Aid and Attendance is a frequently used phrase used to describe a benefit that might be available to a veteran as part of the VA’s disability pension, or to the surviving spouse of a Veteran as part of the VA’s death pension - as long as the veterans served at least 90 days of active duty and at least one of those days was served during war time.
“Aid and Attendance” refers to the fact that for this particular pension benefit, the claimant must demonstrate a regular need for the aid and attendance of a caregiver or the need to live in a protected environment because of physical or mental impairment. If the veteran does not require aid and attendance, but has a low household income, they may be eligible for a base pension of a lesser dollar amount.
You already know that you have to be a war-time veteran who served at least 90 days with one of those days being during a war. So if youre a war-time veteran, the requirements are not extremely strict in that area. The rest comes in the way of verifying that you have a medical condition that requires you to have help within the home. You also have to prove that your income is low enough by providing information on all of your income sources.
For 2009 the maximum annual benefit for those qualifying for the Aid & Attendance level of pension is:
Surviving Spouse of a Veteran: $12,681
Veteran with no Spouse or dependent children: $19,736
A married Veteran where the Veteran requires care: $23,396
If the Veteran is healthy, but their Spouse requires care, then the Veteran qualifies for a regular pension only: $15,493
The ultimate purpose of the Aid & Attendance pension benefit is to provide veterans or their surviving spouses with additional resources so that they can afford care in their time of need.
The VA Aid and Attendance benefit program is an amazing program that, unfortuneately, isn’t as well known as it should be. The fact that it gives veterans the hope of a dignified existence that otherwise wouldn’t be available is reason enough to make sure all veterans are aware that it exists. Qualifying for the benefit isn’t hard, and with the help of qualified professionals, it can be a painless and simple process.
Tags: aid and attendance, elder care, health benefits, health insurance, in-home care, long term care, nursing homes, va pensions, va programs, veterans administration benefits, veterans affairs, veterans benefits, veterans pension benefits