Veterans and their families can learn about a Veterans benefit that will help cover the cost of long term care at a free seminar at the FSK American Legion Post #11, 1450 Taney Avenue, Frederick, Maryland. The seminar, presented by elder law attorney, David Wingate is Thursday, April 12 th, 2012, at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. The cost of long term care can be expensive, often times depleting assets that have been accumulated over a lifetime. But veterans may qualify for Aid and Attendance from the VA. Eligible veterans may qualify for a benefit of up to $2,000 a…
For veterans and the veteran’s surviving spouses who want in-home care or are in an assisted residing facility, help is available. The Veterans Administration has an underused pension called Aid and Attendance. This benefit gives money to those that require help performing regular basis tasks, bathing, feeding, dressing, or going to the bathroom, bedridden, blind, or residing in an assisted living facility or nursing home. However, you have to further qualify for this benefit. Aid and Attendance is available to veterans who served not less than 90 days, with at least one day during World War II, Korea, Vietnam or…
By Rita Files … Too often, veterans go without services they need simply because they are unaware of benefits they earned through their service. Consider the Aid and Attendance benefit, which is meant to help aging veterans and their surviving spouses pay for care at home, in a nursing home, or in an assisted-living facility. Millions of veterans and their families are failing to take advantage of it. According to a recent report, about 105,000 veterans were using the benefit last year. Yet the pool of potential recipients could be much bigger. There are 2.3 million World War II vets…
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs Web site, the benefit is paid in addition to monthly pension benefits. To qualify for the aid benefit, the veteran must generally be 65 or older (if not permanently disabled), have served during wartime and meet certain other income and asset requirements and medical requirements. In particular, annual income for the veteran and his or her spouse — not counting unreimbursed medical expenses — must be below a certain level. As for medical requirements, the veteran must require the aid of someone else to perform everyday “personal functions,” be bedridden, live in a…
Senior veteran households represent 55% of the 22.7 million veterans in the United States. However, most veterans are unaware of aid and attendance benefits. We provided a free seminar on service and non-service connected pensions, recently, with over 120 people attending. Only, one veteran had heard of aid and attendance benefits, and only about 5% of qualified U.S. senior veterans are actually receiving this benefit. Veterans you need to be aware of this benefit to offset the costs of assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and home care. For more information see our previous blogs, including Most Veterans are unaware that…
If you rent the home this is income. Therefore you have to report this income, and it can affect your aid and attendance. Consequently, prepare a caregiving agreement, where a family member will reside in the residence, and they will pay the taxes and property insurance only. This is exempt as rental income. Therefore, you do not have to declare the money paid by the family member, as this is considered family maintenance. Additionally, the veteran must retain the right of occupancy i.e. to occupy the home at any time. Therefore, the home remains an exempt asset.
The veteran, if qualified for Medicaid, will receive $90.00 for personal needs only. This is non-countable by Medicaid; however, some Medicaid agencies make it countable income. Additionally, $90 is only for single claimants; not married veterans. However, if the community spouse has sufficient Unreimbursed Medical Expenses, and the veteran’s out-of-pocket expenses, this offsets total household gross income. Therefore, if the veteran is on Medicaid, continues to receive the full pension plus Aid and Attendance of $1,949.00 per month. For more in to increase your monthly income, please contact us about a FREE HANDBOOK about VA Benefits, written by David Wingate,…
No. If the veteran is rated 100%, they may receive an additional amount – special monthly compensation (SMC), if the need for Aid & Attendance is a service connected condition. Also, if the veteran, rated under100%, is unemployable due to his service connected condition, they can file for unemployability. Therefore, their rating is 100%. Consequently, file for the SMC. These VA benefits exceed NSC pension. Also, if the veteran is married, they will receive additional money. Remember, that assets, income, and UME do not matter in a SC claim. However, if his SC condition is not the cause for increased care, you may…
If an in-home attendant is caring for a disabled person who … has been rated housebound or in need of Aid and Attendance, by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Then allow for a deduction for the wages … of the in-home attendant, even if the attendant is not a licensed health professional.Note: A family member may be considered an in-home attendant only if he/she is actually being paid. Documentation must be submitted. If an in-home attendant is caring for a disabled person who … has not been rated housebound or in need of A&A by the Department of Veterans Affairs….
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