We at the Idaho Division of Veterans Services would like to highlight the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) non-service connected pension benefit (commonly referred to as Aid and Attendance) which some older veterans might be eligible to receive and which may assist them with payment of their assisted living and / or skilled nursing care.

 VA pension is an income based benefit paid to wartime veterans with limited income and who are permanently and totally disabled OR age 65 or older. To qualify veterans needed to have served in the military for at least 90 days or more with at least 1 day during a period of war-time and have a discharge from service under other than dishonorable conditions. They also need to meet income and asset guidelines. With regards to assets, the veteran and spouse, if married, need to have less than $80,000 EXCLUDING their home and vehicles. This includes checking, savings, IRA’s, CD’s, stocks, bonds, secondary property values, etc. VA’s income guidelines can be found on their fact sheet, noted below.

Periods of War – as defined by Congress

VA’s fact sheet regarding pension eligibility

VA non-service connected pension has three levels of eligibility and payment: the basic rate, the housebound rate, and the aid and attendance rate. To qualify at the base rate the veteran can be completely independent, however they need to be considered to be permanently and totally disabled. VA considers a veteran housebound if they are independent at home but need assistance in getting out and about for physician visits, grocery shopping, etc. VA evaluates them for aid and attendance if they require help in bathing dressing, toileting, etc. Please note that the level of eligibility is based on the veteran’s care needs. If a veteran is married and independent but has a spouse receiving nursing care, the VA would base eligibility on the veteran’s care needs however would likely consider the spouse’s nursing care charges as a medical expense.

Recurring monthly medical expenses such as medical insurance premiums and assisted living / nursing care related expenses can be used to offset a veteran’s income for eligibility purposes. Just as the VA counts total family (veteran and spouse) income and assets for a veteran, if married. They will also count veteran and spouses medical expenses for eligibility. Skilled nursing facility payments are considered a medical expense and will normally make a veteran eligible for this benefit. However, single veterans using Medicaid benefits are limited to receiving VA pension in the amount of $90 per month. The $90 payment is exempt from Medicaid and can be given in full to the veteran as a personal allowance.

If a veteran is found to be in need of the higher level of care (bathing, dressing, toileting) and is found by the VA to qualify at the aid and attendance rate, then if they are in an assisted living, instead of a nursing care facility, all of their assisted living charges will be considered a medical expense and therefore used to reduce their income for eligibility. If they are independent and found by the VA to qualify at the Housebound rate then only the portion of the assisted living charges itemized and noted to be medical expenses would be considered.

 Checklist of items needed when applying:

• Veteran military discharge paper (DD-214)
• Copy of marriage certificate
• Copy of any / all recent bank statements
• Recent statement copies for any other asset accounts (IRA’s, CD’s, stocks, etc)
• A voided check or account number and routing number (VA will very shortly be requiring that all benefits awarded be set up for direct deposit)

 If applying for the Housebound / A&A rate another form will need to be completed by veteran’s (and spouses, if married) physician. Your Service Officer can give you this form.

 If applying for a veteran (and spouse, if married) who is currently in an Assisted Living or Nursing Care facility and additional form will need to be completed by that facility. Your Service Officer can give you this form.

 Surviving spouses of veterans with qualifying military service may be eligible for the VA’s death pension benefit. The eligibility for death pension is very much the same as for veteran’s pension with regards to asset limitation, medical expenses considered and three levels of eligibility. However the income limitation for this benefit is much lower. For income guidelines please see the below VA fact sheet.

 VA’s fact sheet regarding widow’s pension eligibility

Please note that to be eligible as a surviving spouse the spouse needs to have been married to the veteran at the time of their death AND has not since remarried.

Checklist of items needed when applying for Death Pension:

• Veteran military discharge paper (DD-214)
• Copy of marriage certificate
• Copy of veteran’s death certificate
• Copy of any / all recent bank statements
• Recent statement copies for any other asset accounts (IRA’s, CD’s, stocks etc)
• A voided check or account number and routing number (VA will very shortly be requiring that all benefits awarded be set up for direct deposit)

If applying for the Housebound / A&A rate another form will need to be completed by surviving spouse’s physician. Your Service Officer can give you this form.

If applying for a surviving spouse who is currently in an Assisted Living or Nursing Care facility and additional form will need to be completed by that facility. Your Service Officer can give you this form.

All pension claims are currently being handled and decided at the VA’s Pension Management Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. The current timeline to receive a decision is approx. 8-10 months. However, if benefits are approved they are paid back to date of claim (submission of claim / paperwork to the VA).

QUESTIONS? Would you like to discuss eligibility? Would you like assistance in applying?

IDVS service officers are trained, accredited and ready to help you through this process FREE of charge. We have the most up to date information available about applying for veterans’ benefits, current requirements and any recent changes made in the process. All of our service officers are veterans and many of them are military retirees; we are veterans helping veterans. You DO NOT need to pay an attorney, insurance company or personal financial planner to apply for your VA benefits. In fact, it should be a RED FLAG to you if you are asked to sign a contract and / or pay for services in the course of applying for VA benefits.

Please also see Dale Dixon’s recent newspaper article. (needs link)

Office location and contact information is provided on the right.

If you would like to make a request to have one of our service officers speak to your group regarding pension eligibility or to provide other VA benefit information please contact our Program Supervisor Tom Ressler at (208) 577-2300 or via email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it