VA Aid and Attendance Benefit and How it Can Help Pay for Senior Living
At LSS Senior Living, we honor those who have served in the armed forces, and we want you to know about a very important VA benefit for senior living that could make a big difference for you or someone you love.
It’s called the VA Aid and Attendance benefit, and it often goes unused simply because many seniors are not aware of it.
What is the VA benefit for senior living?
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.”
According to americanveternsaid.com, the Aid and Attendance benefit is a tax-free benefit designed to provide financial assistance to help cover the cost of long-term care in the home, in an assisted living facility or in a nursing home. This is for veterans and surviving spouses who require the regular attendance of another person or caregiver in at least two of the daily activities of living such as bathing, dressing, eating, toileting and transferring.
Surviving spouses must have been married to a veteran for at least one year. You must have been married to a veteran at time of death. You must present your veteran spouse’s death certificate.
Eligibility for the Aid & Attendance benefit
This increased monthly pension amount may be added to your monthly pension if you meet one of the following conditions:
- You need another person to help you perform daily activities, like bathing, feeding, using the toilet, dressing, adjusting prosthetic devices or protecting yourself from the hazards of your daily environment
- You have to stay in bed—or spend a large portion of the day in bed—because of illness
- You are a patient in a nursing home due to the loss of mental or physical abilities related to a disability
- Your eyesight is limited (even with glasses or contact lenses you have only 5/200 or less in both eyes; or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less)
The Housebound benefit is an increased monthly pension amount that may be added to your monthly pension when you are substantially confined to your immediate premises due to permanent disability.
Download our Financial Planning for Retirement Living Guide.
Service requirements for receiving this VA benefit for senior living
A veteran or veteran’s surviving spouse may be eligible if the veteran:
- Was discharged from a branch of the United States Armed Forces under conditions that were not dishonorable, and,
- Served 90 days of continuous military service (active duty), with at least one day during the following wartime periods (did not have to serve in combat):
- World War II: December 7, 1941 – December 31, 1946, inclusive. If the veteran was in service on December 31, 1946, continuous service before July 26, 1947, is considered World War II service
- Korean conflict: June 27, 1950 – January 31, 1955, inclusive
- 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
- Persian Gulf War: August 2, 1990, through date to be prescribed by presidential proclamation or law
What kind of VA benefit for senior living can I expect?
The Aid and Attendance enhanced pension rates for 2023 are:
| Surviving Spouse | $1,432 monthly / $17,184 per year |
| Single Veteran | $2,229 monthly / $26,748 per year |
| Married Veteran | $2,642 monthly / $31,704 per year |
| Two Veterans Married | $3,536 monthly / $42,432 per year |
Applying for this VA benefit for senior living
Contact the Pension Management Center (PMC) that serves your state. You may also visit your local regional benefit office to file your request. Visit https://www.va.gov/find-locations/.
Tip: Applying for this VA benefit for senior living can be complicated and it’s very important to submit the correct information the first time. A Veterans Benefits Advisor can help guide you through the process of completing and submitting an application and making sure all other forms are ready.
Senior living, the LSS Senior Living way
At LSS Senior Living, our goal is to offer seniors quality care and comfort in a friendly and warm environment that feels like home. We offer a continuum of services to lend a helping hand when you need them. Find out more about our communities:
Speak to an advisor today, we’re here to help! To learn more, download our Financial Planning for Retirement Living Guide.
