Aid and Attendance is the highest level of improved pension available to our Veterans. For our older Veterans, this pension helps to defray the cost of care in the home as well as in a facility, such as assisted living or nursing home care. To qualify for the pension, a Veteran must meet eligibility requirements, including a net worth and income test.
For a single Veteran, the pension would pay a maximum of $2358 per month. With a spouse, the pension is increased to $2795. There is also a pension available to a surviving spouse in the amount of $1576 per month.
To be eligible, a Veteran must have been discharged from service other than dishonorable. There is a requirement of service during a wartime period (WWII, Korean, Vietnam and the Gulf War), where the Veteran served at least 90 days on active duty. For those who served after September 7, 1980, there is a 24-month service requirement.
Veterans eligible for this pension will need the aid and attendance of another person for 2/5 activities of daily living: eating, dressing, bathing, transferring from a bed or chair and toileting. Those with dementia who need the constant supervision of another person can also qualify.
The assets of both the Veteran and spouse, along with their gross annual income, are totaled to determine if their net worth is under the limitation set by the Veterans Administration. Net worth does not include the residence (with two acres) and one car, along with personal property. Gross assets can be reduced by debt and the income can be reduced by unreimbursed medical expenses. If the total is under the current net worth limitation of $159,240, the Veteran is eligible for the pension.
The Veterans Administration also looks at gifts the Veteran made in the last 3 years. The total value of the gift is divided by the maximum pension rate of $2795. The resulting figure is a period of ineligibility for the pension that starts in the month following the gift. Therefore, a $10,000 gift results in a 3-month period of ineligibility. In many cases, the ineligibility period will have run out by the time the Veteran applies for the pension.
Lastly, there is an income test. If the total household income is greater than the maximum applicable pension, the Veteran is not eligible. However, the gross income can be reduced by medical deductions. These can include insurance premiums, home health care expenses or the expenses of a facility, such as nursing homes and assisted living or personal care homes. These significant expenses can reduce overall gross income, allowing the Veteran to receive the Aid & Attendance benefit.
Planning is permitted to qualify for the pension, including spend-down options to reduce overall net worth and the use of unreimbursed medical expenses to reduce countable income. Visit your local Veterans representative to learn if you qualify for the pension.
