VA Pension & Aid and Attendance

Overview

VA Pension is a needs-based monthly benefit for wartime veterans who have limited income and are age 65 or older, or who are permanently and totally disabled (not necessarily from service). This is different from disability compensation — pension does not require a service-connected condition.

Many veterans and their families don't know pension exists, which means billions in benefits go unclaimed every year.

Eligibility

To qualify for VA Pension, you must meet ALL of the following:

Service Requirements

• At least 90 days of active duty, with at least 1 day during a wartime period
• Discharged under conditions other than dishonorable
• If you entered service after September 7, 1980: at least 24 months of active duty or the full period for which you were called

Age or Disability

• Age 65 or older, OR
• Permanently and totally disabled (not necessarily service-connected), OR
• In a nursing home receiving skilled care, OR
• Receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

Income and Net Worth

• Your countable income must be below the Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR)
• Your net worth must be below the VA limit (~$155,356, adjusted annually)
• Your primary residence and one vehicle are NOT counted as assets

Payment Amounts (2025 approximate)

The VA pays the difference between your countable income and the MAPR.

Aid & Attendance (A&A)

If you need the regular help of another person, you may qualify for the increased Aid & Attendance pension rate. You qualify if:

• You need help with daily activities (eating, bathing, dressing, toileting)
• You are bedridden
• You are a patient in a nursing home
• Your eyesight is limited (5/200 or less in both eyes, or concentric contraction of visual field to 5 degrees or less)

A&A significantly increases the monthly payment — from approximately $1,379 to $2,301 for a single veteran.

Housebound Benefits

If you're not eligible for A&A but are substantially confined to your home due to a permanent disability, you may qualify for the Housebound rate, which is between the basic pension and A&A rates.

How Income Affects Your Payment

What Counts as Income

• Social Security
• Retirement pay
• Investment income
• Any regular payments

Key Deductions (Lower Your Countable Income)

This is where most veterans leave money on the table:

• Unreimbursed medical expenses — prescriptions, copays, medical equipment, hearing aids, dentures, home health aides, assisted living costs, Medicare premiums
• Caregiver costs — if you pay someone to help with daily activities, this reduces countable income
• Travel to medical appointments

Example: A veteran with $20,000 in Social Security and $12,000 in unreimbursed medical expenses has a countable income of $8,000 — well below the MAPR, making them eligible for significant pension payments.

How to Apply

1. Complete VA Form 21-527EZ (Application for Pension)
2. For A&A or Housebound: also submit a medical statement from your doctor (VA Form 21-2680)
3. Include income verification, medical expense documentation, and DD-214
4. Submit online at VA.gov, through a VSO, or by mail

Tips

• Unreimbursed medical expenses are the #1 strategy. Track every medical cost — they reduce your countable income
• Assisted living counts. If you live in an assisted living facility, the entire cost can be deducted as a medical expense
• Don't confuse pension with disability compensation. You can receive both, but the VA offsets pension by the amount of your compensation
• Beware of pension poachers. Some companies charge veterans thousands to file pension claims. VSOs do it for free
• The 3-year look-back. The VA examines asset transfers in the 36 months before your application — transferring assets to qualify can result in a penalty period
• Apply early. Pension is effective from the date of your application if eligible, so don't delay