Many people look for aid and assistance instead of aid and attendance when they seek information about this VA disability benefit. It is a common mistake and one that is very easy to make.

Lets face it, aid and attendance seems like a really weird name for a non-service connected disability benefit that is meant to help people who’s income has been depleted because they are paying someone for aid and assistance with their care. If you are looking for help to be able to afford either an assisted living facility or even for someone to come into the home to help with care, you think “I need some aid and assistance”. It just doesn’t seem right to say you need aid and attendance.

Aid and Assistance = Aid and Attendance

Leave it to a governmental bureaucracy to come up with a name that doesn’t seem to naturally fit. Aid and assistance, that fits directly to the need that a disabled or elderly veteran would need.

Well, if you or a loved one does indeed need aid and assistance then there is a benefit available from the Veterans Administration that could help you.  It is known as the aid and attendance benefit but it is really a disability pension.  In fact, the full and official name of the benefit is the Non-service connected disability pension benefit with aid and attendance entitlement.

Why is this benefit called a pension? I mean, you don’t have to have retired from the military to be eligible for it. Again, it is another way the government applies it logic.  The VA’s disability pension is for wartime veterans who have non-service connected disabilities or are over the age of 65 and have limited income. Income by the way that can be adjusted downward if you have qualified medical costs. <– Click the link to see the full list of qualified medical costs which can reduce your “countable income” for this aid and assistance type benefit.

Aid And Assistance With Compensation And Pension Benefit

If a veteran sustained wounds from service connected activities then they would be receiving a VA disability compensation benefit.  It does seem confusing but just remember:

• VA Disability Pension = non-service connected
• VA Disability Compensation = service connected

Here is a little secret most people do not know. If a veteran is already receiving a monthly payment under the disability compensation benefit, he or she may also be able to apply for and receive the disability pension as well.  For example, the average benefit paid under the disability compensation program for WWII veterans is between$300 and $600 per month.  If the veteran satisfies the other benefit criteria (Get the Worksheet for full detail), then he or she may be able to get the difference between what they qualify for under the aid and attendance benefit (often searched for as aid and assistance) and their existing VA disability compensation benefit.

For a married veteran who receives $300 a month in disability compensation benefit from the VA and meets all the aid and attendance (aid and assistance) criteria, he or she would be able to get an additional $1,649 per month from the VA.

Likewise, an unmarried or widowed veteran receiving the same $300 per month could get an additional $1,349 per month from the VA under the same circumstances.

So, if you are looking for the aid and assistance benefit then you reached the right spot. The Aid and Attendance Handbook can help you get the aid and assistance you need.