The United States government has a number of benefit programs and policies in place to support the men and women who have served their country. However, even if you have applied for the popular Veteran’s Benefits programs, long-term care costs can add up quickly.

The Veterans Administration has a vastly underused program that provides assistance to veterans and their surviving spouses who need in-home care or are in a nursing home. The benefit is called Aid and Attendance, and even veterans whose income is too high for a VA pension may qualify if they have large medical expenses that are not reimbursed.

Aid and Attendance is available to veterans who served for a minimum of 90 days, and at least one day during wartime. The veteran does not need to have service-related disabilities in order to be eligible. In fact, the only physical qualification is that the veteran or spouse requires the aid of another person to perform everyday tasks like eating, feeding or dressing.

To qualify, the veteran or spouse must have less than $80,000 in assets, excluding their home and vehicle, and their income must be less than the current Maximum Annual Pension Rate.

Aid and Attendance benefits can help veterans and their spouses pay for expensive in-home care or the increasing fees of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. These expenses can add up quickly, particularly as mobility decreases and you begin to need more help.

Determining how you will pay for long-term care if it becomes necessary is an important part of life-planning and elder care. By taking advantage of benefits for which you qualify, you will ease the financial burden on both yourself and your loved ones during your golden years.

Rothamel Bratton Life Care Planning can help make sure your loved one is taking advantage of every government program available. Contact us today for more information about the benefits of Life Care Planning.