Friday, May 1, 2009

A Little-Known VA Benefit: Long-Term Care Aid for Vets and Surviving Spouses : Veterans Today - News for U.S. Military Veterans Jobs, VA Benefits, Home Loans, Hospitals & Administration

 

There’s actually a little-known veterans’ benefit that helps wartime veterans and their surviving spouses pay for a variety of medical and long-term care costs. Here’s what you should know.

The VA benefit that may help your dad is called “Aid and Attendance,” a special pension benefit established in 1952 that provides a tax-free monthly income up to $1,644 for a veteran; $1,056 for a surviving spouse; or $1,949 for a veteran and one dependent. The money can be used to pay for in-home care, assisted living and nursing home care as well medical expenses, prescription drugs and more.

Today, around 150,000 veterans and surviving spouses receive this benefit, but hundreds of thousands more are eligible and either don’t know about it, or don’t think they can qualify for it.

To qualify, your dad must have served at least 90 days of active military service with at least one day of service during a period of war (stateside or overseas), and was not dishonorably discharged. (Single surviving spouses of war time vets are also eligible if their marriage ended due to death.) Your dad will also have to meet certain physical and financial requirements to be eligible……

A Little-Known VA Benefit: Long-Term Care Aid for Vets and Surviving Spouses : Veterans Today - News for U.S. Military Veterans Jobs, VA Benefits, Home Loans, Hospitals & Administration

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