1. 2012 Maximum Pension Rates for VA Base Pension Plus Aid and Attendance Supplement

• Single Veteran – $1,703.00 Per Month or $20,447.00 Per Year
• Married Veteran – $2,019.00 Per Month or $24,239.00 Per Year
• Surviving Spouse – $1,094.00 Per Month or $13,138.00 Per Year
• Veteran Married to Veteran (Both A & A) – $2,631.00 Per Month or $31,578.00 Per Year

2. General Qualifications for Non-Service Connected VA Aid and Attendance Benefits

• Either Veteran, Widowed Spouse, and Dependent / Disabled Child May be a Claimant)
• Veterans Must Typically Have Served Ninety Days Active Duty with One Day During Wartime (Those Who Enlisted After September 7, 1980 Have a Different Time Frame)
• Veteran Cannot Have Had a Dishonorable Discharge
• Claimant’s Physician Must Declare Him/Her as in Need of Assistance from Another Individual, or in Need of a “Protective Environment” Which May Include Services Offered by Assisted Living
• Claimant Should have Limited Household Assets; Excluding Primary Home, Car, and Personal Belongings. If Assets are Jointly Owned by Other than Spouse, Only the Claimant’s Share is Generally Countable. In the Case of a Married Veteran, Both His/Her Assets are Countable. There is No Longer a Current Asset Cap, Per Se. The VA Now Considers the Claimant’s Life Expectancy in Determining how Much a Claimant can Have. In the Case of Assets Over $50k, It May be Best to Consult an Elder Law Attorney. One Should Never Transfer Assets without the Proper Legal/Professional Advice.
• Claimant’s Household Out-of-Pocket Yearly Medical Expenses Must Exceed or Come Close to His/Her Total Yearly Household Gross Income (Total Yearly Cost of Assisted Living is Typically Considered a Medical Expense)
• Surviving Spouse Must have been Married to the Veteran for at Least One Year OR have had Children by the Veteran if Married Less than One Year and Never Remarried (with Possibly One Very Rare Exception)
• Surviving Spouse Must have been Living with the Veteran Throughout the Marriage and at the Time of the Veteran’s Death unless the Separation was Due to Fault of the Veteran or Other Unavoidable Situation (There May Be Some Exceptions Related to Separations Due to Abuse)
• Minor or Disabled Adult Children May Qualify for Limited Benefits on Their Own
• Once Awarded Aid and Attendance or Housebound Status, a Veteran May Obtain Free Medications, Medical Equipment, Incontinence Supplies, Glasses, and Hearing Aides from the VA Hospital/Clinic via U.S. Mail. A Separate Application Must be Made Through the Health Care System.

* * 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.

**Shared with the Permission of Veterans Information Services, Inc. and the Creators of VisPro: www.info4vets.com**