Aid and Attendance Requirements
Veterans Administration Aid and Attendance Eligibility
Are You Eligible for VA Aid and Attendance?
If you have served in our nation’s armed forces, you are entitled to benefits. Considering your circumstances, those benefits may include Aid and Attendance. Aid and Attendance benefits are meant to address the needs of housebound veterans who need help with activities of daily living.
How Can Aid and Attendance Help You?
If you are a veteran or the widowed spouse of a veteran and you need long-term care, but are having trouble affording it, Aid and Attendance may be right for you. Getting approved for Veterans Administration Aid and Attendance, however, is not guaranteed. Call senior planning today to see if you or your loved one will qualify. Veterans Administration Aid and Attendance is disbursed in monthly payments for eligible applicants.
What does Aid and Attendance pay for?
Aid and Attendance recipients are not restricted to care in their homes. They can also choose to receive care in an assisted living facility. Depending on whether the applicant is a single veteran, a veteran with dependents, or the spouse of a veteran, the award amounts change. The VA Aid and Attendance benefit is disbursed as a monthly check or direct deposit that can be used to pay for long-term care in any setting.
Veterans Administration Aid and Attendance Eligibility
Veterans seeking assistance through VA Aid & Attendance must meet several requirements.
Recipients must need help with daily activities, be bedbound due to illness, be a patient in a nursing home due to a loss of mental or physical abilities or have limited eyesight (5/200 in both eyes even with glasses/contacts).
Keep in mind that those hoping to receive VA Aid and Attendance benefits must also be wartime veterans, which means they served at least one day during a period designated as war time with an overall service record of 90 days. Call Senior Planning today if you are uncertain about wartime status for you or your loved one’s service dates.
Aid and Attendance Requirements
Applicants must provide relevant information related to their service. This means dates of entry and discharge and any other accompanying documents. Senior Planning can help you determine which documents will be necessary for your VA Aid and Attendance application.
To help the VA in deciding whether you are eligible for Aid and Attendance benefits, there is more required than simply the fill-in-the-blank application form. An applicant must prove their economic need as well as their clinical need for the benefit. The VA has a three-year look-back period which means they will look back to see if there have been any uncompensated financial transfers, gifts, inheritances, property sales, etc. If there has been financial activity within the last three years, it must be reported to the VA.
To prove a person’s medical need, anything that points towards a person’s physical need, like a doctor’s diagnosis, will be required. Or, if a person lives in a long-term care facility, proof must be shown. Evidence proving the applicant needs household care, details about how they get around during the day, as well as details about mental or physical health, will assist officers in identifying eligibility.
Frequently Asked Questions about Aid and Attendance Requirements
Is Aid and Attendance Retroactive?
To compensate for the long wait times, most applicants are eligible to receive back-pay from the time of application until the time of approval. With back-pay, applicants can get help and assistance now rather than waiting several months. You must be currently receiving in-home or other care to qualify for this benefit.
Are spouses eligible for Aid and Attendance?
A veteran’s surviving spouse may be eligible for benefits under VA Aid and Attendance. There are certain rules and marriage requirements so contact Senior Planning to find out if you might be eligible.
Am I eligible for Aid and Attendance?
If you or someone you know needs care and has served in the U.S. military, call us. We know the rules and regulations surrounding the VA Aid and Attendance benefit and we can talk about if you may be eligible.
Can I apply for VA benefits in person?
You may apply for the Aid and Attendance benefit in person, at a local Veterans Affairs office. Applications may be submitted in person to a local VA regional office near you. If you are not comfortable applying on your own, or simply do not know how, a certified claims agent or an attorney can also assist. Act now to get a head-start on the VA Aid and Attendance application to get the financial assistance you deserve.