KNAPPMANN LAW
LAW OFFICE: (734) 931-0440 / FAX (734) 224-6126 2836 W. Jefferson Ave., Trenton, MI 48183
Probate - trusts - WILLS - ESTATE PLANNING - POWERS OF ATTORNEY
MEDICAID PLANNING - ELDER LAW - VA BENEFITS
ESTATE PLANNING PROBATE
TRUSTS WILLS ELDER LAW
GUARDIANSHIP Conservatorship
POWERS OF ATTORNEY Crisis Planning
MEDICAID PLANNING Insurance Issues
VETERAN / VA BENEFITS
Aid & Attendance Benefits
VA Aid and Attendance (A&A)
Qualifications for VA aid and attendance
Who is eligible for pension VA Aid and attendance veterans disability benefits? Service-connected disabilities are not required to receive VA Aid and Attendance veterans disability benefits. Aid and Attendance benefits are different than VA disability compensation benefits. Surviving spouses of wartime veterans that died may also apply. But only if the marriage ended at death. Surviving spouses that divorced the veteran before death are not eligible.
Veterans who wish to obtain aid and attendance benefits must have:
*Been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions.
*Served at least ninety (90) consecutive days of active duty; and Served during a period of war.
Are you a veteran or the surviving spouse of a veteran who served at least 90 days on active duty, at least one day during wartime, with an honorable discharge? (Persian Gulf War veterans must have two years of active duty.)
Do you have a non-service connected medical condition causing you to need assistance with activities of daily living?
Do you have limited income and assets? (Your home and car are exempt.)
Did you serve our country during the VA Defined War Periods?
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. Veterans who served February 28, 1961-August 5, 1964, must have served “in country” (Vietnam).
Persian Gulf War: August 2, 1990- date to be prescribed by Presidential Proclamation or law. Must have served active duty for two years.
In order to qualify for A&A, your physician needs to establish that you require daily assistance with tasks of taking care of oneself. The A&A pension can provide significant financial support to a veteran or surviving spouse in the following amounts:
Up to $1,758 per month to a veteran
Up to $1,130 per month to a surviving spouse
Up to $2,085 per month to a couple
Up to $1,380 per month to a veteran filing with a sick spouse
The VA assists U.S. Veterans and their families by providing supplemental income through pension benefit programs. The pensions are available to U.S. military veterans and surviving spouses. Veterans and widowed spouses who require the aid and attendance of another person may be eligible for additional pension benefits for care assistance in the home or in an assisted living community. The aid & attendance pension is available to honorably discharged wartime veterans with 90 days of active duty, and their surviving spouses.
Compensation VA aid and attendance veterans disability benefits can cover getting monetary help for their daily life. Veterans who obtain compensation aid and attendance benefits have trouble taking care of their day-to-day lives without assistance from another person.
Some of the most common reasons veterans obtain these benefits are for not being able to:
Clean their own home.
Dress themselves alone.
Feed themselves without assistance.
Go to the restroom alone.
Prevent harm to themselves.
Go to the grocery store on their own.
What are pension VA aid and attendance veterans disability benefits? VA aid and attendance veterans disability benefits are available to wartime veterans and surviving spouses of wartime vets. VA aid and attendance veterans disability benefits can pay for assisted living due to a veteran’s disabilities.
VA aid and attendance veterans disability benefits can cover different types of home care:
In-home care
Assisted living facility
Skilled nursing home
How long does the VA take to process applications? Every veteran will experience a different wait time. Generally, applications are decided within four to eight months. The VA’s decision process timeline is inconsistent and you should know that patience is required.
What are the limits to how I can spend my Aid and Attendance benefits? Veterans who are eligible can spend their VA Aid and Attendance veterans disability benefits however they see fit for their medical care. That means you can do home improvements, pay for medical expenses, pay caregivers, or even cover items like clothing.
Are there income limits for Aid and Attendance? Yes, there are income limits for VA Aid and Attendance veterans disability benefits. The income limit is $1,644 per month or $19,736 per year.
VA Aid and Attendance (A&A)
Applying for and maintaining your veterans aid and attendance pension can be confusing and time consuming. We can simplify the aid and attendance application process and help you prepare and properly qualify.
Since 2003, there has been more than 14,000 veterans and surviving spouses successfully qualifying for benefits that have been earned and well deserved. Veterans and surviving spouses access quality home care and a VA pension with Aid and Attendance to pay for care and other benefits.
Veterans pension with the aid and attendance benefits background.
In 1952 Congress passed Title 38 of the United States Code authorizing certain benefits for veterans. One of these benefits is the Non-Service Connected Pension, with “Aid and Attendance.” It is also known as simply “Aid and Attendance” or “Veterans Aid and Attendance benefit” or “Aid and Attendance Pension” or “Improved Pension with Aid and Attendance.”
In March 1989, during President George H. W. Bush’s presidency, the Veterans Administration (VA) was elevated to a cabinet-level executive department. The Veterans Administration was then renamed the Department of Veterans Affairs, and continued to be known as VA.