Veterans Affairs

The Best Veteran Benefit You Didn’t Even Know Existed

In addition to other more well-known Veteran’s benefit programs, like service-connected disability payments and health care benefits, the Department of Veterans Affairs (the “VA”) administers a program that pays tax-free cash benefits to older, wartime vets and their surviving spouses who need assistance because of the natural disabilities associated with aging. This program is called VA Aid & Attendance. Here is a concise summary of the benefit program.

The Aid & Attendance Benefit

The A&A program pays the following maximum, tax-free defined benefit on a monthly basis and can help offset rising care costs.

Veteran/Veteran: $3,649 per month or $43,791 per year

Veteran/Spouse: $2,727 per month or $32,729 per year

Veteran alone: $2,300 per month or $27,609 per year

Spouse alone: $1,478 per month or $17,743 per year

+Dependents $235 per month or $2,831 per year

Net Worth: $155,356

The benefit can be used to pay for home care, assisted living care, nursing home care, or other personal expenses of the Veteran or surviving spouse.

Eligibility Requirements

There are three eligibility requirements for the program.

Service Eligibility – For the Veteran, this means 90 days on active duty (2 years after 1980), one day during “wartime,” and no dishonorable discharge. For the surviving spouse, this means that the deceased Veteran spouse was service eligible and the surviving spouse was married to the Veteran for at least one year before the Veteran’s death.
Medical Eligibility – The Veteran or surviving spouse must be 65 years of age and need help to be safe, with confirmation by a letter from a physician.
Financial Eligibility – The program is intended to benefit Veterans and their surviving spouses who are spending all or most of their regular income on long-term care needs. In addition, there are “net worth” rules. Working with the Legacy Elder Law Center, our clients can shelter unlimited family wealth by initiating trust planning at least three years before an application for benefits is filed. In 2021, even without preplanning, an applicant can be eligible with a “net worth” of up to $130,773 PLUS a home and vehicles.

No Charge to Process Applications

The Legacy Elder Law Center never charges a fee to prepare, file, and prosecute a VA Aid & Attendance application for a qualified Veteran or surviving spouse.

“They help good people through difficult times…”

Online Reviews

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William Butler

26/05/05

Provided strategic snd informative help in understanding the process of care for an aging spouse.

Response from the owner:Thank you, William, for your kind words. We’re glad we could provide strategic, informative guidance as you navigate care decisions for your spouse. These situations can be complex, and our goal is always to bring clarity and confidence to the process. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything further—we’re here to help.

Kamlesh Kaur

26/05/01

Excellent

Response from the owner:Thank you Kamlesh for taking the time to leave us good review!

Melissa Baker

26/04/23

Very professional and knowledgeable. We highly recommend this law firm!

Response from the owner:Thank you, Melissa, for your kind words! We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. It’s great to hear that you found our team to be professional and knowledgeable—that’s exactly what we strive for with every client. We’re grateful for your recommendation and were glad to have the opportunity to assist you!

Amber I

26/04/22

During a very difficult time in our lives losing our father, and everything surrounding the way it all happened, Emily was truly incredible. She went far beyond anything we could have hoped for, showing real compassion, strength, and unwavering support. She restored my faith in attorneys and helped carry my family through a time we will never forget. I’m forever grateful for her. Emily is truly one of a kind, a shining star in a dark tunnel. This team is lucky to have such a gem!

Response from the owner:Amber, thank you for taking the time to share this—especially during what sounds like an incredibly difficult and emotional time for your family. We are very sorry for your loss, and we truly appreciate you trusting us to be part of that process. Your words about Emily Wanchisn mean a great deal. She takes immense pride in supporting families not just legally, but personally, and it’s clear she made a meaningful impact for you when it mattered most. We’ll be sure to share this with her and the entire team. Thank you again for your kind words and for allowing us to assist your family during such a challenging time.

Thomas

26/04/21

Professional.

Response from the owner:Thank you Thomas for leaving us a positive review!

26/04/15

I’m not going to get into details here. I’ll just leave you with one thing. Would I ever go back and use this firm for other family matters? No, I would not. I didn’t have the confidence in them. That said, trust your gut.

Response from the owner:Hi B, We’re unable to identify any record of you in our system based on the name provided, which makes it difficult to determine whether you actually interacted with our firm. There is also a similarly named firm in the area, so it’s possible this review may be intended for another firm. If you did work with us, we’re open to discussing your concerns directly—please contact the office so we can verify and address them.

Jordan B

26/04/13

GO ELSEWHERE

Response from the owner:We’re sorry to see this review. At this time, we’re unable to locate a recent client or interaction under the name provided. It’s possible there may be some confusion, as there is similarly named firm in the area. That said, we take all feedback seriously and are always happy to address any concerns. If you intended to reach our office or had an experience with us, please feel free to contact us directly so we can assist you.

Dave Norden

26/04/09

Easy to set up an appointment and very helpful.

Response from the owner:Thanks Dave for leaving us a review, happy to help!

Robert Schoen

26/03/28

The staff I spoke with and emailed were helpful and professional.

Response from the owner:Thank you Robert for taking the time to leave us a review, we are pleased that you found the staff here at the firm helpful and professional.

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Legacy Elder Law Center’s ability to listen to you, map out a financial strategy and follow through with expert planning and advocacy is invaluable in securing your family’s financial future no matter what event comes along down the road.

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