What Is VA Pension? Pension is a benefit paid to wartime veterans with limited income, and who are permanently and totally disabled or age 65 or older.   Who Is Eligible? You may be eligible if: ·         you were discharged from service under other than dishonorable conditions, AND ·         you served 90 days or more of active duty with at least 1 day during a period of war time*, AND ·         your countable family income is below a yearly limit set by law, AND ·         you are permanently and totally disabled, OR ·         you are age 65 or older.   *Note: Anyone who enlists after September 7, 1980, generally must have served at least 24 months or the full period for which called or ordered to active duty. Service from August 2, 1990 to present is considered to be a period of war (Gulf War) in addition to other periods of war such as World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.    Family Income Limits (effective December 1, 2006)   If you are a... Your yearly income must be less than... Veteran with no dependents $10,929 Veteran with a spouse or a child $14,313     (Veterans with additional children: add $1,866 to the limit for each child)   Housebound veteran with no dependents $13,356 Housebound veteran with one dependent $16,740 Veteran who needs aid and attendance and has no dependents $18,234 Veteran who needs aid and attendance and has one dependent $21,615 Note: Some income is not counted toward the yearly limit (for example, welfare benefits, some wages earned by dependent children, and Supplemental Security Income.)     How Much Does VA Pay? VA pays you the difference between your countable family income and the yearly income limit that describes your situation (see chart above). This difference is generally paid in 12 equal monthly payments rounded down to the nearest dollar. Call the toll-free number below for details.   Note: Certain expenses (i.e., medical expenses, education expenses, or expenses related to the last illness or burial of a dependent) paid by you are taken into consideration when arriving at your countable family income.   How Can You Apply? You can apply by filling out VA Form 21-526, Veteran's Application for Compensation and/or Pension. If available, attach copies of dependency records (marriage & children's birth certificates) and current medical evidence (doctor & hospital reports). You can also apply online through our web site at http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp.
AID AND ATTENDANCE BENEFITS What is Death Pension? Death Pension is a needs based benefit paid to an unremarried surviving spouse, or an unmarried child of a deceased wartime veteran. How do I know if I'm eligible? You may be eligible if: the deceased veteran was discharged from service under other than dishonorable conditions, AND the deceased veteran served at least 90 days of active military service 1 day of which was during a war time period.   If he or she entered active duty after September 7, 1980, generally he or she must have served at least 24 months or the full period for which called or ordered to active duty.    (There are exceptions to this rule.) AND you are the surviving spouse or unmarried child of the deceased veteran, AND your countable income is below a yearly limit set by law (The yearly limit on income is set by Congress). As you can see, there are a number of criteria that may affect your eligibility to pension benefits.   If you are unsure if you meet all criteria, we encourage you to go ahead and file an application, particularly if your countable income appears to be near the maximum.   VA will determine if you are eligible and notify you.   If you do not initially qualify, you may reapply if you have un-reimbursed medical expenses during the twelve month period after VA receives your claim that bring your countable income below the yearly income limit.   (These are expense you have paid for medical services or products for which you will not be reimbursed by Medicare or private medical insurance.) Are there age requirements, or restrictions? An unremarried spouse can be any age. A child must be: under 18, or in school and under 23, or was incapable of self support before the age of 18.
What is " income" for pension eligibility? This includes income received from most sources by the surviving spouse and any eligible children.   It includes earnings, disability and retirement payments, interest and dividends, and net income from farming or business. There is a presumption that all of a child's income is available to or for the surviving spouse.   VA may grant an exception in hardship cases. Certain expenses like medical expenses may be excluded from your annual income to lower the total countable income. What about net worth? Net worth means the net value of the assets of the surviving spouse and his or her children.   It includes such assets as bank accounts, stocks, bonds, mutual funds and any property other than the surviving spouse's residence and a reasonable lot area.   There is no set limit on how much net worth a surviving spouse and his or her children can have, but net worth cannot be excessive.   The decision as to whether a claimant's net worth is excessive depends on the facts of each individual case.   All net worth should be reported and VA will determine if a claimant's assets are sufficiently large that the claimant could live off these assets for a reasonable period of time.   VA's needs-based programs are not intended to protect substantial assets or build up an estate for the benefit of heirs. Are there any exclusions to income or deductions that may be made to reduce countable income? Yes, there are exclusions.   The following are examples of the types of exclusions or deductibles to countable income: Final expenses of the veteran's last illness and burial paid by the surviving spouse or eligible children. Public assistance such as Supplemental Security Income is not considered income. Many other specific sources of income are not considered income, however all income should be reported.   VA will exclude any income that the law allows. A portion of un-reimbursed medical expenses paid by the claimant after VA receives your pension claim may be deducted. Certain other expenses, such as a surviving spouse's education expenses, and in some cases, a portion of the educational expenses of a child over 18 are deductible.	How to Apply for Aid and Attendance and Housebound: You may apply for Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits by writing to the VA regional office having jurisdiction of the claim.   That would be the office where you filed a claim for pension benefits.  If the regional office of jurisdiction is not known, you may file the request with any VA regional office. You should include copies of any evidence, preferably a report from an attending physician validating the need for Aid and Attendance or Housebound type care. The report should be in sufficient detail to determine whether there is disease or injury producing physical or mental impairment, loss of coordination, or conditions affecting the ability to dress and undress, to feed oneself, to attend to sanitary needs, and to keep oneself ordinarily clean and presentable. In addition, it is necessary to determine whether the claimant is confined to the home or immediate premises. Whether the claim is for Aid and Attendance or Housebound, the report should indicate how well the individual gets around, where the individual goes, and what he or she is able to do during a typical day.