Veterans Aid and Attendance benefit provides a monthly payment on top of existing VA pensions for eligible veterans and surviving spouses. This income is added to the VA Pension or Survivors Pension to help cover the cost of medical care and long-term senior care such as nursing homes or assisted living.
| Status | Monthly Income | Annual Income |
| Single Veteran | $2,230 | $26,765 |
| Married Veteran | $1,881 | $22,577 |
| Widow of Veteran | $1,209 | $14,509 |
Are You Eligible for the Aid and Attendance Benefit?
Determining eligibility isn’t always easy and each case is ultimately decided by the VA. Here are some of the general guidelines to help you decide whether to apply for Aid and Attendance.
Veterans who served on active duty for at least 90 consecutive days, including at least one full day during a time of war, may be eligible for Aid and Attendance if they also qualify for the basic Veterans Pension and meet the clinical and financial requirements.
Service in a combat zone is not a requirement. Widowed spouses of eligible veterans may also qualify if they meet the clinical and income requirements and have not remarried.
How Is Wartime Service Defined?
Congress has defined the wartime dates that the VA uses to decide which veterans qualify for benefits like Aid and Attendance are listed below:
World War II: December 7, 1941 — December 31, 1946
Korean Conflict: June 27, 1950 — January 31, 1955
Vietnam Era: February 28, 1961 — May 7, 1975, for Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period; otherwise August 5, 1964 — May 7, 1975
Gulf/Iraq War: August 2, 1990, through a future date to be set by Presidential proclamation or law (for VA benefits purposes, this time of war is still in effect)
Basic Veterans Pension Requirements
In addition to the active duty and wartime service requirements, eligible veterans must also meet at least one of the following criteria to qualify for the basic VA pension:
Be 65 or older with no or limited income
Have a permanent and total disability
Receive Supplemental Security Income
Receive Social Security Disability Insurance
Reside in a nursing home
Veterans and surviving spouses who meet the eligibility requirements for the basic pension must also meet clinical and financial requirements to qualify for Aid and Attendance.
McKenzie has helped veterans obtain both service and nonservice-connected benefits that they are entitled to from the VA. Service-connected benefits are those where injury or disease results in a disability directly related to military service, while nonservice-connected benefits only require an injury or disease that has resulted in a disability and does not have to be due to military service. Click Here for more information regarding qualification or application for benefits.
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