Understanding the VA Aid and Attendance Benefit for Senior Living

If you are not familiar with the VA benefit for senior living, you’ll want to hear this: the VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound Benefits provide monthly payments added to the amount of a monthly VA pension for qualified Veterans and survivors.

How the VA benefit for senior living can expand your choices

This VA benefit for senior living increases your options for choosing senior living community that fits your needs best, even if those needs change over time, as you are able to remain in the community longer than your budget otherwise may have allowed.

You may already have discovered that the cost of senior care is on the rise. That’s why it’s so important for you to find out more about this VA benefit for senior living.

VA Aid and Attendance eligibility

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, you may be eligible for this VA benefit for senior living if you get a VA pension and you meet certain criteria.

Military service

• Served on Active Duty at least one day during a Period of War, at least 90 days in total and you were other than dishonorably discharged. Or your spouse at the time of their death met this criterion.
• World War II: December 7, 1941 – December 31, 1946, inclusive. If the Veteran was in service on December 31, 1946, continuous service before July 26, 1947, is considered World War II service.
• Korean conflict: June 27, 1950 – January 31, 1955, inclusive.
• Vietnam War era: November 1, 1955, to May 7, 1975, for Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period. August 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975, for Veterans who served outside the Republic of Vietnam.
• Persian Gulf War: August 2, 1990, through date to be prescribed by Presidential proclamation or law.

Medical requirement

The medical rating is determined by the Veteran’s medical situation if alive, or that of their surviving spouse. The applicant must meet at least one of these medical requirements:

• You need another person to help you perform daily activities, like bathing, feeding, using the toilet, dressing, adjusting prosthetic devices or protecting yourself from the hazards of your daily environment.
• You have to stay in bed—or spend a large portion of the day in bed—because of illness.
• You are a patient in a nursing home due to the loss of mental or physical abilities related to a disability.
• Your eyesight is limited (even with glasses or contact lenses you have only 5/200 or less in both eyes; or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less).

Financial requirement

This two-pronged requirement takes into account income and assets.

• Household income of the Veteran or surviving spouse must be less than the pension in which you are applying. However, you can deduct your medical insurance premiums, including Medicare, as well as the cost of home care and independent or assisted living fees. The amount of assets you can have is equal to the Maximum Federal Community Spouse Resource Allowance defined by Medicaid—which is $154,140 for 2024. Assets exclude your primary home, family transportation and your normal personal possessions.
• In addition, surviving spouses must have been married to a Veteran for at least one year. You must have been married to a Veteran at time of death, you must present your Veteran spouse’s death certificate.

Housebound benefits eligibility

You may be eligible for this benefit if you get a VA pension, and you spend most of your time at your home because of a permanent disability (a disability that doesn’t go away).

Note: You can’t get Aid and Attendance benefits and Housebound benefits at the same time.

Are there tax advantages with this VA benefit for senior living?

Yes. The VA Aid and Attendance benefit is tax-free and paid directly to you by the Treasury Department.

VA Aid & Attendance pension rates for 2024

Surviving Spouse	$1,478 Monthly / $17,7434 per year
Single Veteran	$2,300 Monthly / $27,609 per year
Married Veteran	$2,727 Monthly / $32,729 per year
Two Vets Married	$3,649 Monthly / $43,791 per year

How long will it take to start receiving VA services?

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs says wait times vary. They file claims in the order they were received, so it may take some time to get a response. It could take anywhere from 3 to 6 months for Veterans to get the assistance they qualify for. However, if you’re 90 years or older, your claim may be expedited.

At Carriage Crossing, we salute our Veterans and want to be a resource of help. Let us know if we can answer any questions and tell you more about our exceptional assisted living and memory care services. Download your copy of our Funding Guide for more information.

Nurturing, comfortable, and home-like: focused on you. Contact us to learn more.