A friend of mine was
recently contacted by a
company that wanted her to
attend a seminar. The
subject of the seminar had
to do with a benefit to
veterans called the
Veteran's Aid and Assistance
Pension program.
She
went to the seminar (which
was held by a private
company, not the Veteran's
Aid and Assistance program
itself.) The speaker there
indicated that he felt he
could help get her husband
(a disabled veteran) into
this program, even if her
family's assets were over
the qualifying limit for
eligibility.
My
friend was a bit skeptical
and contacted the Veteran's
Aid organization itself
(www.veteranaid.org). Their
representative suggested
being aware that if the
person/company hosting the
seminar was trying to sell
some investments, that they
would likely have their own
best interests at heart.
However, the Veteran's
Aid and Assistance pension
itself appears to be a real,
if little-known, benefit
available to qualifying
veterans.
Just
wondering if anyone out
there has ever heard of this
benefit and has qualified
for it. If so, perhaps you
have additional information
that could benefit others
and/or save them some time.
Best wishes.
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Name: Cindy
Location: Evansville, Indiana
Date: 09/24/2009
Time: 06:31 AM
Comments
Yes, Aid and Attendance is a legitimate benefit for war-time veterans or their surviving spouses. There are several physical and financial requirements for qualification, including having 90 days of active military service with at least one day of service during a period of war; must be at least age 65, or if under 65, completely disabled; must need help with basic everyday living tasks such as eating, dressing, bathing, etc.; and must have limited assets. If the person hosting the seminar wants to charge attendees for filling out eligibility paperwork, it's not really necessary; the forms can be downloaded by anyone from www.va.gov and completed at no cost. However, it's important to make sure they are filled out correctly; if not, it could cause a significant delay in the receipt of benefits. I would recommend the assistance of an elder law attorney, trust officer, or certified financial planner if you're not comfortable with completing the paperwork on your own. The Department of Veterans Affairs or your local Vet Center (if you have one) should also assist you free of charge (but they can sometimes be difficult to work with.) To find the office closest to you, call (800) 827-1000. Hope that helps--good luck!
Name: George
Location: Delray Beach
Date: 09/24/2009
Time: 07:43 AM
Comments
I'm curious about this too
Name: Millie
Location: Fairfax, Virginia
Date: 09/26/2009
Time: 06:04 PM
Comments
Enclosed is a link from the VA. http://www1.va.gov/opa/Is1/11.asp
It contains a lot of information. My husband received aid and attendant care for approximately 20 years. He was catastrophic disabled. I can’t praise the VA enough for everything they did for us. You have to be a strong advocate but it is well worth it. My husband passed away this past March.
Good luck and God Bless.
Name: Jane
Location: Kansas City
Date: 09/28/2009
Time: 07:31 AM
Comments
This is my new cause: there are so many veterans who could use this benefit. Not to mention the caregiving spouses who need the help. I have been suggesting that families call the local VFW to see if there is someone who can assist in filling out the paperwork. It is not difficult but can be daunting for someone under a lot of stress.
Name: Sue
Location: South Florida
Date: 09/28/2009
Time: 01:21 PM
Comments
I obtained these benefits for my widowed Mom in 2003--took over 7 mo. of my diligent activity and fighting the callous VA contact and system here; had success (by chance) with a female officer when I broke down in her office. they don't really want to give it to you. they do pay you retroactively for the long time it takes to get approved. keep pushing--my Dad "earned" it for Ma.
