Posted on Apr 3, 2016
VA Offers Special Pension Benefit To Disabled Vets And Spouses
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The VA’s “Aid & Attendance” pension benefit offsets financial burdens felt by disabled veterans or surviving spouses.
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers a relatively unknown pension benefit called “Aid & Attendance” that helps offset the cost of living for disabled veterans who can’t work, or surviving spouses who require long-term care.
The reason for designating Aid & Attendance as a pension benefit is that many veterans or their single surviving spouses can be eligible for these funds in addition to previously earned post-service pensions. It is for veterans and spouses who have disabilities that require the aid and attendance of a caregiver or are housebound.
Through this benefit, an increased monthly amount will be added to monthly pension amount when a veteran, his or her spouse, or both are confined to home because of permanent disability.
Task & Purpose previously reported on a stipend benefit for caregivers of Post-9/11 disabled veterans — the Caregiver Support program — but the Aid & Attendance benefit is more inclusive of veterans from all conflicts.
Those wishing to be approved for Aid & Attendance may have one or more issues including requiring the aid of another person in order to perform personal functions required in everyday living, being bedridden, residing in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity, or having eyesight that is limited to a corrected 5/200 visual acuity or less in both eyes or concentric contraction of the visual field to five degrees or less.
In order to determine eligibility, veterans, their spouses, or caregivers can contact their in-state Pension Management Center, which will then evaluate the situation and determine the additional pension amount that is available. Often the local VA in charge will require a thorough physician-performed assessment of the veteran or spouse’s disability, and how it impacts daily life.
The money can be used to pay for a number of things, including in-home care, assisted living, nursing home care, medical expenses, or prescriptions.
The original VA pension program was established in 1952, and provides a tax-free monthly income of $1,949 for a veteran and a spouse, $1,644 for a single veteran, $1,056 for a single surviving spouse, or $1,291 for a healthy veteran whose spouse requires care. In terms of annual income, couples can receive roughly $25,000 a year while surviving spouses of veterans are eligible to receive up to $13,560.
Veterans eligible for pension programs must have served 90 days on active duty, with one of those occurring during wartime. They must also received a discharge that is other than “dishonorable.”
Overall, the addition of the Aid & Attendance pension can offset a significant portion of long-term care costs associated with permanent disability.
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers a relatively unknown pension benefit called “Aid & Attendance” that helps offset the cost of living for disabled veterans who can’t work, or surviving spouses who require long-term care.
The reason for designating Aid & Attendance as a pension benefit is that many veterans or their single surviving spouses can be eligible for these funds in addition to previously earned post-service pensions. It is for veterans and spouses who have disabilities that require the aid and attendance of a caregiver or are housebound.
Through this benefit, an increased monthly amount will be added to monthly pension amount when a veteran, his or her spouse, or both are confined to home because of permanent disability.
Task & Purpose previously reported on a stipend benefit for caregivers of Post-9/11 disabled veterans — the Caregiver Support program — but the Aid & Attendance benefit is more inclusive of veterans from all conflicts.
Those wishing to be approved for Aid & Attendance may have one or more issues including requiring the aid of another person in order to perform personal functions required in everyday living, being bedridden, residing in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity, or having eyesight that is limited to a corrected 5/200 visual acuity or less in both eyes or concentric contraction of the visual field to five degrees or less.
In order to determine eligibility, veterans, their spouses, or caregivers can contact their in-state Pension Management Center, which will then evaluate the situation and determine the additional pension amount that is available. Often the local VA in charge will require a thorough physician-performed assessment of the veteran or spouse’s disability, and how it impacts daily life.
The money can be used to pay for a number of things, including in-home care, assisted living, nursing home care, medical expenses, or prescriptions.
The original VA pension program was established in 1952, and provides a tax-free monthly income of $1,949 for a veteran and a spouse, $1,644 for a single veteran, $1,056 for a single surviving spouse, or $1,291 for a healthy veteran whose spouse requires care. In terms of annual income, couples can receive roughly $25,000 a year while surviving spouses of veterans are eligible to receive up to $13,560.
Veterans eligible for pension programs must have served 90 days on active duty, with one of those occurring during wartime. They must also received a discharge that is other than “dishonorable.”
Overall, the addition of the Aid & Attendance pension can offset a significant portion of long-term care costs associated with permanent disability.
VA Offers Special Pension Benefit To Disabled Vets And Spouses
Posted from taskandpurpose.comPosted in these groups: 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Disabled Veterans
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Disabled Veterans
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 5
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Thanks for letting us know about the VA’s “Aid & Attendance” pension benefit which ostensibly offsets financial burdens felt by disabled veterans SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL.
Right now I am rated at 80% service connected disabled. Most of my disabilities such as heart (60%) and spine (20% for lumbar and 10% for cervical spine) are permanent. I have an orthopedic appointment on Thursday because my hip has been malfunctioning for sometime. Seems to be a rotator cuff issue.
My experience with the VBA over the past 8 years has been problematic. They have displayed gross inefficiency so may times. In the beginning few years, it took Congressional action to get them to honor their obligations.
last year they claimed I didn't go to a heart evaluation appointment which I had proof I did. The funny thing was it was supposed to also have spine evaluation. They tend to bifurcate the body systems as though we don't have complex issues.
As far as the Care Giver program, that is great if you were disabled based on Operations Desert Storm, OEF and/or OIF. It does not apply to other service-connected disabilities; but, I expect it will eventually cover Operation Inherent Resolve.
Right now I am rated at 80% service connected disabled. Most of my disabilities such as heart (60%) and spine (20% for lumbar and 10% for cervical spine) are permanent. I have an orthopedic appointment on Thursday because my hip has been malfunctioning for sometime. Seems to be a rotator cuff issue.
My experience with the VBA over the past 8 years has been problematic. They have displayed gross inefficiency so may times. In the beginning few years, it took Congressional action to get them to honor their obligations.
last year they claimed I didn't go to a heart evaluation appointment which I had proof I did. The funny thing was it was supposed to also have spine evaluation. They tend to bifurcate the body systems as though we don't have complex issues.
As far as the Care Giver program, that is great if you were disabled based on Operations Desert Storm, OEF and/or OIF. It does not apply to other service-connected disabilities; but, I expect it will eventually cover Operation Inherent Resolve.
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We're on the second go-round of submitting my mother-in-law for it...we've known about it for a long time, however, and this is quite important, all-too frequently, one is told that A&A can be allowed by itself, with no VA disability, pension, or compensation, that is apparently, NOT true...A&A is SOLELY a RIDER on TOP of those other benefits, trust me, we've had me all over the whole thing for yrs now, we've had me call VA Central Ofc (VACO), VHA, VBA, VAROs galore...I just wanted to mention that, as all too often, that aspect is frequently totally misunderstood...any pension is considered as income also, unlike disability or comp, which isn't...A&A isn't also, it's not deemed income...and, if one needs to merge A&A with other VA benefits with Medicaid for the elderly, as we're having to try to do for my mother-in-law, trust me, that's a whole Talmud unto itself, the whole aspect of what are called joint VA-Medicaid pooled spend-down trusts...some states need them, others don't, NY, where we are, apparently doesn't, Medicaid just has to "rebalance" everything, to figure what needs to go into such a trust, and how much can go into a minimal bank account for the elderly, as we did thus far for my mother-in-law, OK?
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I have some friends who served during Vietnam. They are suffering from AO and are homebound due to various illnesses. Their spouses were not aware of this program until recently. We put them with the right people and now they are receiving the appropriately care and financial assistance.
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