What Are Aid and Attendance Benefits for Veterans?

Some aging and disabled veterans are eligible to receive a special type of benefits that stems from their military service. The Department of Veterans Affairs administers Aid and Attendance benefits, which is a type of pension benefit, to veterans who qualify for them. These benefits are in addition to basic pension benefits drawn by seriously disabled wartime veterans aged 65 and older, or permanently and totally disabled veterans who are under the age of 65. Eligibility for Aid and Attendance benefits, however, is not wholly dependent on service-related injuries. Rather, Aid and Attendance benefits are available for certain wartime veterans and their surviving spouses who meet specific medical and financial requirements. More specifically, the veteran must have served at least 90 days of active duty, with at least one of those days occurring during wartime, and received something other than a dishonorable discharge. The veteran or surviving spouse also must show that he or she requires the aid and attendance of another person in order to perform basic activities of daily living, such as bathing, feeding, or dressing. Being bedridden or blind also can qualify you for Aid and Attendance benefits. Finally, there is an asset and income test that varies widely from one case to the next, neither of which have set limits.

If a veteran is eligible for Aid and Attendance, those benefits can be used toward home care, nursing home care, or care by an assisted living facility. Given the high costs of long-term care in general, Aid and Attendance benefits can be an essential part of long-term care planning for you or your loved one. Depending on your situation, you and/or your spouse can receive anywhere from roughly $1,200 to $2,800 per month in benefits, although the exact figures may fluctuate over time.

We know that applying for Aid and Attendance benefits is a lengthy and often complex process. As a result, we are here to help you through the application process and determine your eligibility for the valuable benefits from this program. Plus, if the Department of Veterans Affairs denies your application for Aid and Attendance, you must wait an entire year before reapplying for those benefits.

Legacy Law Center handles cases involving all types of veteran’s benefits on a daily basis, and we know how to best advise you, based on your circumstances, what benefits are an option for you. Take the first step and call our office today to set up a meeting time with one of our Michigan elder law attorneys.