Veterans Care: Aid and Attendance Benefit Availability

Veterans Care: Aid and Attendance Benefit Availability

It’s a simple question.  However, it’s also a complicated one.  Basically, the answer is no, the Aid and Attendance Benefit is not available for all veterans.  There are specific requirements a veteran must meet in order to get financial assistance to pay for home care, at least through this pension.

 

Time of service.

In order to qualify, a veteran needs to have served at least 90 days active duty in one of the major branches of the United States military.   If they served any time during the Gulf War, their minimum time of service needs to have been two years, at a minimum, otherwise, it is 90 days.

 

Active combat.

At least one day of their active duty service needs to have been served during a time of official combat.   This does not mean the veteran has to have fought in a forward combat situation.  They could have been serving in Africa during the Vietnam War.  They may have been stationed in the United States, such as in North Carolina, during World War II or the Korean War.  They may have been stationed in Japan during the Gulf War.

As long as a minimum of one day of their active duty service fell during a time in which the United States was actively engaged in official combat, that would help them qualify for this aspect.

 

Home care necessities.

A veteran who does not have a specific and documentable need for home care support will most likely be denied Aid and Attendance support.  They have to be able to show there is a specific need for support throughout the day at home.  If they need assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and they can prove this, either through a recommendation from their doctor or some other method, that can go a long way in helping with the approval of this pension application.

 

Income and assets.

Combined income and assets for the veteran cannot exceed $80,000. This threshold limit was established this year to help provide more consistency in the approval process.

A veteran does not need to have been injured or disabled during their time of service to qualify for the Aid and Attendance Benefit and the veteran and his or her dependents, including the widow of a qualifying veteran, may be eligible to receive financial assistance to pay for home care support.

Anyone who may need home care and is a veteran and served at least one day during a time of official combat, meaning they are considered a ‘wartime veteran,’ may want to consider looking into and applying for the Aid and Attendance Benefit if they cannot pay for home care on their own.

 

If you or a loved one are considering veterans care, please contact the friendly staff at Veterans Care Coordination™.  Call today: 1-855-380-4400

 

Posted in Aid and Attendance Benefit, Veterans Care

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.