Aid & Attendance Pension - Are You A Veteran? You May Qualify!

The VA Aid & Attendance Pension

Did You Ever Serve in the Military?

You May Be Eligible for this Amazing, Little-Known VA Pension That Helps to Pay for In-Home Care!!

David Beigel, Owner

Not Sure Your Family Can Afford In-Home Care – Are You a Veteran?

As a provider of senior home care, every single day I get calls from people asking about our service, including what we do, how we do it, who we hire to provide care and, of course, what it costs.

Oftentimes, when I get to the issue of cost, I hear hesitation and concern followed by a declaration that the person needing care may not be able to afford it. 

Whenever I hear this concern, I always ask the caller if the person needing care EVER served in the US Military – or if they are the surviving spouse of someone who served.

Quite often, the answer I get is something like this –

“Yes, my dad is a WWII Veteran” or “My dad served, but I am not exactly sure when.” “I think he served, but that was before I was born and he doesn’t talk much about it.”

Whenever I hear this answer, I always give them information about a little-known Pension Plan available to many Veterans called Aid & Attendance.

NOTE – Even if you (or your loved one) are NOT A VETERAN, I encourage you to read the following, as you may be able to help someone in your community, in your church or in your circle of friends who is in need of care and could use the financial assistance that Aid & Attendance can provide.

What is Aid & Attendance Benefit?

Aid and Attendance is a Pension Program provided by the Veterans Administration designed to help those who served our nation in time of war and who now find themselves struggling to pay for in-home care and other senior care services. The sad truth is that most Veterans who are eligible for this pension have NO IDEA that it even exists or that they might qualify! If they did, and they were to apply and receive this pension from the VA, the result could be life changing. 

Why is In-Home Care so Important?

Simply put - current research points to the fact that seniors who have regular in-home care visits are able to stay in their own homes longer and have less lifetime healthcare costs than those who do not. When a senior has regular in-home care visits with a licensed Home Care Aide they are likely to experience the following:

1. They are more likely to take their medications.
2. They are more likely to stay properly hydrated.
3. They are more likely to get regular exercise.
4. They are able to get out more and socialize with others.
5. They stay more mentally acute.
6. They are less likely to experience a serious fall.
7. They are less likely to let a minor illness turn into a serious problem.

Every one of these benefits can lead to a senior who is:

1. Less Likely to Need Hospitalization and Rehabilitation Care.
2. Able to stay at home longer.

Why Do So Few People Know About The Aid & Attendance Pension Offered by the VA?

We’ve all heard of the term – The Greatest Generation – signifying those who served our country bravely in World War II. As we all know, they won the war, then came home to help build up our nation. Many Veterans never talk much about their service, and we only know they served because of old photos or our family’s oral history. The same is true for veterans who served during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. The service members completed their duty commitment, most were honorably discharged, and they simply moved on with their lives. They became teachers, electricians, plumbers, business owners, etc. 

We also know that most who left the service after just a few years were, for lack of a better term, young and healthy. When you are discharged from the military, part of the process is that you are given a thorough physical examination. The military documents any service-related disabilities or any changes noted that may have occurred during the service period. For most Veterans, they are given a clean bill of health, they are thanked for their service, and are discharged. It’s pretty much that simple.

For those of us who have been through this process, there is no further benefit gained from our service. We have no retirement pension, we have no disability rating or disability pension and, in fact, we are still relatively young and, generally, we are healthier than the general population (having been required to do regular and vigorous physical training throughout our duty period. While legitimate, service-related disabilities can appear in later years (loss of hearing being most common), most of us who leave the service do not expect to receive any future compensation.

How Much Money Will the Aid & Attendance Pension Provide for In-Home Care?

As great as the benefits or regular in-home care are, sadly, many retired seniors are not in a strong enough financial position to take full advantage. This is where an Aid & Attendance can make a huge difference. If your loved one served in the military, and qualifies for Aid & Attendance they can receive the following benefit EVERY MONTH:

1. A Single Veteran may receive up to $2,250 per month,
2. A Married Veteran may receive up to $2600 per month,
3. Two (2) Married Veteran’s can receive up to $3,600 per month, and
4. A Surviving Spouse can receive up to $1,450 per month!

I am always pleasantly surprised when I tell current and prospective in-home care customers about this benefit and I am over-the-moon excited when I am able to help them get it. Because of Aid & Attendance I know we are improving the quality of life for these deserving veterans and their families.

How do I know if I Qualify for Aid & Attendance?

The most basic requirement that you must meet in order to qualify for Aid & Attendance has to do with the following:

1. Age,
2. Discharge Status,
3. Dates of Service, and
4. Length of Service.

Let’s take a look at these in the order presented.

1. Age: Very simply, the veteran must be at least 65 years old. This one is pretty simple, and in most cases, a no-brainer as almost everyone who needs in-home care is in their 80’s or older.

2. Discharge Status: Whenever a serviceman (or woman) is Discharged from Active Duty, they are discharged under one of four conditions, including:
• Honorable
• General
• “Under Other Than Honorable Conditions (UOTHC)”
• Dishonorable

To qualify for the Aid & Attendance Pension program, the Veteran must have been discharged under any level EXCEPT for Dishonorable.

3. Dates of Service: The Veteran seeking an Aid and Attendance Pension must have served ONE-DAY of Active Duty during these specific war-time dates:
• b. World War II: December 7, 1941 thru December 31, 1946
• c. Korean Conflict: June 27, 1950 thru January 31, 1955
• d. Vietnam: August 5, 1964 thru May 7, 1965

(Note: For Those who served IN the Republic of Vietnam beginning February 28, 1961, you also qualify.)

• Gulf War: August 2, 1990 thru a future date to be determined (for VA benefits purposes, this war is still in effect).

(IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER: The Veteran did not have to fight in the war/conflict nor did they have to be deployed “In Theater” to qualify for Aid & Attendance. They just had to have served on Active Duty for one day during any of the qualifying periods listed above.

4. Length of Service: The Veteran must have served for at least 90 Days of Active Duty. Important Note – Again - not all 90 days have to be inclusive of the conflict dates detailed above. Only one day of service is needed during the periods described. Also, the 90 Days did not have to be served consecutively. If you or your loved one served in the National Guard and served a total of 90 days or more on Active Duty, they may still qualify for the Aid & Attendance Pension.

The next thing the Department of Veterans Affairs (the VA) looks to when determining eligibility for Aid & Attendance is Medical Need. Simply put, the veteran or spouse must have cognitive of physical impairments that require the assistance of another individual on a regular basis. In other words, the veteran or spouse needs help with what we call Activities of Daily Living or ADLs.

Side Note – We veterans love our TLAs (3-letter acronyms) – so ADLs is a perfect term to use!!

Some examples of ADLs that will qualify someone to receive Aid & Attendance include:

1. Ambulation Assistance – The Person is a Fall Risk
2. Assistance Dressing
3. Assistance with Bathing and Other Personal Care Needs
4. Incontinence Care
5. Meal Preparation and Assistance Eating
6. Medication Reminders

While a physician will need certify that two or more of these ADLs are required for Aid & Attendance benefits, a diagnosis of any cognitive impairment stands alone and is all that is needed.

At this point in my conversation with a veteran or their family, we start getting down to the question of “How Do I Prove That I Meet the Service Requirements for Aid & Attendance. The answer comes down to one simple form, the DD214.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs website:

“The DD214 is a complete and thorough document that verifies a service member’s proof of military service. This Certificate of Release or Discharge is issued through the Department of Defense and is typically issued at the final out-processing appointment prior to retirement or separation.”

Very often, we kind of hit a roadblock here. Remember, that very often, the veteran we are speaking about served during WWII or the Korean Conflict. They may have been in the military for just a few years, they served, were discharged and got busy with the rest of their lives. Though they were issued a DD214 upon separation, it is nowhere to be found! 

Fortunately, for us, we are talking about the US Military – who never throws anything away! They will have the veteran’s DD214 on file – and you can request one from their website by visiting this link:

va.gov/records/get-military-service-records/

I did this recently and it took about six weeks for me to get mine in the mail.

Once you receive your DD214, you will have the proof of service you need to get started with the Aid & Attendance application process. 

But wait, there’s more…

We still need to discuss financial requirements that must be met in order for the veteran or spouse to qualify for Aid & Attendance. This includes a close look at Income, Current Medical Expenses and “Countable” Assets. In a nutshell, the VA will set aside your home ownership and possessions (including vehicles) and will look at your current financial situation in order to determine eligivility.

I will be covering this in detail in my next article/video.