Veteran’s Day has come and gone. However, there is a perfect gift that keeps giving month after month and year after year for eligible veterans. No returns for incorrect size or color. The gift is called Veteran’s Improved Disability Pension. This benefit provides supplemental income to older veterans and their surviving spouse or child dependents who have a low income OR high medical costs. It helps offset the out-of-pocket costs for care by helping pay for in-home care, assisted living or enhanced independent living, and nursing home.

This is a pension benefit available to eligible veterans and their surviving spouses. Currently, only 7% of individuals who are eligible have taken advantage of this benefit. This low percentage is due to the fact that many people think that you need to have a service-related injury for eligibility. They do not realize that the Veterans Affairs (VA) classifies anyone 65 or older as ‘disabled’.

There are requirements that must be met for eligibility:

• Must have served at least 90 days of active duty with one day during a period of war
• Must be an honorable discharge
• 65 or older, or permanently disabled, not due to your own willful misconduct
• Cash assets or assets that can be readily converted to cash cannot exceed $80,000 (excluding house and car). Assets can be transferred to meet these requirements.
• The veteran’s household countable income must be less than the maximum allowable pension rate. Countable income is the gross income reduced by qualified un-reimbursable medical expenses.

There are three categories of Improved Disability Pension: Basic Pension, Housebound Allowance, and Aid and Attendance Benefit. Check online at http://www.va.gov/ for the specific criteria that must be met for each of these. 

The maximum allowable pension rate is:

Single veteran – $1644/month

Veteran couple – $1949/month

Single surviving spouse of veteran – $1056/month

If you or someone you know may be eligible, you should contact your local VA office to discuss the process and receive an application. They will assist you in submitting your application. The application process is free unless you hire a third party to assist you. Most VA offices have very competent individuals on staff to help you throughout the entire process free of charge.

Good luck and Merry Christmas!