Does Your Loved One Qualify for VA Aid & Attendance?

If your loved one served in the military during wartime, or was married to someone who did, there may be a monthly VA benefit that helps pay for their care. It’s called Aid & Attendance, and many families who qualify never apply. They don’t know it exists, or they assume their parent’s income is too high.

Read through the checklist below with your loved one’s situation in mind. If most of the boxes fit, it’s worth a call.

How much does Aid & Attendance pay?

These are the maximum tax-free monthly amounts, paid to the veteran or surviving spouse to help with the cost of care:

These are the most the VA will pay. The actual amount depends on income and care costs, explained in Part 4.

The Aid & Attendance eligibility checklist

Military service

The veteran must meet all of these:

• Served at least 90 days of active duty
• At least 1 of those days fell during a wartime period (World War II, Korea, Vietnam era, Gulf War or later). Combat or overseas service is not required.
• Was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable (honorable or general)
• If they enlisted after September 7, 1980: generally served 24 months, or their full call-up period

Age or disability

• The veteran or surviving spouse is 65 or older, OR
• Is permanently and totally disabled (it does not need to be connected to military service)

Need for care

• They need help from another person with daily activities, such as bathing, dressing, eating, using the bathroom, or getting around safely
• A doctor is willing to write down specifically what help they need

There’s no list of qualifying diagnoses, and no VA disability rating is required. What matters is the day-to-day help they need.

Income (the part most families get wrong)

There is no fixed income limit. The VA looks at what’s left of your loved one’s income after their care and medical costs are paid. Here’s how it works:

1. Add up yearly income (Social Security, pensions, IRA withdrawals, interest, and so on). For a married veteran, the spouse’s income counts too.
2. Subtract the yearly cost of care and medical expenses that aren’t covered by insurance. Assisted living, Medicare premiums and supplemental insurance all count. (The VA ignores the first small slice: $872 a year for a single veteran, $1,141 for a veteran with a spouse, and $584 for a surviving spouse.)
3. What’s left is countable income. If it’s lower than the maximum in the table above, they qualify. The VA pays the difference.

Savings and assets (net worth)

• Total savings and assets plus yearly countable income are under $163,699

Common reasons families don’t qualify

If any of these apply, talk to the Veterans Service Office or an elder law attorney before you apply or move any money:

1. Income is still too high after care costs. If countable income is above the maximum rate, the benefit is $0.
2. Care costs haven’t been paid yet. The VA generally counts expenses that have actually been paid, so keep receipts and statements.
3. Insurance or another program is already paying. Costs covered by long-term care insurance or Medicaid don’t count.
4. One-time bills. The VA mainly counts ongoing, monthly costs.
5. The doctor’s paperwork is vague. If the need for daily help isn’t clearly documented, the VA may not count the full cost of assisted living.
6. Savings and assets are over $163,699.
7. Land over 2 acres. Extra acreage can count as an asset.
8. The house was sold. The home is protected only while they own it. Money from a sale counts.
9. Money was given away in the last 3 years. The VA looks back 36 months. Gifts to children, or putting the house in someone else’s name, can cause a penalty of up to 5 years with no benefit. Don’t move money to “qualify” without professional advice.

Paperwork to gather

• Discharge papers (DD-214)
• Marriage certificate (and death certificate, for a surviving spouse)
• Social Security and pension award letters
• Recent bank and investment statements
• Proof of what’s being paid for care (assisted living statements, insurance premiums)
• A doctor’s statement of care needs (VA Form 21-2680)

The main application forms are VA Form 21P-527EZ (veterans) or 21P-534EZ (surviving spouses). Benefits are generally paid back to the date the VA receives the application, so don’t wait until every paper is ready.

Free help in Lake County, Indiana

You do not need to pay anyone to apply.

What to do next: 3 simple steps

1. Go through the checklist. If your loved one checks most of the boxes in Parts 1 through 5, it’s worth applying.
2. Start gathering paperwork. Use the list above. You don’t need every piece before you file, since benefits are generally paid back to the date the VA receives the application.
3. Book a free appointment. Call the Lake County Veterans Service Office at 219-755-3285. They’ll help you fill out and file the forms at no cost.

Using Aid & Attendance for assisted living in Northwest Indiana

For many families in Crown Point, Lowell, Cedar Lake, St. John, Merrillville and across Lake County, Aid & Attendance is what helps make assisted living affordable. The VA pays the benefit to your loved one every month, and they can put it toward the cost of their care.

Remember the rule from Part 4: the VA subtracts what your loved one pays for assisted living from their income. That’s why so many families who assumed their parent made “too much” end up qualifying once a move to assisted living is on the table. Planning the move and the VA application together can make a real difference.

Two Hearts Homes for Seniors has two homes in Lake County: assisted living in Crown Point at 1600 S Feather Rock Dr, and assisted living in Lowell at 18220 Clark St. Both offer 24/7 caregivers and home-cooked meals in a small, home-like setting. Whether you’re just starting to look or already comparing options, we’re happy to talk through costs and how VA benefits might fit into your plan.

Want to see the full picture? Our guide to assisted living costs explains what families typically pay and other ways to cover care, and our cost calculator compares living at home with assisted living.

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Only the VA decides who qualifies, and figures change every December 1. Please confirm your situation with the Veterans Service Office or an accredited attorney.