VA Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit

VA Aid and Attendance Pension BenefitWith an estimated 19 million veterans living in the United States (InfoPlease), many of them may have served a minimum of one day active duty service during a time of combat. That doesn’t mean they have to have fought in a combat situation, but one of their days of service would have fallen during a time when the United States was actively engaged in combat somewhere in the world.

This basically includes World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam Conflict, or the Gulf War. Because of that, many veterans might be eligible to apply for the Aid and Attendance Benefit if they have a specific need for home care services at home. Even widows of veterans who would have qualified for this particular pension may be eligible for some level of financial assistance to pay for home care if it is deemed necessary.

When filling out the application, pitfalls can arise.

The best thing any veteran can do is fill out the Aid and Attendance Benefit application if they have a specific requirement for home care and have limited income and assets. There are some mistakes veterans can make when filling out this application, though.

Hiring the wrong help.

The VA and other organizations discourage any veteran to pay for assistance in filling out applications for various pensions, including the Aid and Attendance Benefit. There are numerous nonprofit organizations and home care agencies that are more than knowledgeable about these pensions and are also more than willing to help veterans fill those applications out free of charge.

Unfortunately, there are also numerous financial and other consulting firms and individuals across country that charge thousands of dollars, up to $10,000 and even more, for assistance in filling out the Aid and Attendance Benefit. That’s because they will help the veteran move assets around to fall within the threshold levels the VA sets forth for eligibility.

It’s immoral, even though it may fall within the purview of legality, but that may change soon as well.

Congress is working on a proposal that would allow the VA to look back five years on a veterans financial life to determine if they have too many assets or their income is simply too high to qualify for this particular pension.

If it is determined the veteran paid for assistance in filling out the application, it can cause some serious problems for their approval of this pension. It’s best to avoid that altogether, be forthright and honest, and accept the free help that’s available all across the country.

If you or a loved one are considering the VA Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit, please contact the friendly staff at Veterans Care Coordination. Call today: 1-855-777-4693

Posted in VA Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit

About Kyle Laramie, Founder & CEO

Kyle founded Veterans Care Coordination in April 2011. As its founder and CEO of VCC, Kyle is driven by the memory of his grandfather, a World War II Veteran who unnecessarily missed out on essential VA benefits because Kyle’s family wasn’t aware of available opportunities. In recognition of his impact in leadership, Kyle was named to the St. Louis Business Journal’s prestigious “40 Under 40” list and St. Louis Small Business Monthly’s “100 St. Louisans to Know” in 2014. VCC was named a St. Louis Small Business Monthly “Top 20” small business and a finalist for the St. Louis Post Dispatch Top Workplace (2015-2022), St. Louis Business Journal Best Place to Work (2019 & 2022), and the Arcus Awards (2014). The team has served more than 14,000 Veteran clients and their families. Kyle frequently speaks on Veterans’ benefits, addressing conferences such as the Home Care Association of America and Decision Health. He is passionate about giving back and has built a charitable-minded organization that supports various philanthropic efforts.