation where you still are not quite sure if you are eligible for aid and attendance.
Or maybe you are caring for a parent or elderly relative, and you believe they qualify for the benefit and want to help them.
If you or a relative has served their country on active duty and have been on duty during wartime and struggle to make, ends meet and suffers from an illness or disability, then you have nothing to lose by looking to see if they qualify.
The VA veterans pension is there to help veterans and their families deal with financial challenges. The allowance provides supplemental income, and it is tax-free.
You don't have to try and figure it all out by yourself, contact us today to begin and get the help you are looking need.
