VA Benefits for Caregiving!

[HDL]

Just telling my families' experience with this situation. My sister cared for my father for close to 5 yrs and applied for the aforementioned VA benefits early on into his care. She was told that pay would be retroactive when my dad finally got approved.

The approval supposedly came the week before he passed in 2013. My sister never saw a dime of the money. Not sure about other families, but for us the VA took way too long, betting that veterans will die before they ever have to pay anything out. Unfortunately talk of retroactive money was either a lie or bad information. Not really sure which.

Maybe others will post that they had better luck. Our situation with the VA was in Northern CA.

[Briolat21]

Originally Posted by Ellwood

In order for the spouse or dependent children to continue to get benefits of a disabled Vet, the death of the veteran has to be service related.

There should be a Veterans Benefits Advisor in your state.

Benefits information 1-888-838-7697



Disabled Veterans Spouse Benefits | Military.com

Please be aware that there are different types of benefits.

Aid and Attendance is a benefit that does also have a spousal benefit, I assumed that's what most people in this thread were discussing as it is a caregiving focused benefit.

It is based (loosely, please look up the program for the exact requirements) on need for care, assets, and service during a time of war. (war being the key).

Other benefits (retirement, VA, etc..) are likely tied to years of service and as the poster above mentions service related disabilities/death.

Best of luck to all. We have not applied for A&A for my father, as at this point I do not believe he would qualify. But my understanding is that it can be a generous benefit and can certainly help with a veteran/spouse who might otherwise be impoverished by the costs of care.

[biscuitmom]

Originally Posted by Briolat21

Please be aware that there are different types of benefits.

Aid and Attendance is a benefit that does also have a spousal benefit, I assumed that's what most people in this thread were discussing as it is a caregiving focused benefit.

Yep.
My MIL is a veteran's widow who has been receiving Veteran Aid & Attendance payments for several years now. The first couple of years she was still at home and rec'd the home attendant benefit. I've forgotten the amount but it seems like it was about $700-800 a month.
The last few years she's been in an assisted living center and her A&A benefit is around $1150 a month.

[alansymonds]

This is excellent advice. Thank you

[arwenmark]

There is also Aid and attendance which is another benefit and which the spouse can qualify for if they are in need of care. And not just for service related disabilities.

[wasel]

It's all tied to income levels -- you have to be below a certain threshold to qualify.

[germaine2626]

Thank you for sharing.