VA Aid and Attendance 2026: Rates, Eligibility and Calculator

“VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits provide monthly payments added to the amount of a monthly VA pension for qualified Veterans and survivors.”

“You may be eligible for this benefit if you get a VA pension and you meet at least 1 of these requirements.”

“You need another person to help you perform daily activities, like bathing, feeding, and dressing, or
You have to stay in bed—or spend a large portion of the day in bed—because of illness, or
You’re a patient in a nursing home due to the loss of mental or physical abilities related to a disability, or
Your eyesight is limited (even with glasses or contact lenses you have only 5/200 or less in both eyes; or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less)”

“Need for aid and attendance means helplessness or being so nearly helpless as to require the regular aid and attendance of another person.”

“(c) Aid and attendance; criteria. The veteran, spouse, surviving spouse or parent will be considered in need of regular aid and attendance if he or she:
(1) Is blind or so nearly blind as to have corrected visual acuity of 5/200 or less, in both eyes, or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less; or
(2) Is a patient in a nursing home because of mental or physical incapacity; or
(3) Establishes a factual need for aid and attendance under the criteria set forth in § 3.352(a).”

“For the purposes of this chapter, a person shall be considered to be in need of regular aid and attendance if such person is (1) a patient in a nursing home or (2) blind, or so nearly blind or significantly disabled as to need or require the regular aid and attendance of another person.”

“The following will be accorded consideration in determining the need for regular aid and attendance (§ 3.351(c)(3): 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.”

“It is not required that all of the disabling conditions enumerated in this paragraph be found to exist before a favorable rating may be made.”

“It is only necessary that the evidence establish that the veteran is so helpless as to need regular aid and attendance, not that there be a constant need. Determinations that the veteran is so helpless, as to be in need of regular aid and attendance will not be based solely upon an opinion that the claimant's condition is such as would require him or her to be in bed. They must be based on the actual requirement of personal assistance from others.”

“For the purpose of this paragraph “bedridden” will be that condition which, through its essential character, actually requires that the claimant remain in bed. The fact that claimant has voluntarily taken to bed or that a physician has prescribed rest in bed for the greater or lesser part of the day to promote convalescence or cure will not suffice.”

“The performance of the necessary aid and attendance service by a relative of the beneficiary or other member of his or her household will not prevent the granting of the additional allowance.”

“You may be eligible for this benefit if you get a VA pension and you spend most of your time in your home because of a permanent disability (a disability that doesn’t go away).”

“Note: You can’t get Aid and Attendance benefits and Housebound benefits at the same time.”

“(d) Housebound, or permanent and total plus 60 percent; disability pension. The rate of pension payable to a veteran who is entitled to pension under 38 U.S.C. 1521 and who is not in need of regular aid and attendance shall be as prescribed in 38 U.S.C. 1521(e) if, in addition to having a single permanent disability rated 100 percent disabling under the Schedule for Rating Disabilities (not including ratings based upon unemployability under § 4.17 of this chapter) the veteran:
(1) Has additional disability or disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent or more, separate and distinct from the permanent disability rated as 100 percent disabling and involving different anatomical segments or bodily systems, or
(2) Is “permanently housebound” by reason of disability or disabilities. This requirement is met when the veteran is substantially confined to his or her dwelling and the immediate premises or, if institutionalized, to the ward or clinical area, and it is reasonably certain that the disability or disabilities and resultant confinement will continue throughout his or her lifetime.”

“For the purposes of this chapter, the requirement of “permanently housebound” will be considered to have been met when the veteran is substantially confined to such veteran’s house (ward or clinical areas, if institutionalized) or immediate premises due to a disability or disabilities which it is reasonably certain will remain throughout such veteran’s lifetime.”

“The “permanently housebound” requirement is met when the surviving spouse is substantially confined to his or her home (ward or clinical areas, if institutionalized) or immediate premises by reason of disability or disabilities which it is reasonably certain will remain throughout the surviving spouse's lifetime.”

“The Veterans Pension program provides monthly payments to wartime Veterans who meet certain age or disability requirements, and who have income and net worth within certain limits.”

“You’re at least 65 years old, or
You have a permanent and total disability, or
You’re a patient in a nursing home for long-term care because of a disability, or
You’re getting Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income”

“And at least 1 of these must be true about your service:
You started on active duty before September 8, 1980, and you served at least 90 days on active duty with at least 1 day during wartime, or
You started on active duty as an enlisted person after September 7, 1980, and served at least 24 months or the full period for which you were called or ordered to active duty (with some exceptions) with at least 1 day during wartime, or
You were an officer and started on active duty after October 16, 1981, and you hadn’t previously served on active duty for at least 24 months with at least 1 day during wartime
Note: If you served on active-duty training (ADT) or inactive duty training (IADT), we may count your service if you have a service-connected condition resulting from that training.”

“Mexican Border period (May 9, 1916, to April 5, 1917, for Veterans who served in Mexico, on its borders, or in adjacent waters)
World War I (April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918)
World War II (December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946)
Korean conflict (June 27, 1950, to January 31, 1955)
Vietnam War era for Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam (November 1, 1955, to May 7, 1975)
Vietnam War era for Veterans who served outside the Republic of Vietnam (August 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975)
Gulf War (August 2, 1990, through a future date to be set by law or presidential proclamation)”

“You may be eligible for this benefit if you haven’t remarried after the Veteran’s death, and if the deceased Veteran didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge and their service meets at least 1 of these requirements.”

“At least 1 of these must be true:
The Veteran entered active duty on or before September 7, 1980, and served at least 90 days on active military service, with at least 1 day during a covered wartime period, or
The Veteran entered active duty after September 7, 1980, and served at least 24 months or the full period for which they were called or ordered to active duty (with some exceptions), with at least 1 day during a covered wartime period, or
The Veteran was an officer and started on active duty after October 16, 1981, and hadn’t previously served on active duty for at least 24 months”

“And both of these must be true for you:
Your yearly family income and net worth meet certain limits set by Congress. Your net worth equals the value of everything you own (except your house, your car, and most home furnishings), minus any debt you owe.
You lived with the Veteran from the time you were married until the Veteran's death, with no time living apart. We call this continuous cohabitation.”

“Note: If you and the Veteran lived apart or were separated during your marriage for certain reasons we recognize, you may still meet the continuous cohabitation requirement. You may still be eligible if you lived apart because of health, work, or the Veteran's misconduct. If you were living together again when your spouse died, the temporary separation may not affect your eligibility.”

“Find out if you can get a $90 monthly VA pension payment if you live in a Medicaid-covered nursing facility and have no dependents.”

“If a veteran having neither spouse nor child is covered by a Medicaid plan for services furnished such veteran by a nursing facility, no pension in excess of $90 per month shall be paid to or for the veteran for any period after the month of admission to such nursing facility.”

“The provisions of this subsection shall apply with respect to a surviving spouse having no child in the same manner as they apply to a veteran having neither spouse nor child.”

“This subsection expires on January 31, 2033.”

“From December 1, 2025, to November 30, 2026, the net worth limit to be eligible for Veterans Pension benefits is $163,699.”

“From December 1, 2025, to November 30, 2026, the net worth limit to be eligible for Survivors Pension benefits is $163,699.”

“Net worth means the sum of a claimant's or beneficiary's assets and annual income.”

“Your net worth includes all personal property you own (except your house, your car, and most home furnishings), minus any debt you owe. Your net worth includes the net worth of your spouse.”

“In calculating annual income for this purpose, VA will subtract all applicable deductible expenses, to include appropriate prospective medical expenses under § 3.272(g).”

“Except as provided in paragraph (h)(2) of this section, VA will deny or discontinue pension if a claimant's or beneficiary's net worth exceeds the net worth limit in paragraph (a) of this section.”

“Assets include the fair market value of all the real and personal property that you own, minus the amount of any mortgages you may have.”

“Assets don’t include:
Your primary residence (the home where you live most or all of the time)
Your car
Basic home items like appliances that you wouldn’t take with you if you moved to a new house”

“The term assets means the fair market value of all property that an individual owns, including all real and personal property, unless excluded under paragraph (b) of this section, less the amount of mortgages or other encumbrances specific to the mortgaged or encumbered property.”

“For purposes of this section, residential lot area means the lot on which a residence sits that does not exceed 2 acres (87,120 square feet), unless the additional acreage is not marketable.”

“(b) Exclusions from assets. Assets do not include the following:
(1) Primary residence. The value of a claimant's primary residence (single-family unit), including the residential lot area, in which the claimant has an ownership interest. VA recognizes one primary residence per claimant. If the residence is sold after pension entitlement is established, any net proceeds from the sale is an asset except to the extent the proceeds are used to purchase another residence within the same calendar year as the year in which the sale occurred.
(i) Personal mortgage not deductible. VA will not subtract from a claimant's assets the amount of any mortgages or encumbrances on a claimant's primary residence.
(ii) Claimant not residing in primary residence. Although rental income counts as annual income as provided in § 3.271(d), VA will not include a claimant's primary residence as an asset even if the claimant resides in any of the following as defined in § 3.278(b):
(A) A nursing home or medical foster home;
(B) A care facility other than a nursing home; or
(C) The home of a family member for health care or custodial care.”

“When we receive a pension claim, we review the terms and conditions of any assets the Veteran may have transferred in the 3 years before filing the claim.”

“If you transfer assets for less than fair market value during the look-back period, and those assets would have pushed your net worth above the limit for a VA pension, you may be subject to a penalty period of up to 5 years. You won’t be eligible for pension benefits during this time.”

“Look-back period means the 36-month period immediately preceding the date on which VA receives either an original pension claim or a new pension claim after a period of non-entitlement. This definition does not include any date before October 18, 2018.”

“VA will calculate the length of the penalty period by dividing the total covered asset amount by the monthly penalty rate described in paragraph (e)(1) of this section and rounding the quotient down to the nearest whole number. The result is the number of months for which VA will not pay pension.”

“The monthly penalty rate is the maximum annual pension rate (MAPR) under 38 U.S.C. 1521(d)(2) for a veteran in need of aid and attendance with one dependent that is in effect as of the date of the pension claim, divided by 12, and rounded down to the nearest whole dollar.”

“If you qualify for these benefits, we’ll base your payment amount on the difference between your income for VA purposes and a limit that Congress sets (called the Maximum Annual Pension Rate, or MAPR).”

“Your income for VA purposes is how much you earn, including your Social Security benefits, investment and retirement payments, and any income your dependents receive. Some expenses, like non-reimbursable medical expenses (medical expenses not covered by your insurance provider), may reduce your income for VA purposes.”

“For the purpose of determining initial entitlement, or for resuming payments on an award which was previously discontinued, the monthly rate of pension payable to a beneficiary shall be computed by reducing the beneficiary's applicable maximum pension rate by the beneficiary's countable income on the effective date of entitlement and dividing the remainder by 12.”

“(1) Veteran's income. Unreimbursed medical expenses will be excluded when all of the following requirements are met:
(i) They were or will be paid by a veteran or spouse for medical expenses of the veteran, spouse, children, parents and other relatives for whom there is a moral or legal obligation of support;
(ii) They were or will be incurred on behalf of a person who is a member or a constructive member of the veteran's or spouse's household; and
(iii) They were or will be in excess of 5 percent of the applicable maximum annual pension rate or rates for the veteran (including increased pension for family members but excluding increased pension because of need for aid and attendance or being housebound) as in effect during the 12-month annualization period in which the medical expenses were paid.”

“Note: If you have medical expenses, you may deduct only the amount that’s above 5% of your MAPR amount ($872 for a Veteran with no spouse or child).”

“(2) In-home care. Payments for assistance with ADLs and IADLs by an in-home attendant are medical expenses as long as the attendant provides the disabled individual with health care or custodial care. Payments must be commensurate with the number of hours that the provider attends to the disabled person. The attendant must be a health care provider unless—
(i) The disabled individual needs A&A or is housebound; or
(ii) A physician, physician assistant, certified nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist states in writing that, due to a physical, mental, developmental, or cognitive disorder, the individual requires the health care or custodial care that the in-home attendant provides.”

“(iii) The provider does not need to be a health care provider, and payments for assistance with ADLs and IADLs are medical expenses, if the disabled individual is receiving health care or custodial care in the facility and—
(A) The disabled individual needs A&A or is housebound; or
(B) A physician, physician assistant, certified nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist states in writing that, due to a physical, mental, developmental, or cognitive disorder, the individual needs to be in a protected environment.”

“A facility that is residential must be staffed 24 hours per day with care providers. The providers do not have to be licensed health care providers.”

“You can apply for VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits online, by mail, or in person.”

“If you’re in a nursing home, you’ll also need to fill out a Request for Nursing Home Information in Connection with Claim for Aid and Attendance (VA Form 21-0779).”

“Increased pension is payable to a veteran by reason of need for aid and attendance or by reason of being housebound.”

“Increased compensation is payable to a veteran by reason of the veteran's spouse being in need of aid and attendance.”

“Increased dependency and indemnity compensation is payable to a surviving spouse or parent by reason of being in need of aid and attendance.”