The USA respects and honors those who have served their life in service to the country through numerous aid and pension programs. All veterans receive a VA pension that helps them cover the expenses of basic care in their old age, but there are also some top-up benefit programs that veterans can apply for.
Two of the most sought-after VA benefits are VA Aid and Attendance and Housebound Pension. These are additional benefits over the regular VA pension that all veterans receive.
This blog post will help you understand each of these 2 benefits in detail so that you can see for yourself if you’re eligible for them. Remember that you’ve got to qualify for a VA pension to apply for these benefits, and you can’t avail both of these benefits at a time.
VA Aid and Assistance Benefits
Veterans who need assistance in their day-to-day activities like dressing, bathing, grooming, housekeeping, cooking, etc., can apply for VA Aid and Assistance Program. This pension program helps senior veterans to maintain a good quality of life. It ensures that all the basic needs of aging veterans are well taken care of.
Housebound Pension
The Housebound Pension program is primarily for veterans with a permanent disability, which could be due to their service or any other reason. To be eligible for this program, the veteran must prove that their condition is 100% disability and can’t do without round-the-clock assistance.
Benefit Limits
The threshold for VA Aid and Assistance is lower than Housebound Pension. Generally, the financial assistance that you receive through these programs depends majorly on whether or not you’ve any other source of income, what your income is, and how many dependents you have.
A veteran with no dependents received $16,805 through the Housebound Pension program (as of 2020) and $22,939 through VA Aid and Assistance (as of 2020). As you can see, the rate of Housebound Pension is lower. The reason for this is that Housebound Pension is based on a relatively higher income rate.
Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria for VA Aid and Assistance and Housebound Pension is as follows:
VA Aid and Assistance
You’re eligible for financial aid under the VA Aid and Assistance program if:
- You need someone to help you carry out the basic tasks like bathing, changing, cooking, etc.
- You spend most of the day in bed because of your illness
- You suffer from loss of physical or mental health and are enrolled in a nursing home
- Your eyesight is so weak that even with glasses or contact lenses, your sight isn’t perfect
Housebound Pension
You’re eligible for Housebound benefits if:
- You’ve got a permanent disability (clinically proven), and you spend most of the day in bed.
This article is for informational purposes. Please contact a financial expert to further discuss how veteran benefits may benefit you or your family.
You can get one of these 2 benefits at a time so look into the eligibility criteria closely to see which program you fit in. Trying to apply for a program when you’re eligible for the other only because it offers higher financial aid might deem you ineligible for both.
