VA Aid & Attendance: Extra Pension for Veterans Who Need Daily Help
Aid & Attendance adds to the VA pension for wartime veterans who need help with everyday activities or are housebound. Here is who qualifies and how it is figured.
Aid & Attendance is an added amount on top of the VA pension for wartime veterans (and surviving spouses) who need help with the activities of daily living or are largely confined to home. For older veterans facing the cost of in-home or facility care, it can be one of the most meaningful benefits available.
The basic building blocks
Aid & Attendance sits on top of the VA pension, so you first have to qualify for pension, which generally requires:
- Wartime service — at least 90 days of active duty with one day during a wartime period.
- Age or disability — age 65+, or permanently and totally disabled.
- Income and net worth within the VA’s limits.
What triggers the “aid and attendance” add-on
On top of pension, you qualify for the higher rate if you need help with daily activities — bathing, dressing, eating, or managing medication — or you are bedridden or in a nursing home, or your eyesight is severely limited.
Estimate your pension
Pension & Aid and Attendance Calculator
Enter your income and care needs to estimate your monthly pension with the Aid & Attendance add-on.
Countable income and the MAPR
The VA pays the difference between your countable income and a ceiling called the Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR). Importantly, your unreimbursed medical expenses — including the cost of care — reduce your countable income, which often makes the benefit larger than veterans expect.
Read the full Aid & Attendance guide for the details.
Estimates only; the VA decides eligibility and amounts. We are not the VA.
Every figure on this site is an estimate that depends on your specific situation and the VA’s decision. If you’d like a real person to look at your case, Albert Thombs is a VA-accredited claims agent (accreditation #45147). Reviews are free and no-obligation — there’s no pressure and no fee unless we win. This article is general information, not legal advice, and we are not the VA.
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