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Veterans Benefits

Planning for VA Aid & Attendance Eligibility

Marissa DeBellis, Esq. is an accredited attorney with the Veterans Administration.  She specializes in helping veterans and their surviving spouses plan for their long-term care costs.

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Benefits offered by the Veterans Administration can be very confusing and difficult to navigate.  Many veterans are unaware of all of the benefits that may be available to them.  One of the VA pension programs is known as the Veterans Aid & Attendance benefit.  The purpose of this pension is to supplement the veteran’s income in order to pay for his or her rising long-term care costs.  This benefit is most often used by veterans or surviving spouses needing the “aid and attendance” of another person, generally requiring care in the home, an assisted living facility, or a nursing home.  If the veteran or surviving spouse qualifies, the pension is paid directly to the veteran in order to help pay for his or her long-term care costs. 

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There are specific eligibility requirements for this benefit, including:

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  1. The veteran must have served during wartime;

  2. The veteran must has served for a period of at least 90 days active duty (only 1 day of which need be during the wartime period);

  3. The veteran must have been honorably discharged;

  4. If the veteran is under age 65, he or she must be totally disabled (if over 65, there is no disability requirement).

In addition to the requirements above, there are strict financial requirements that the veteran and his or her spouse, if any, must prove in order to qualify for the benefit.

 

As of October 2018, the VA implemented a 3-year lookback period when determining eligibility.  That means, the VA is able to look at an applicant’s prior transactions for the past 3 years to determine whether there were any unreimbursed transfers or gifts.  

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DeBellis Law, P.A. can help you determine whether you are eligible for Aid & Attendance and we can develop creative plans to help you qualify for these benefits now or in the future. 
Our office is located in Palm Beach Gardens, but we are happy to schedule a consultation closer to you or in your home, particularly if you or a loved one has difficulty travelling.  
 

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