Aid and Attendance facts needed? You are at the right place. There are numerous VA benefits available to our veterans. The most common ones are education, home mortgages and health care benefits. One of the least known is the VA’s Aid and Attendance (A&A) benefit.
VSO (Veterans Service Organizations) may provide very minimal Aid and Attendance facts regarding the provisions of that disability pension since they are often focused on other major benefits the VA offers. Due to this lack of focus, information and communication along with the frustrations some veterans or surviving spouses experience when dealing with government bureaucracy may cause eligible individuals to not fully receive the benefits they earned and are entitled to receive.
If you are a veteran or you are a surviving spouse of someone who was in the military in a period of war (note: the veteran was discharged “other than dishonorable”; only needed to serve one day during the period of war – did not actually have to have seen action in the war or be in the war zone during this period of war – as well as include 90 days of active duty service and needs help with at least one activity of daily living) then you may be able to receive Aid & Attendance benefits.
We are not talking about someone with major disabilities. We are talking about someone who needs assistance with getting their meals, dressing, bathing, maybe taking their medications, etc. We are not talking about someone who is bedridden and needs major care and/or medical care. As a general rule, if you are 65 or older, that should be sufficient.
This benefit is, according to the VA, is one of the most under-utilized benefits. Most veterans are simply not aware of the benefits available to them under the A&A umbrella. They don’t know the Aid and Attendance facts.
Many are intimidated by the application process and afraid to be refused. This is where an accredited VA attorney and Aid and Attendance lawyer can help.
More Aid and Attendance Facts: What are the Disability Requirements for Aid and Attendance?
Veterans, spouses of veterans or surviving spouses can be eligible for Aid and Attendance benefits if they meet the following disability requirements:
- The aid of another person is needed in order to perform the activities of daily living and is 65 or older
- The claimant is bedridden
- The claimant is in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity
- The claimant is blind
Veterans who entered active duty before September 8, 1980 (October 16, 1981 for officers):must have served at least 90 days of active military service, ONE day of which was during a period of war, AND the discharge must be “other than dishonorable”.
Veterans who entered active duty on or after September 8, 1980 (October 16, 1981 for officers):must have served at least 24 continuous months of active military service (or the period for which they were ordered to active duty if less than 24 months), ONE day of which was during a period of war, AND must NOT have been dishonorably discharged.
Most wartime veterans who satisfy these requirements will be eligible for the A&A Special Pension that provides up to:
| Veteran Married to Veteran | $2,903.00 per Month |
| Married Veteran | $2,169.00 per Month |
| Single Veteran | $1,830.00 per Month |
| Widowed Spouse | $1,176.00 per Month |
Note: These amounts apply only to 2018; benefits are adjusted each year based on increases in the cost of living.
Because of the A&A Special Pension, many veterans may be able to live out their lives in Medicaid or VA nursing homes. Instead, assisted living will be an affordable option.
If you want to learn if you or your loved one may qualify, contact accredited VA Attorney Frazier for a free telephone initial consultation at:
727-260-2581
After 5PM: 813-431-3193