Many former veterans are unaware of just how much assistance is available for them as they age. One such program is the Aid and Attendance benefit. This program is available to veterans and their spouses and can be used to pay for long term care.

Eligibility Requirements

There are some pretty strict requirements to be able to qualify for the benefit. In order to do so the veteran must:

  • For those who served prior to September 8, 1980 they must be a war time veteran who was active for at least 90 days of service. They may not have been dishonorably discharged.
  • For those who served after September 8, 1980 they must have had at least 24 months of service and not have been dishonorably discharged.
  • Neither the Veteran nor their spouse (if they are surviving) is able to care for the vet (or the spouse). This means a living spouse must also need care themselves.
  • There are very strict income and asset restrictions that must be met as well. Check with the VA to make sure what those restrictions are.
  • There must also be a need for the reimbursement. The VA encourages veterans and their spouses to apply even if they believe their income is too high to do so since they may qualify depending on their individual situations.

If you have any questions about veteran’s benefits or other elder law issues, contact the experts at Stano Law group. We can help you today!