VA Aid & Attendance

VA Aid & Attendance benefits can be a much-needed and helpful resource for veterans and spouses of specific wartime veterans that need extra support with everyday activities of daily living such as eating, toileting, bathing, or mobility. Whether that be care that is given in the comfort of your own home, in an adult day care program, or in some type of long-term care facility, VA Aid & Attendance benefits can help shoulder the financial burden of paying for these necessary support services.

The 2023 VA Aid & Attendance benefits are:

  • Single veteran – $2,229 per month
  • Married veteran – $2,642 per month
  • Surviving spouse – $1,432 per month

For more information regarding Veterans Pension rates, please visit https://www.va.gov/pension/veterans-pension-rates/

In order to qualify for the VA Aid & Attendance benefit, there are both service, medical need and financial eligibility requirements that the Veteran must meet. A simple way to determine if you are eligible, is to start with the three main qualifications or 3-M’s for the VA pension with VA Aid & Attendance:

  1. Military Service
  2. Medical Need
  3. Money

The three requirements for VA Aid & Attendance:

  1. Military Service Requirements

First and foremost, a Veteran must have served in active duty for a minimum of 90 days. At least one of those days must have been during a period of war. Veterans also need to have been granted either an honorable discharge or one that’s classified as other than dishonorable. A Veteran need not to have served in a combat role in order to be eligible. The VA defines “period of war” the following way:

  • World War II: December 7, 1941 – December 31, 1946
  • Korean Conflict: June 27, 1950 – January 31, 1955
  • Vietnam Era: August 5, 1964 – May 7, 1975; for Veterans serving “in country” before that starting date, the period is extended to February 28, 1961 – May 7, 1975
  • Gulf War: August 2, 1990 – a set date to be determined by Presidential Proclamation or federal law

Gulf War Veterans are a special case, as the conflict as of 2022 is still ongoing. 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.

  1. Medical Need Requirements

In addition to meeting minimum service requirements, the Veteran must be:

  • Age 65 or older, OR
  • Requires the aid of another person in order to perform personal functions required in everyday living, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, attending to the wants of nature, adjusting prosthetic devices, or protecting yourself from the hazards of your daily environment, OR
  • Bedridden, in that your disability or disabilities requires that you remain in bed apart from any prescribed course of convalescence or treatment, OR
  • A patient in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity, OR
  • Your eyesight is limited to a corrected visual acuity of 5/200 or less, in both eyes, or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less, OR
  • Receiving Social Security Disability Insurance, or Supplemental Security Income
  1. Money

Final requirements for qualifying for VA Aid & Attendance include income limits. A Veteran’s household income, or that of their spouse, has to be below the Maximum Allowable Pension Rate (MAPR) as defined by the VA.  The 2023 net worth limit is $150,538.  (VA net worth limit established by Congress 12.2022) A primary residence and auto are not counted as part of net worth. Ongoing non-reimbursable medical and long-term care expenses may reduce your countable income.

All VA Aid & Attendance applications must include these documents:

  • Copy of current year Social Security award letter
  • DD-214 Military Discharge papers (originals, no photocopies). Note: You can request official replacements for lost originals from the National Archives
  • Proof of all assets (bank and investment statements) and income
  • Proof of insurance premiums and unreimbursed medical expenses

To apply for VA Aid & Attendance, please visit https://www.va.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound/