Yes! You may qualify for Veterans benefits for assisted living. The Veterans Administration offers an Aid and Attendance Pension to reimburse wartime Veterans and their surviving spouses for out of pocket medical and care expenses. Never heard of that? Not many have because their military service may have been decades ago.
What is the Veterans Benefit Rate for Aid & Attendance Pension?
Your Veterans Aid & Attendance rate is determined based on your income adjusted for your out-of-pocket medical and care expenses, such as assisted living. The maximum monthly rates in 2021 are as follows:
| 2021 Veterans Aid & Attendance Maximum Monthly Rate | |
| Married Veteran | $2,295 |
| Single Veteran | $1,936 |
| Surviving Spouse | $1,244 |
Who is eligible to receive Veterans Aid and Attendance Pension?
In order to qualify for Veterans benefits for assisted living, you must meet the following criteria:
- Honorable discharge
- Serve at least 90 days active duty with at least one day during wartime
- Permanently disabled or at least age 65
- Require aid and attendance of another
- Require the help of another with your activities of daily living (walking, transferring, dressing, grooming, bathing, feeding and toileting) OR
- Reside in a nursing home OR
- Bed-bound due to illness OR
- Blindness
- Meet the income and net worth requirements (including spouse)
- Three-year look back period for gifting assets may result in lengthy delays to begin receipt of benefits.
What are the wartime periods for Veterans Pension?
The VA recognizes the following wartime periods to determine pension eligibility:
- World War II (December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946)
- Korean conflict (June 27, 1950, to January 31, 1955)
- Vietnam War era (November 1, 1955, to May 7, 1975, for Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period. August 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975, for Veterans who served outside the Republic of Vietnam.)
- Gulf War (August 2, 1990, through a future date to be set by law or presidential proclamation)
How can we help with Veterans Aid & Attendance Pension benefits?
We can help you or your loved ones explore whether they may be eligible for the Veterans benefits for assisted living and integrate it into your long term care planning. The rules are complex and actions you take may compromise your eligibility.
Please note, it is important to consider whether the VA Aid & Attendance Pension is enough to allow you to afford the high cost of assisted living—the benefit is limited. As such, it is important that you consult with someone familiar with other long term care options, including Medicaid/ALTCS benefits, and how you might dovetail Veterans benefits with those options. If you are concerned about running out of money due to the cost of long term care or providing for your spouse or dependents, there may be asset protection options available.
Contact our office at your earliest convenience to discuss your options with our knowledgeable professionals.
