Veterans Benefits | Wausau WI
Many families struggle to provide necessary care for aging or disabled Veterans or their surviving spouses. Unfortunately, most of these families are unaware of an important veterans benefits available through the Department of Veterans Affairs to which their loved ones may be entitled. It is called Aid and Attendance.
Aid and Attendance Benefits for Veterans
For qualifying veterans, Aid and Attendance is paid in addition to the basic pension rate for seriously disabled wartime veterans who have limited or no income, and who are age 65 or older, or, if under 65, who are permanently and totally disabled.
Some key things to know about the Aid and Attendance benefit:
- Aid and Attendance is a pension benefit and is not dependent upon service-related injuries.
- Wartime veterans and their surviving spouses may be eligible.
- Certain medical and financial requirements must be met.
- Aid and Attendance can help pay for care in the home, nursing home or assisted living facility.
The Application Process
Application for Aid and Attendance Benefits is a complex and lengthy process. The forms are available for you to do this yourself, but be advised that if you apply and your application is denied, you must wait a year before you can reapply. For these reasons, many people seek assistance in completing the application. Note: It is illegal for anyone to charge you a fee to help complete the application or file for benefits.
Our office can assist with you with this process – at no cost to you.
The Aid and Attendance Benefit – How Much Could You Receive?
2020 VA Non-Service Connected Disability Pension Rates
Net Worth Bright-Line Limit effective 12-01-2019 is $129,094 (Penalty Period Rate is $2,266)
VETERANS
Medical Deduction (5% of Maximum Annual Pension Rate)
Single: $676
With Dependent: $900
Base Pension (Single)
Annual: $13,752
Monthly: $1,146
Base Pension (With dependent)
Annual: $18,008
Monthly: $1,500
Housebound (Single)
Annual: $16,805
Monthly: $1,400
Housebound (With Dependent)
Annual: $21,063
Monthly: $1,755
A&A (Single)
Annual: $22,939
Monthly: $1,911
A&A (With Dependent)
Annual: $27,195
Monthly: $2,266
SURVIVING SPOUSE
Medical Deduction (5% of Maximum Annual Pension Rate)
Single: $461
Base Pension
Annual: $9,224
Monthly: $768
Housebound
Annual: $11,273
Monthly: $939
A&A
Annual: $14,742
Monthly: $1,228
Base Pension
Annual: $18,008
Monthly: $1,500
One Housebound
Annual: $21,063
Monthly: $1,755
Both Housebound
Annual: $24,114
Monthly: $2,009
One A&A
Annual: $27,195
Monthly: $2,266
One Housebound and One A&A
Annual: $30,241
Monthly: $2,520
Both A&A
Annual: $36,387
Monthly: $3,032
Please note that annual figures are taken from the following VA webpages:
https://www.va.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound/ and
https://www.va.gov/pension/survivors-pension/
Who is Eligible to Receive Aid and Attendance Benefits?
There are three aspects of eligibility – Service, Medical and Financial.
Service. The basic service qualification is that the veteran must have served at least 90 days of active military duty, with at least one of those days during wartime (as defined by the Veteran’s Administration). Additionally, the veteran must have received a discharge that was other than dishonorable.
Medical. The veteran or surviving spouse must show that they require the “aid and attendance” of another person to perform the basic activities of daily living. The VA defines the need for aid and attendance as:
- Requiring the aid of another person to perform personal functions required in everyday living, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, attending to the wants of nature, adjusting prosthetic devices or protecting himself/herself from the hazards of his/her daily environment, or
- Being blind or nearly blind, or
- Being bedridden, in that his/her disability or disabilities requires that he/she remain in bed apart from any prescribed course of convalescence or treatment, or
- Being a patient in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity.
Financial. Qualifying under the asset test can be tricky. The basic requirements state that the person requesting the benefit must have a financial need. Each application is evaluated individually. Although you may hear or read that having up to $80,000 in assets (exclusive of a home and a car) is acceptable, consider this merely a general rule of thumb. In contrast to Medicaid eligibility, there are no set asset limits when it comes to Aid and Attendance eligibility. The final decision regarding the asset test depends on the VA reviewer. In addition to the asset test, there also is an income test. As with the asset test, there is no specified income limit. However, the VA considers what it refers to as IVAP – Income for VA Purposes. IVAP is equal to your gross income from all sources, less a portion of unreimbursed medical expenses. If your IVAP is not less than the annual benefit amount, you will not be eligible for benefits.