Care at home and caregivers
VA Pension and Aid and Attendance
VA Pension pays a monthly amount to wartime veterans and surviving spouses with limited income and savings. Aid and Attendance adds more if you need help with everyday tasks like bathing or dressing, are mostly in bed, or live in a nursing home. Housebound benefits add a smaller amount if a permanent disability keeps you at home.
How to apply
- In person
- Bring your completed Application for Pension (VA Form 21P-527EZ) to a VA regional office near you.
- By mail
- Send VA Form 21P-527EZ to Department of Veterans Affairs, Pension Intake Center, PO Box 5365, Janesville, WI 53547-5365.
Applying is free. Nobody should charge you to apply.
Apply on the official siteWho may qualify
| Care need for Aid and Attendance | You need another person to help with daily activities like bathing, eating or dressing, you stay in bed most of the day because of illness, you live in a nursing home because of a disability, or your eyesight is very limited |
|---|---|
| Net worth limit (Dec. 1, 2025, to Nov. 30, 2026) | $163,699 |
| Wartime service | Started active duty before Sept. 8, 1980: at least 90 days, with at least 1 day in a wartime period. Enlisted after Sept. 7, 1980: usually at least 24 months or your full call-up, with at least 1 day in a wartime period |
| Age or disability | 65 or older, or permanently and totally disabled, or in a nursing home for long-term care because of a disability, or getting SSDI or SSI |
| Discharge | Not dishonorable |
| VA pension | Aid and Attendance and Housebound are added to a VA pension, so you must get, or qualify for, the pension |
| Surviving spouses | You haven't remarried since the veteran died, you lived together until the death (some separations are allowed), and the veteran's service met the wartime rules |
| Giving away savings or property | VA looks back 3 years. Transfers for less than fair value that would have put you over the net worth limit can mean a penalty of up to 5 years with no pension |
What you may get
| Most a year with Aid and Attendance, veteran with no dependents (Dec. 2025 to Nov. 2026) | $29,093 a year |
|---|---|
| Most a year with Aid and Attendance, veteran with 1 dependent (Dec. 2025 to Nov. 2026) | $34,488 a year |
| Most a year with Aid and Attendance, surviving spouse with no dependents (Dec. 2025 to Nov. 2026) | $18,697 a year |
| Most a year with Housebound benefits, veteran with no dependents (Dec. 2025 to Nov. 2026) | $21,313 a year |
| Most a year, basic pension, veteran with no dependents (Dec. 2025 to Nov. 2026) | $17,441 a year |
| How your payment is worked out | VA pays the difference between your yearly income for VA purposes and the yearly limit that fits you (the Maximum Annual Pension Rate), split into monthly payments |
Dates, renewals and waiting lists
| When rates change | Each Dec. 1, with the cost of living. The current rates rose 2.8% on Dec. 1, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Intent to file | Telling VA you intend to file can set an earlier start date, so you may get back pay once you're approved |
Good to know
- Medical expenses count only for the part above 5% of your yearly limit: $872 for a veteran with no spouse or child, $1,141 for a veteran with 1 dependent (Dec. 2025 to Nov. 2026).
- You can't get Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits at the same time.
- Surviving spouses apply for Survivors Pension with VA Form 21P-534EZ, online, by mail or at a VA regional office.
- Before you let anyone help with your claim, make sure they're accredited by VA.
What to have ready
What to have ready
- Your Social Security number, and your VA file number if you have one
- Your military history, work history, and marital history (and your spouse's, if you're married)
- Information about your dependents
- Your household's gross monthly income, the value of your household's assets, and your medical expenses that insurance doesn't pay
- Medical records, if you're under 65
- For Aid and Attendance or Housebound: VA Form 21-2680, with the exam section filled out by a medical examiner
- If you live in a nursing home: VA Form 21-0779 (Request for Nursing Home Information)
What people get wrong
MythI own my home, so I have too much to qualify.
Not true. Your home, your car and basic household items don't count toward the net worth limit.
MythI have to pay someone to help me apply.
Not true. Help from an accredited Veterans Service Organization representative is always free, and accredited attorneys and claims agents can charge only after VA decides your first claim.
MythMy income is over the limit, so there's no point applying.
Not always. Medical costs you pay yourself and insurance doesn't cover may lower the income VA counts.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA pension benefits (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Current pension rates for Veterans (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Current Survivors Pension benefit rates (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Aid and Attendance benefits and Housebound allowance (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Eligibility for Veterans Pension (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Survivors Pension (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, How to apply for a VA pension as a Veteran (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA accredited representative FAQs (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA decision reviews and appeals (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
Was this page helpful?
Report an error on this page
Newsletter
Get an email when the rules change
Benefit figures, deadlines and rules change every year. We'll tell you what changed and what to check, about twice a month.
- Free, about twice a month
- One-click unsubscribe in every email
- We never sell or share your email