Veteran Benefits

Many qualified veterans are not aware of medical, compensation and/or pension benefits to which they are entitled.  Surviving spouses and dependents of deceased veterans may also be eligible for benefits.  Of particular importance to those individuals faced with the costs of long-term care, VA benefits may be available to help pay for home care, assisted living care, and nursing home care.  Read below for more information on this important benefit.

Eligibility for most VA benefits is based upon discharge from active duty under other than dishonorable conditions.

Health care benefits may be available, but are subject to funding limitations set by Congress, meaning not all veterans will receive health benefits through the VA.  Eligibility is based on priority groups:  veterans with service connected disabilities have the highest priority, followed by those with special care requirements and limited resources.  Health care benefit programs include prescription benefits, hospital care, outpatient care, emergency care in VA and non-VA facilities, comprehensive rehabilitative services, home health services, respite care, geriatric and extended care, mental health services and dental care.

Burial benefits may also be available and include a burial expense allowance up to $300, a plot or internment allowance up to $300, burial in a national cemetary, free headstone or grave marker or reimbursement for privately purchased headstone or marker, payment for conveying remains and burial flag.

A popular VA benefit is the home loan guaranty benefit.  This program is designed to help a veteran purchase his or her home on terms more favorable than those of conventional mortgage loans by providing a VA guarantee for the lender against the veteran's default.  As a result of the guarantee, the lender is likely to provide better mortgage terms, such as no downpayment and lower interest rates.  Generally, veterans who served at least 90 days with one day falling within WWII, the Korean Conflict, or the Vietnam Era, and who were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions, will be eligible.

Other available benefits may include education benefits; automobile, conveyances and adaptive equipment; clothing allowance; and specially adapted housing and home adaptation grants.   

Compensation benefits are available to those discharged or released under honorable conditions, and where disease or injury was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.  Compensation rates for a single veteran with no dependents currently run between $117 per month (10% disabling) to $2,527 per month (100% disabling).

Pension benefits are afforded qualifying veterans, spouses and dependents, who meet a means (financial needs) test.  The qualifying veteran must be permanently disabled or over the age of 65, must have served at least 90 days of active service with at least one day during wartime, and must have been discharged honorably.  If qualified, then the benefit is determined in part by deducting countable income from the maximum annual pension rate (MAPR) determined by Congress.  The current MAPR for a veteran without dependent is $11,181. This amount increases with the number of dependents.  The VA will also consider, on a case by case basis, the individual's net worth in light of the persons life expectancy and potential rate of depletion of the assets, including unusual medical expenses.

Special Monthly Pensions, available when qualifying persons have extraordinary disability, are largely under-utilized by qualifying veterans and spouses of deceased veterans.   Those who are housebound or in need of the regular aid and attendance of another person may be entitled to receive a higher pension amount (up to $1,554 per month for a single veteran with no dependents, $1,842 for a veteran with a spouse, $998 for a qualified spouse of a deceased wartime veteran).  Moreover, the costs being incurred for the individual (home care, assisted living care, nursing home care) can be used to offset the countable income.  Accordingly, a veteran with fifty thousand dollars in assets and fifteen hundred dollars in fixed income per month who is subject to a monthly assisted living expense of thirty five hundred dollars will run out of money in twenty months, very possibly requiring him or her to be admitted to a nursing home and apply for Medicaid.  However, because the individual's assisted living cost exceeds the monthly income, he or she will be entitled to the full monthly benefit.  As a result, the veteran will have sufficient funds to stay in the assisted living facility of choice for over five years or more.

Veterans, and spouses and dependents of veterans should seek independent counsel from experienced elder law attorneys to help evaluate and educate regarding their possible entitlements to VA benefits in coordination with all other public benefit programs (such as SSI, SSD, Medicare and Medicaid) and other options when planning for the future or addressing current crises.