With this month’s celebration of Veterans Day and Thanksgiving, I thought it would be a good time to thank our veterans for their service and to write about one of the most valuable benefits available to eligible veterans, their spouses, and widows: Aid and Attendance.
Aid and Attendance can be used to pay anyone, including the veteran’s child, for home care. It can also be used to pay for professional care in the home, assisted living, insurance premiums, prescription drugs, co-pays, and more. In essence, Aid and Attendance can help an eligible veteran or spouse or widow live at home or assisted living for as long as possible while still receiving the care he or she needs and protecting hard-earned assets.
To be eligible for Aid and Attendance:
– The veteran must have served 90 days or more of active duty, with at least one day during a period of wartime
– The veteran must have received a discharge other than dishonorable
– The veteran / spouse / widow must have medical expenses or care needs
– The veteran / spouse / widow must meet financial guidelines established by the VA
For a surviving spouse to be eligible for Aid and Attendance, he or she must have been married to an eligible veteran for at least one year and never remarried.
Many veterans mistakenly believe that they have too much in the way of assets or income to qualify for Aid and Attendance. While it is true that the VA requires veterans and their spouses or widows to qualify both medically and financially, it is not necessary to run out of money before you can begin receiving benefits. Through the use of available exemptions and proper planning, an eligible veteran, spouse, or widow may be able to qualify for Aid and Attendance without having to spend all of his or her money paying for care.
You can learn more about Aid and Attendance by visiting here. Of course, I am here to answer any questions you might have about this valuable benefit.
Until next time, take care….
Alexis