In Arkansas, veterans over 65 who have served their country during wartime are eligible to receive funds to help pay for aid or assistance with the activities of daily living. These funds can be used to pay for the costs associated with an assisted living community like Brookfield Senior Living in Arkansas.  Are you or your loved one a war-time veteran who requires assistance with the activities of daily living? You may be entitled to additional monthly income through the Aid and Attendance pension benefit. Here’s what you should know about this VA benefit.

What is the Aid and Attendance Pension for Veterans in Arkansas?

The Aid and Attendance pension is an additional monthly income for war-time veterans over the age of 65 or their surviving spouses. The pension provides additional monthly income to help pay for the costs of home caregivers, skilled nursing facility fees or assisted living community fees. In 2019, qualified veterans and their spouses could receive up to $2,230 per month to help with the costs of elder care services.

Who Qualifies for the Aid and Attendance Pension?

Any war-time veteran aged 65 or older with at least 90 days of active duty (with at least 1 day beginning or ending during a period of war) is eligible to apply for the Aid & Attendance Improved Pension. If a war-time veteran has died, his surviving spouse may also qualify for an Aid and Attendance pension benefit. The individual applying must qualify both medically and financially. War-time veterans under age 65 must be totally disabled to qualify for the Aid and Attendance Pension benefit, while those over 65 have no requirement for disability. According to 38 CFR Part Three, the following criteria are used to determine the need for aid and attendance:

• inability of claimant to dress or undress himself (herself), or to keep himself (herself) ordinarily clean and presentable;
• frequent need of adjustment of any special prosthetic or orthopedic appliances which by reason of the particular disability cannot be done without aid (this will not include the adjustment of appliances which normal persons would be unable to adjust without aid, such as supports, belts, lacing at the back, etc.);
• inability of claimant to feed himself (herself) through loss of coordination of upper extremities or through extreme weakness;
• inability to attend to the wants of nature;
• or incapacity, physical or mental, which requires care or assistance on a regular basis to protect the claimant from hazards or dangers incident to his or her daily environment.

The periods of war that have been qualified by Congress, are as follows:

• World War II:  December 7, 1941, through December 31, 1946, extended to July 25, 1947, where continuous with active duty on or before December 31, 1946
• Korean Conflict:  June 27 1950, through January 31, 1955
• Vietnam Era:  August 5, 1964, through May 7 1975 However, February 2, 1961, through May 7, 1975, for a veteran who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period.
• Persian Gulf War:  August 2, 1990, through a date to be prescribed by Presidential proclamation

What Are the Maximum Monthly Benefits Offered?

The 2019 maximum monthly benefits for veterans and their surviving spouses for Aid and Attendance are:

• Veteran with no spouse or dependent children: $1,881.00
• Surviving spouse of a veteran: $1,210.75
• Married couple where the veteran requires care: $2,230.00

How Do I Apply for the Aid and Assistance Pension?

Eligibility for the Aid and Assistance pension benefit must be proven by filing the proper Veterans Application for Pension or Compensation.  This application will require a copy of the DD-214 or separation papers, a medical evaluation from a physician, current medical issues, net worth limitations, and net income, along with out-of-pocket Medical Expenses. To qualify financially, an applicant must have on average less than $80,000 in assets. Asset totals exclude a veteran’s home and vehicles.

Which Documents Do I Need to Include With My Application?

• Discharge/separation Papers – DD-214.  If you need to request military records, please visit: www.vetrees.archives.gov to get a copy.
• Copy of Marriage Certificate (for surviving spouse or when filing for both the veteran and spouse)
• Copy of current Social Security Award letter (Letter that SS sends at the beginning of the year stating what your monthly amount will be for the following year).
• Net worth information, including bank accounts, CD’s, Trust, Stocks, Bonds, Annuities, etc.
• Proof of all income from pensions, retirement, interest income from investments, annuities, etc.
• Proof of insurance premiums, medications, medical bills or any other medical expenses that are not reimbursed by insurance or Medicare.
• Physician statement that includes current diagnosis, medical status, prognosis, name and address, ability to care for self, ability to travel unattended, etc.  If you are a veteran in a nursing home, or a family member of a veteran in a nursing home, you use this form as a certification of that status:
• Nursing Home Status Form
• Banking information for Direct Deposit of monthly payments (including a voided check).
• List of all doctors and hospitals visited in the last year.

Be sure to include VA form 21-0845 (Authorization to Disclose Personal Information to a Third Party) if you are filing for your loved one and need to oversee the application process.  Without this authorization, the VA will not discuss the application with you. Never send originals and always send all correspondence “Registered Return Receipt” as well as keeping a complete copy of everything for your own records. Brookfield Senior Living representatives are able and willing to help veterans with the process.