VA Pension Rules

If you are confused or unsure about VA pension rules, start here. Get clarity as to exactly what the law says.

What Are Veteran's Pension Benefits and/or Aid & Attendance?

Aid and Attendance is a "special monthly pension" available to wartime veterans or surviving spouses of wartime veterans. Aid and Attendance is not a stand-alone benefit, but is awarded on top of either the “service” benefit or the “housebound” benefit. The veteran or surviving spouse must first be eligible for the “service” benefit. That requires the basic qualification by the veteran of having served at least 90 days of active military duty, at least one of those days had to be during wartime (as defined by the Veteran’s Administration) and having received a discharge that was other than dishonorable. Most veterans, of course, received honorable discharges. Additionally there are many people who served in capacities that were not specifically in the Army, Navy or Air Force who are included when considering VA benefits. Next the veteran or surviving spouse must have a permanent and total disability or be over 65.

Amazingly enough, the VA rates all veterans over the age of 65 as “permanently and totally” disabled. For veterans under the age of 65, permanent and total disability includes: a veteran who is in a nursing home; rated as disabled by the Social Security Administration; unemployable and reasonably certain to continue so throughout life; or suffering from a disability that makes it impossible for the average person to stay gainfully employed.

Once these initial hurdles have been cleared, the veteran or surviving spouse may additionally be entitled to , the additional Aid and Attendance pension. Please remember that Aid and Attendance is a level of pension and there is no requirement of a service-connected disability.