Who is eligible for the Veterans Aid & Attendance Benefit?
To receive Pension, a veteran must have served on active duty, at least 90 days, during a period of war. There must be an honorable discharge. Single surviving spouses of such veterans are also eligible. If younger than 65, the veteran must be totally disabled. If age 65 and older, there is no requirement for disability. There is no disability requirement for a single surviving spouse.
The veteran household cannot have income -- adjusted for unreimbursed medical expenses -- exceeding the Maximum Allowable Pension Rate-- MAPR -- for that veteran's Pension income category. If the adjusted income exceeds MAPR, there is no benefit. If adjusted income is less than the MAPR, the veteran receives a Pension income that is equal to the difference between MAPR and the household income adjusted for unreimbursed medical expenses. The Pension income is calculated, based on 12 months of future household income, but paid monthly.
A special provision for calculating Pension income, allows household income to be reduced by 12 months worth of future, recurring medical expenses. Normally, income is only reduced by medical expenses incurred in the month of application. These allowable, annualized medical expenses are such things as insurance premiums, the cost of home care, the cost of paying any person to provide care, the cost of adult day care, the cost of assisted living and the cost of a nursing home facility. In most cases, these expenses are only deductible if there is a rating.
This special provision can allow veteran households earning more than the annual MAPR to qualify for Pension.
There is also an asset test to qualify for Pension. Any asset or investment that could be easily converted into income might disqualify the claimant. An asset ceiling of $80,000 is often cited in the media as being the test. The $80,000 has to do with VA internal filing requirements and is not an actual test. In reality, there is no dollar amount for the test and any level of assets could block the award. The asset test ultimately becomes a subjective decision made by the veterans service representative, processing the application.
A home, used as a residence, vehicles and difficult-to-sell property are generally excluded from the asset test. VA will allow assets to be transferred or converted to income in order to meet the asset test. There is no look back penalty for transferring assets as there is with Medicaid. There are specific rules governing transfers of assets and what constitutes income from assets and it must be done correctly.
We recommend using a qualified aid and attendance benefit consultant when dealing with assets that may disqualify. It is extremely important that assets that might be gifted or converted to income also meet Medicaid gifting rules in case the veteran or the surviving spouse may have to apply for Medicaid. The consultant can help avoid Medicaid penalties associated with reallocating assets.
What is a Veterans Benefits Consultant & when should a family use a veterans benefits consultant.
Who is eligible for the Veterans Aid & Attendance pension benefit?
Using aid & attendance to pay any person for care at home, for professional home care, for assisted living, or to pay for a nursing home.
The application process for aid and attendance Pension.
The National Care Planning Council, we promote and support planning for long term care.
An individual acting as a consultant must be careful not to violate any federal statutes and VA regulations pertaining to representation of veteran claimants. At the NCPC, we recognize our responsibility to assist you regarding these matters & have ensured that this package offers extensive guidance on what we believe constitutes a compliant veterans benefits consulting practice. Integrity & honesty are at the heart of our business. We expect those who purchase this package to maintain high ethical standards in all areas of their consulting practices. Furthermore, we would like to express our gratitude and support for those who display stewardship, compassion, care, & integrity while working with seniors & thier families.
