What it is: A tax-free, needs-based monthly benefit for wartime veterans with limited income and net worth. This is not disability compensation — you do not need a service-connected condition to qualify. You need wartime service, financial need, and age or permanent disability. Governed by 38 CFR Part 3.
Eligibility Basics
- Served at least 90 days of active duty, with at least one day during a wartime period (WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam Era, Gulf War).
- Discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
- Net worth must be below $163,699 (2026 threshold, adjusted annually).
- 65 or older, OR permanently and totally disabled, OR in a nursing home, OR receiving Social Security Disability.
2026 Annual Pension Rates
| Pension Category | Annual Rate | Monthly Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Single veteran, no dependents | $17,441 | ~$1,453 |
| Veteran with one dependent | $22,839 | ~$1,903 |
| Housebound (single veteran) | $21,313 | ~$1,776 |
| Aid & Attendance (single veteran) | $29,093 | ~$2,424 |
| Aid & Attendance (veteran with dependent) | $34,488 | ~$2,874 |
Aid & Attendance (A&A): This is the most underutilized VA benefit in the entire system. Veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily activities — bathing, dressing, eating — or who are in assisted living or nursing care may qualify for the A&A enhanced pension rate, which adds roughly $11,600 per year on top of the basic pension. It is not automatic — it must be applied for separately. Hundreds of thousands of eligible veterans and surviving spouses never claim it.
