General Qualifications for Non-Service Connected Pension Plus Aid and Attendance Supplement

Veterans, Widowed Spouses, and Dependent or Disabled Children May be Claimants. The eligibility requirements follow:

• Veterans Must Typically Have Served At Least 90 Days of Active Duty Service, 1 Day of Which Had to Have Been Served During A Period of Wartime (Those Who Enlisted After September 7, 1980 Have a Different Time Requirement)

• Veteran Cannot Have Had a Dishonorable Discharge

• Claimant’s Physician Must Declare Him/Her as in Need of Assistance from Another Individual AND in Need of a “Protective Environment” Which May Include Services Offered by a Care Facility§     Claimant Should have Limited Household Assets, Excluding Primary Home, Car, and Personal Belongings. If Assets are Owned Jointly with Others, Only the Claimant’s Share is Countable. In the Case of Married Veterans, Assets Owned by Both Spouses are Countable. The VA Now Considers the Claimant’s Life Expectancy in Determining How Much a Claimant can Have. When Claimant Owns Assets Over $50,000, Consult an Elder Law Attorney. One Should Never Transfer Assets or Add a Name to an Account without Legal/Professional Advice.

• Claimant’s Household Out-of-Pocket Annual Medical Expenses Must Equal or Exceed His/Her Total Annual Household Gross Income (Total Annual Cost of a Care Facility May be Considered a Medical Expense if the Doctor States the Need) (Note: Independent Living Requires a Third Party Caregiver).

Surviving Spouse Must have been Married to the Veteran for at Least One Year OR have had a Child by the Veteran if Married Less than One Year and Never Remarried (with Possibly One Exception). Surviving Spouse Must Typically have been Living with the Veteran at the Time of the Veteran’s Death; however, there are exceptions.

2014 Maximum Pension Rates for Pension Plus Aid and Attendance

Single Veteran $1,758.00 Per Month or $21,107.00 Per Year

Married Veteran $2,085.00 Per Month or $25,022.00 Per Year

Surviving Spouse $1,130.00 Per Month or $13,563.00 Per Year

Veteran Married to Veteran (Both A & A) $2,790.00 Per Month or $33,480.00 Per Year

Once Awarded Aid and Attendance or Housebound Supplement, a Veteran May Obtain Free Medications, Medical Equipment, Incontinence Supplies, Glasses, and Hearing Aides from the VA Hospital/Clinic via Home Delivery. A Separate Application Must be Made Through the VA Health Care System on Form 10-10EZ.

*Note: Each VA Claim is Unique and the Above Criteria is Generic in Nature and May Not be Applicable to Each Claimant. There are Never Any Guarantees that Any Claim or Specific Benefit Amount will be Awarded.

**Base Pension With or Without Housebound Supplement May Be Awarded Instead of Pension Plus Aid and Attendance Supplement.

Shared with permission of Veterans Information Services, Inc. and the Creators of VisPro Software  www.info4vets.com

A Handout Concerning Veterans Pension is annexed here – 2014 Veterans Pension Benefits

For additional information concerning VA pension benefits, visit:
https://vanarellilaw.com/va-benefits/