DokuDocsdokudocs.com- Who it's for
- Wartime veterans and surviving spouses who get, or qualify for, a VA pension and need help with daily activities
- Max annual pension with A&A
- $29,093 for a veteran alone; $34,488 with one dependent; $18,697 for a surviving spouse (rates since Dec. 1, 2025)
- Net worth limit
- $163,699 (Dec. 1, 2025 through Nov. 30, 2026)
- Look-back
- 3 years on asset transfers
- How to apply
- VA.gov, by mail, or free help from an accredited Veterans Service Officer
A lot of families find out about this benefit by accident, often from another family at the assisted living facility. "You know Dad could be getting help from the VA for this, right?"
Aid & Attendance (often shortened to A&A) is an increased monthly amount added to a VA pension for veterans and surviving spouses who need help from another person with daily life. It's tax-free and can make the difference between affording care and not.
Who qualifies
Your parent needs to meet the requirements for the VA pension itself, and then the extra care requirement for Aid & Attendance.
For the pension, a veteran generally needs:
- Wartime service. At least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a recognized wartime period, including World War II, Korea, Vietnam (dates vary depending on where the veteran served) and the Gulf War. Those who entered after September 7, 1980, usually need 24 months or the full period they were called up for.
- A discharge other than dishonorable
- To be 65 or older, or permanently disabled, or in a nursing home, or receiving SSDI or SSI
- Income and net worth within VA limits
A surviving spouse of a wartime veteran can qualify for a Survivors Pension, and Aid & Attendance on top of it, if they weren't remarried and meet the financial limits.
For the Aid & Attendance add-on, your parent must also meet at least one of these:
- Need help from another person with daily activities like bathing, dressing, eating or toileting
- Be bedbound
- Live in a nursing home because of a disability
- Have very limited eyesight
How much it pays
These are the maximum annual pension rates in effect since December 1, 2025:
| Situation | Basic pension | With Housebound | With Aid & Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran, no dependents | $17,441 | $21,313 | $29,093 |
| Veteran with one dependent (e.g., spouse) | $22,839 | $26,710 | $34,488 |
| Surviving spouse, no dependents | $11,699 | $14,298 | $18,697 |
Rates usually rise with the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment each December 1. Check VA.gov for the newest table.
The VA doesn't simply pay the maximum. It subtracts your parent's countable income from the maximum, and pays the difference. Here's the key part: unreimbursed medical expenses, including in-home care, assisted living costs and insurance premiums, can be deducted from income. A parent with $2,500 a month in Social Security and a pension may look ineligible, until the $5,000-a-month assisted living bill is counted.
The net worth limit and the look-back
The VA uses a net worth limit, which is $163,699 through November 30, 2026. Net worth includes your parent's assets plus their annual income. The primary home doesn't count.
The VA also has a 3-year look-back. If your parent gave away assets or sold them for less than they were worth within three years before applying, to get under the limit, the VA can impose a penalty period of up to 5 years.
Watch out for "pension poachers" Some advisors market free VA seminars, then recommend annuities or trusts to "qualify" a parent. Those moves can trigger VA penalties and also ruin Medicaid eligibility later, because Medicaid has a 5-year look-back of its own. It's also illegal to charge for preparing an initial pension claim. Use an accredited representative instead.
How to apply
- Get free, accredited help. Contact a county Veterans Service Officer or an accredited Veterans Service Organization like the American Legion, VFW or DAV. They don't charge for help with the claim.
- Find the discharge papers. The DD-214 (or older equivalent) proves wartime service. If it's missing, request it through VA.gov from the National Personnel Records Center.
- Choose the right form. Veterans use VA Form 21P-527EZ. Surviving spouses use VA Form 21P-534EZ.
- Document the care need. Have your parent's doctor complete VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance). For a nursing home resident, the facility can complete VA Form 21-0779.
- Document medical expenses. Include care contracts, facility invoices, insurance premiums and receipts, so the VA can deduct them from income.
- Submit and save everything. File online at VA.gov, or by mail, and keep copies of every page.
The documents VA claims need most
- DD-214 or other discharge papers
- Marriage certificate (and any prior divorce decrees) for a spouse or surviving spouse
- The veteran's death certificate, for a surviving spouse
- Social Security and pension award letters
- Bank and investment statements
- Medical expense records: assisted living contracts, caregiver invoices, insurance premium statements
- The doctor's completed VA Form 21-2680
- Your durable power of attorney, if you're helping manage the claim
A missing DD-214 or marriage certificate is the most common reason these claims stall for months. Scan them once into a DokuDocs vault and they're ready for the VA, the funeral home and the cemetery when the time comes.
A few other VA benefits worth a look
- Burial benefits and a free headstone or marker for eligible veterans, and burial in a national cemetery.
- VA health care, if your parent isn't already enrolled.
- The VA's caregiver programs, depending on service connection.
If the VA decides your parent can't manage their own benefits, it will appoint a VA fiduciary, which is separate from a Social Security representative payee.
Military records are irreplaceable A fire at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973 destroyed millions of Army and Air Force records. Some veterans' families have spent months rebuilding proof of service. If your parent has a DD-214 in a drawer, scan it and store it in DokuDocs today.
Questions families ask
My father never saw combat. Does he still qualify?
Possibly. The VA requires service during a wartime period, not combat. Generally, that means at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a wartime period (24 months for those who entered after September 7, 1980, with some exceptions).
Can Aid & Attendance pay for assisted living?
It's a monthly payment to your parent, not a direct facility payment, and it can be used toward assisted living, in-home care or other costs. Care costs can also lower your parent's countable income, which can raise the amount they receive.
Someone offered to help us apply for a fee. Is that legitimate?
Be careful. It's illegal to charge for help preparing and filing an initial VA pension claim. Accredited Veterans Service Officers, county veteran offices and many veterans organizations help for free. Some 'consultants' also push annuities or trusts that can hurt Medicaid eligibility later.
What if we can't find Dad's DD-214?
Request it from the National Personnel Records Center through VA.gov or the National Archives. It can take weeks, so start early.
This guide explains public programs in plain language. It is not legal, medical or financial advice. Program rules, dollar amounts and phone numbers change, so confirm details with the agency before you apply. DokuDocs is not affiliated with any government agency.