Veterans Disability
Pension Qualification
Veterans Aid and Attendance
The Veteran's Administration Veterans disability pension qualification commonly known as the Veterans Aid and Attendance benefit (along with the death pension for widowed surviving spouses) is based on a
number of factors. These factors are:
- Time of service
- Not being able to drive
- Medical need
- Liquid Assets
- Income
The good news is that there is no look back period for the financial qualifications.
If you don't qualify today because of assets, you can easily qualify tomorrow!
Surviving spouses (widows) must have been the legal spouse of the eligible veteran upon the veterans death, and not remarried to be eligible for VA benefits.
Time of Service
The veteran must have at least 90 consecutive days of active duty with only 1 day of the active duty being during a stated time of war:
| World War II | December 7, 1941 through December 31, 1946 |
| Korean War | June 27, 1950 through January 31, 1955 |
| Vietnam War | August 5, 1964 through May 7, 1975 |
| Gulf War | August 2, 1990 through a date to be set by law |
The veteran must have been discharged from active duty under honorable, or other than dishonorable conditions.
Home Bound Status
The claimant (veteran or surviving spouse) must be considered housebound by the VA to qualify for the aid and attendance entitlement. This is simply that the claimant needs the assistance of another person to leave the house. It does not mean they can not be able to leave the house. Instead, it is a simple as a situation where they can no longer safely drive.
Medical Need
The claimant must have a documented medical condition that requires they have a permanent need for assistance with basic activities of daily living. These include such things as assistance dressing, bathing, grooming, personal hygiene, eating, transfers, incontinence and assistance with toileting. Safety, such as high risk of fall is also a qualifying medical need.
Liquid Assets
The claimant's household (claimant plus all dependents) liquid assets must be below $80,000. While the VA claims there is no such asset threshold, our experience has shown that the liquid assets should be below this threshold. Liquid assets include stocks, bonds, IRAs, annuities, second or vacation homes, and any collectible items. The primary home is not considered a liquid asset unless it is sold.
Income Limitations
Another area the VA gives quick verbal declines! The claimant's household income (claimant plus all dependents) needs to be below the maximum benefit level to qualify for any benefit.
We have seen claimants with monthly incomes of $5,000 or more successfully qualify and receive the VA disability pension benefit! How?
Your income countable income is your gross income reduced by qualified medical expenses. It is this adjustment that defines your countable income. This is the income that should be used for the qualification...not your gross income!
The Aid and Attendance Benefit Handbook was specifically developed to help those veterans and widows who meet the benefit qualification better understand the ins and outs of this VA disability financial assistance pension benefit.
The Handbook provides detailed tips and instruction on what you need to do and what not to do to get your claim processed quickly.
Do you qualify for the Veterans disability pension with aid and attendance entitlement?
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