| Attention WWII and Korean War Veterans - The VA | | | | 3. To qualify financially, the veteran (or eligible |
| will provide you financial assistance to help you or the | | | | surviving spouse) must have limited assets (typically |
| widowed surviving spouse pay for long-term care. | | | | under $80,000) excluding the primary home and a |
| This financial assistance provides needed money to | | | | single vehicle. Note: The claimant cannot be driving or |
| help these elderly war-time veterans (and their | | | | they will be ineligible for the benefit. |
| widowed surviving spouse) receive in-home care or | | | | The amount of benefit that the claimant can receive |
| offset the costs of an assisted living facility. | | | | is based on a two-step calculation.a. Add up all annual |
| And the best part, you don't need to use official VA | | | | income from social security, retirement pensions, |
| care or facilities. This financial assistance can be used | | | | interest, dividends, annuities, etc.b. Subtract from this |
| to pay independent home care agencies and | | | | income total the annual recurring out-of-pocket |
| non-government run assisted living facilities. Many | | | | medical and prescription costs, the cost of private |
| families also can get this VA financial assistance to | | | | supplemental health care insurance, any long-term |
| pay a family member to provide the care. | | | | care insurance, and long-term care expenses from |
| This little-known veterans' benefit is commonly called | | | | in-home care or an assisted living facility. |
| the "Aid and Attendance" benefit. It is officially called | | | | The resulting amount is called the "adjusted countable |
| an "Improved Disability Pension Benefit with Aid and | | | | household income". This amount is then compared to |
| Attendance Entitlement" that provides a tax-free | | | | the maximum VA disability pension benefit. The |
| monthly amount up to $1,644 for a veteran or | | | | difference is the benefit amount you will receive - |
| $1,949 for a veteran and spouse. | | | | paid in 12 equal payments. |
| Widowed surviving spouses who have not re-married | | | | 4. The maximum VA disability pension benefit for |
| are eligible for this same benefit but by a different | | | | 2009 is as follows: |
| name. The official name of the surviving spouse | | | | Single or widowed veteran = $19,736 paid $1,644 |
| benefit is "Improved Death Pension Benefit with Aid | | | | monthly |
| and Attendance Entitlement". This benefit also | | | | Veteran with a dependent (typically spouse) = |
| provides a tax-free benefit equal to $1,057 monthly. | | | | $23,396 paid $1,949 monthly |
| This "improved" VA disability pension benefit can be | | | | Un-remarried widowed surviving spouse = $12,681 |
| used to pay for in-home care, assisted living facility | | | | paid $1,057 monthly |
| costs or nursing home care. In addition other qualified | | | | Let's look at an example: |
| uses include medical expenses, prescription drugs, | | | | - Sam is an honorably discharged Korean War |
| incontinence supplies and more. | | | | veteran who lost his wife 6 months ago. |
| Five Steps of Qualification | | | | - He suffers from dementia and can no longer drive |
| 1. To qualify for time of service, the WWII or | | | | or live alone. His family has moved him to the Great |
| Korean veteran must have served at least 90 days | | | | Home Assisted Living facility where many of his |
| of active duty with at least one day of service | | | | friends also now live. |
| between December 7, 1941 and December 31, 1946 | | | | - His adjusted countable household income is a |
| for WWII or between June 27, 1950 and January 31, | | | | negative $-1,000 (Social security and a small pension |
| 1955 for the Korean War. | | | | from his work at the Tool & Die Company less |
| It does not matter if the veteran's active duty was | | | | his qualified medical costs of assisted living, |
| stateside or overseas. Discharge from military service | | | | prescriptions and medical insurance premium). |
| also must not have been under dishonorably | | | | - He has less than $10,000 in savings and after the |
| conditions. | | | | reverse mortgage is paid off from the sale of his |
| Note: Surviving spouses who remarried a non-eligible | | | | home he will net $50,000. |
| individual or whose marriage to the veteran ended in | | | | Since Sam's qualified medical costs exceeds his |
| divorce are not eligible. | | | | income he qualifies for the maximum VA disability |
| 2. To qualify physically, the veteran (or eligible | | | | pension benefit, or $1,644 per month. |
| surviving spouse) must be age 65 or older (to not | | | | This means that Sam now has $644 in income each |
| have to prove they can no longer work) and need | | | | month after paying his qualified expenses instead of |
| help with basic activities of daily living tasks such as | | | | having to take $1,000 from savings each month for |
| eating, dressing, grooming, proper hygiene, bathing or | | | | his care. |
| going to the bathroom. | | | | 5. How to Apply |
| Being blind or use of a wheelchair for mobility also | | | | To learn more or to understand how to successfully |
| physically qualifies the claimant. The claimant must | | | | apply for the Aid and Attendance benefit from the |
| also be no longer able to safely drive to be | | | | VA, visit www dot VeteransCareAdvisors dot com. |
| considered home-bound. | | | | The Aid and Attendance Handbook will walk you |
| Physical qualifications should be documented by your | | | | through the process and help you better understand |
| private physician. You do not have to use or visit a | | | | the paper work, required documentation and what to |
| VA doctor. | | | | expect during the claim processing. |