The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (the VA) provides a VA Pension for Veterans. This pension is a benefit paid to wartime Veterans who have limited or no income, and who are age 65 or older, or, under 65, and are permanently and totally disabled, or, a patient in a nursing home, or, are receiving Social Security disability payments.  Veterans who are more seriously disabled may qualify for Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits.  These are benefits that are paid in addition to the basic pension rate.

There is so much confusion and misinformation about these very beneficial programs:

• Who is eligible?
• What is considered income for VA purposes?
• What about net worth?
• What are some of the exclusions to income or deductions that can be made to reduce a Veterans income for VA purposes
• How does the VA calculate your pension?
• What are specifically the Aid and Attendance (A&A) and Housebound Benefit programs?
• How do you apply for Aid and Attendance and Housebound?

Answers to all of the above questions are found on the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs website that features a webpage fact sheet with helpful guidance and links to other areas of the website including instructions on how to apply.  While the paperwork and support does take time to organize, the benefit to the veteran is well worth the effort.  An application may take a few months to be considered, however the benefits will be back-dated to the application date.   

If you have any questions, to obtain information on the nearest Veterans Service Officer (VSO) for assistance, call the VA toll-free at 1-800-827-1000 or you can contact the VA through their Internet customer support service.