Veterans Benefits

You may think paying for senior living could be a challenge, but there may be more financial aid options available than you realize. If you’re a veteran, for example, you may qualify for thousands of dollars in government assistance without even knowing it.

There are millions of veterans throughout the country but few know about the benefits available to them through the Veterans Aid and Attendance program. This government-funded pension benefit was designed to help senior veterans and their spouses pay for senior living, and it can be used to cover things like in-home care, assisted living, skilled nursing and more.

VA Pension

One of the more widely known benefit programs is the VA Pension, which provides supplemental income to United States veterans and their families through the Veterans Pension and Survivors Pension benefit programs.

In order to qualify, the government says you need to meet the following requirements:

Generally, a veteran must have a minimum of 90 days of active duty service, with at least one day during a wartime period. If you entered active duty after September 7, 1980, generally you must have served at least 24 months or the full period for which you were called or ordered to active duty (with some exceptions), with at least one day during a wartime period.

In addition to meeting these service requirements, you must be:

65 or older, OR
Totally and permanently disabled, OR
A patient in a nursing home receiving skilled nursing care, OR
Receiving social security disability insurance, OR
Receiving supplemental security income

Finally, your yearly family income must be less than the amount set by Congress.

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

VA Pension

In order to qualify, the government says you need to meet the following requirements:

In addition to meeting these service requirements, you must be:

65 or older, OR
Totally and permanently disabled, OR
A patient in a nursing home receiving skilled nursing care, OR
Receiving social security disability insurance, OR
Receiving supplemental security income

Finally, your yearly family income must be less than the amount set by Congress.

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Aid and Attendance (A&A) and Housebound

If you don’t qualify for the VA Pension, you might still be eligible for a monthly stipend through the Aid and Assistance (A&A) or Housebound benefit programs. These programs were designed to help veterans cover the cost of health-related care they might receive in a nursing home or an assisted living community..

Aid & Attendance
You can qualify for the Aid & Attendance allowance if you meet one of the following conditions:

You require the aid of another person in order to perform personal functions required in everyday life, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, adjusting prosthetic devices, or protecting yourself from the hazards of your daily environment
You are bedridden, in that your disability or disabilities requires that you remain in bed apart from any prescribed course of convalescence or treatment
You are a patient in a nursing home because of a mental or physical incapacity
Your eyesight is limited to a corrected 5/200 visual acuity or less in both eyes; or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less

Housebound
Similar to the A&A benefit, Housebound provides an increased monthly amount on top of your regular pension. This resource is available to people who are substantially confined to their immediate premises due to a permanent disability, and the money can be used to cover some of the costs of in-home care.

According to the VA’s website, a veteran or surviving spouse may not receive A&A benefits and Housebound benefits simultaneously. Because these allowances increase your pension amount, those are not eligible for a basic pension due to excessive income could be eligible for a pension at these rates.

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Aid and Attendance (A&A) and Housebound

Aid & Attendance
You can qualify for the Aid & Attendance allowance if you meet one of the following conditions:

You require the aid of another person in order to perform personal functions required in everyday life, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, adjusting prosthetic devices, or protecting yourself from the hazards of your daily environment
You are bedridden, in that your disability or disabilities requires that you remain in bed apart from any prescribed course of convalescence or treatment
You are a patient in a nursing home because of a mental or physical incapacity
Your eyesight is limited to a corrected 5/200 visual acuity or less in both eyes; or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Survivors Pension

The Survivors Pension benefit, also known as the Death Pension, provides a tax-free benefit to low-income, unremarried surviving spouses (and/or unmarried children) of a deceased veteran with wartime service. The pension amount is based on your annual family income, which must be less than the amount set by Congress.

Eligibility for this benefit requires the deceased veteran to meet the same requirements of the VA Pension. The spouse can access this benefit at any age, as long as he/she remains unmarried and meets the low-income requirements. But in order for children of a deceased veteran with wartime service to qualify for this benefit, they must be:

Under age 18, OR
Under age 23 if attending a VA-approved school, OR
Permanently incapable of self-support due to a disability before age 18

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Survivors Pension

Under age 18, OR
Under age 23 if attending a VA-approved school, OR
Permanently incapable of self-support due to a disability before age 18

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Applying for Financial Assistance

Depending on your individual circumstances and the benefit you want to apply for, you may need a variety of documents and forms. You can find the most current information you need to apply at the VA website.

You can also visit your local regional benefit office to speak to a representative and receive advice on what you might qualify for and how to apply. If you aren’t sure where your local regional office is, you can check out the VA Facility Locator.

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