Military veterans and/or surviving spouses may be eligible for benefits that can be used to assist with the costs of care in the home or in an assisted living or skilled nursing community. The Veteran’s Aid and Attendance Pension is tax free and paid directly to the veteran or surviving spouse. Benefits may range from approximately $1,000 to $2,000 per month. The government does not notify veterans that they may be entitled to these benefits, so many eligible senior veterans are unaware of this pension.
Veterans must be at least 65 years old or be permanently disabled and meet eligibility requirements to qualify. Income, asset and medical eligibility requirements must also be met. Basic eligibility is comprised of three requirements:
The claimant must be a veteran, or the spouse of a veteran. This includes Reservists and those in the National Guard under certain conditions.
The veteran must have been discharged under a condition other than that of dishonorable.
The veteran must have served at least 90 days of active duty, with at least one day served during a time of war (although the veteran need not have been in a combat zone).
For more information on eligibility, please visit the Benefits CheckUp website. A professional familiar with this benefit can assist veterans in determining eligibility and help with the application process. The Social Services or Community Relations team at your community can provide you with names of professional resources to help you. For more information you can also visit the VA Benefits website.