A Closer Look at Veteran’s Aid and Attendance Benefits

Long-term health care requires comprehensive financial planning and preparing. Before you get overwhelmed, here is the second of a series of articles featuring helpful information to help you understand your options.

Veteran’s Aid is a special “pension benefit” that pays for a private caregiver to assist in the daily activities of living. It includes care in the home and in assisted living communities, and sometimes in a nursing home if the patient is blind or has a mental or physical incapacity.
Qualification factors to receive Veteran’s Aid can be confusing. The following questionnaire will help you determine if you are deemed qualified.

VA Eligibility Question Sheet

The following six questions are designed to give you an idea if you qualify for Veteran’s benefits.

1. The Veteran (living or deceased) on whose service the claim is based was discharged from service under what conditions:
___ Honorable
___ General
___ Dishonorable

2. The veteran served at least one day during the following periods and had 90 days of continuous military service.
__ World War II (Dec. 7, 1941 through Dec. 31, 1946)
__ Korean War (June 27, 1950 through Jan. 31, 1955)
__ Vietnam War (Aug. 5, 1964 through May 7, 1975)
__ Gulf War (Aug. 2, 1990 through date set by law of Presidential Proclaimation)

3. List below the veteran’s or surviving spouse’s assets (do not include value of primary home& vehicle) Estimate total liquidatable assets: ________________________________

4. List below the estimated ANNUAL income of the veteran or surviving spouse:
Estimate total income (If married include spousal income): _______________________________

5. List all unreimbursed, recurring health care expenses (per month):
Assisted Living costs ______________
Nursing Home costs _______________
Home health care service _________
Health Insurance premium_______
Medicare premium ________________
Regular (unreimbursed) prescriptions ______________________
TOTAL Deductible Expenses: ____

6. Subtract your total expenses from your total income and write the amount here: _____________. This is your “countable income.”

VA Eligibility Answer Sheet

The following six answers correspond to the previous questions to give you an idea if you qualify for Veteran’s benefits.

1. The veteran MUST have been discharged under ‘Honorable’ or ‘General under honorable’ conditions in order to be eligible.

2. The veteran MUST have served a MINIMUM of 90 days in the military, at least ONE day of which was during one of the listed combat eras.

3. Net worth is a bit of a hazy issue. The VA suggests that its adjudicators use a certain amount of personal judgment on this issue. But the bottom line is: does it realistically appear that the veteran or surviving spouse may outlive their assets? If so, you are likely eligible.

Do NOT count your residence or vehicle when estimating net worth.
Do NOT count a life insurance policy (because the policyholder must be deceased in order to benefit from it).
DO count CDs, annuities, stocks, bonds, savings, checking, IRAs, Keogh, etc.
DO count any assets owned by the spouse as well as the veteran.

As a rule of thumb, assets should not exceed $80,000. That amount drops depending on the age of claimant.

4. All income must be included. This includes social security, pension, interest income, dividends, income from rental property, etc. If the veteran is married, then any spousal income must also be included.

5. Make sure your answers are unreimbursed expenses. If recording Assisted Living costs, record the full amount paid to the facility per month.

6. Determining Eligibility from an income stand point:

VETERAN: To be eligible for Basic Pension:
A veteran alone must have countable income LESS than: $10,929/yr.
A veteran with a spouse must have countable income LESS than: $14,313/yr.

VETERAN: To be eligible for Housebound Benefit:
A veteran alone must have countable income of LESS than: $13,356/yr.
A veteran with a spouse must have countable income LESS than: $16,740/yr

VETERAN: To be eligible for the Aid & Attendance:
A veteran alone must have countable income LESS than: $18,234/yr.
A veteran with a spouse must have countable income LESS than: $21,615/yr.

SURVIVING SPOUSE: To be eligible for Basic Pension:
A spouse must have countable income LESS than: $7,329/yr.
A spouse with a dependent must have countable income LESS than: $9,594/yr.

SURVIVING SPOUSE: To be eligible for Housebound Benefit:
A spouse alone must have countable income LESS than: $8,957/yr.
A spouse with a dependent must have countable income LESS than: $11,219/yr.

SURVIVING SPOUSE: To be eligible for the Aid & Attendance:
A spouse alone must have countable income LESS than: $11,715/yr.
A spouse with a dependent must have countable income LESS than: $13,976/yr.

If you fit the service criteria, the net worth criteria, and your countable income falls into one of the above listed categories, you are likely eligible for Improved Pension. Remember, that in order to receive Housebound or Aid & Attendance benefits, your physician must provide evidence that you require some level of daily assistance.

This information here was generated by a government source. Preferred Care at Home is not responsible for your eligibility. If you need more assistance, please visit www.vetassist.org.