The spouse of a deceased veteran may qualify for certain benefits. While this is not an exhaustive list that includes every possible benefit, the more commonly used benefits are listed below.
Aid and Attendance Benefit – for Long-Term Care:
The Aid and Attendance Benefit, provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is a tax-free pension for surviving spouses who require ongoing care in the home or in a care facility. It’s for those who need regular assistance or attendance with certain activities of living such as dressing, bathing or mobility. This can be because of a physical or cognitive impairment. For a surviving spouse, the full benefit is $1,478 a month (as of 2024) which adds up to $17,743 annually.
This benefit is also called “Survivors Pension with Aid and Attendance” or the “Enhanced Pension.” It’s typically referred to as simply the “Aid and Attendance Benefit”.
The spouse must have been married to the veteran when he passed and not remarried.
Eligibility for this benefit is otherwise based on three main factors: financial, medical, and active service time of the veteran.
Income-wise, it’s not simply a matter of what the survivor’s income is. It concerns one’s income compared to “unreimbursed medical expenses” – which for this benefit means chiefly recurring monthly costs for caregivers in the home or costs for a care facility, such as assisted living or an adult care home/residential care home. Home caregivers can be family members or hired caregivers, and they do not have to be licensed. However, the caregiving service must be set up and documented correctly to qualify.
Asset-wise, one’s net worth is a factor, including checking, savings, stocks, mutual funds, CDs, IRAs, life insurance cash value, etc. The asset limit as of 2024 is $155,356. One’s primary residence (up to 2 acres) and car are exempt.
The surviving spouse’s husband must have served at least 90 days of active duty, with one of those days during an eligible war period:
- World War II: December 7, 1941 – December 31, 1946.
- Korean Conflict: June 27, 1950 – January 31, 1955.
- Vietnam Era: August 5, 1964 – May 7, 1975; for veterans serving “in-country” (boots-on-the-ground in Vietnam), the period is extended to February 28, 1961 – May 7, 1975.
- Persian Gulf War: August 2, 1990 to a date to be prescribed by Presidential Proclamation or law.
The Aid and Attendance Benefit is the highest pension offered by the VA for a surviving spouse whose spouse was not rated 100% disabled or did not die from a war-related illness or injury.
The VA forms do not specify how to send in a complete claim, how to get approved or how to get the full benefit. Thus, people too often fall into a minefield of red tape, waiting up to 12 months and being denied or awarded a small benefit.
To successfully obtain this benefit, it’s best to get professional help so you don’t get tangled in cumbersome, confusing government regulations and fail.
Contact one of our expert Benefit Consultants at 877-427-8065 or click here to find out more about the Aid and Attendance Benefit and how to qualify.
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is another type of monthly benefit provided through the VA paid to the surviving spouse of a veteran who died in the line of duty or died from a service-related injury or illness. DIC may also be paid to survivors of veterans whose service-connected disabilities did not cause their death, but the veteran was considered 100% disabled by their service-connected disability. (His death must not have been the result of their own willful misconduct.)
The basic monthly rate for DIC is $1,612.75. It pays more to a surviving spouse than Aid and Attendance pension and does not require a means test to qualify. However, it is “service-connected” and applies only to those whose spouse died in the line of duty or died from a disease or injury related to the line of duty, or who had a 100% disability rating. More details on qualifications can be found here.
Note: The Aid and Attendance Benefit (covered first in this article) does not require that the veteran was disabled or died from a service-related injury or illness.
VA Survivors Pension:
A VA Survivors Pension offers monthly payments to qualified surviving who meet certain income and net worth limits set by Congress. The highest monetary level of Survivors Pension is the Aid and Attendance Benefit – also known as the “Enhanced Pension”. Surviving spouses with low income may apply for a lower Survivors Pension. More about this can be found on the VA’s website.
Health Care:
A surviving spouse of a veteran, who did not remarry, may be eligible for TRICARE which is a health care program. Per TRICARE’s website: “TRICARE is the uniformed services health care program for active duty service members (ADSMs), active duty family members (ADFMs), National Guard and Reserve members and their family members, retirees and retiree family members, survivors, and certain former spouses worldwide.”
TRICARE started in the 1990s with three plan options (thus the name “TRI”CARE) and has evolved to cover a broader range of services. It does not cover long term care.
More information about TRICARE plans and qualifications is covered on the TRICARE website: https://www.tricare.mil/Plans/PlanFinder.
If the surviving spouse does not qualify for TRICARE, and her spouse was a disabled veteran or died in the line of duty, she may be eligible for health insurance through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA). This program helps cover the cost of health care services and supplies. It works on a cost sharing basis. You can find out more about this program and qualifications here.
Survivor Benefit Plan:
A surviving spouse may be eligible to receive a monthly payment or annuity if the veteran had opted in and continued to pay for a Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) through the Department of Defense. SBP is a type of insurance plan the veteran elects upon retirement from military service that may provide coverage to beneficiaries of up to 55% of the veteran’s retirement pay.
How to Get Help with the Aid and Attendance Benefit:
Attempting this process on your own can be overwhelming. There are many factors involved. Any omission or error can cause a long delay or a denial. With our expert VA Accredited Claims Agent and specialist team, American Veterans Aid has helped many thousands of veterans, and their spouses succeed in obtaining this benefit.
Contact one of our Benefit Consultants today at 877-427-8065 or click here to find out more about the Aid and Attendance Benefit and eligibility.
