Wartime veterans and their surviving spouses, 65 years and older, may be entitled to a tax-free benefit called Aid and Attendance provided by the Department of Veteran Affairs.

Aid and Attendance can be a significant financial benefit for veterans or surviving spouses and their families.

You may be eligible for this benefit if you get a VA pension and you meet at least one of the requirements listed below.

• You need another person to help you perform daily activities, like bathing, feeding, and dressing, or
• You have to stay in bed—or spend a large portion of the day in bed—because of illness, or
• You are a patient in a nursing home due to the loss of mental or physical abilities related to a disability, or
• Your eyesight is limited (even with glasses or contact lenses you have only 5/200 or less in both eyes; or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less)
• You may be eligible for this benefit if you get a VA pension and you spend most of your time in your home because of a permanent disability (a disability that doesn’t go away).

Filing a claim for Aid and Attendance without help is intimidating and confusing. We strongly recommend that you involve a family member or friend in the application process. If you think you may qualify for Aid and Attendance at this time, consider contacting National Veteran Support for assistance with the application. This organization is a national 501(c) nonprofit charity serving all 50 states. You can look on their website here: Vet Support USA or call them for help with your claim at 818-237-5385. They will interview you to see if you qualify for Aid and Attendance, and they won’t apply unless they have extremely high confidence that you will be eligible for this benefit. The organization has a 98 percent approval rate on VA claims.

It doesn’t cost anything to call them to determine if you qualify and should apply. They will give you an idea of how much of a benefit you would be entitled. They usually require a tax-deductible donation before they submit the application. When you receive your benefit, it reverts to the date of the application. For example, if you applied in September and received an award the following January, you would receive a five-month lump sum benefit anywhere from $6,000 to $11,000. The suggested donation amount is $1,800. Don’t let this suggested donation scare you from calling them. They work with veterans and surviving spouses in cases of need. Again, it costs nothing to call them and determine if you qualify.

Occasionally, a local American Legion may have a volunteer willing and able to assist with submitting the application. However, there is an advantage to having an organization that does this regularly and is able to submit a claim in a prompt manner.

Here are some links regarding Aid and Attendance:

• https://www.veteransaidbenefit.org/eligibility_aid_attendance_pension_benefit.htm
• https://www.va.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound/

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