Guide
VA Aid and Attendance: veterans benefits for nursing home care
Updated October 15, 2026 · Reviewed against official sources
Many Latino families have a dad, grandfather or uncle who served in the Armed Forces and don't know that his service can help pay for his care. This guide explains what Aid and Attendance is, how much it pays, who qualifies and what other care options the VA offers.
What Aid and Attendance is
Aid and Attendance (A&A) is an extra amount added to the Veterans Pension from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The pension is a needs-based benefit: it's for veterans with limited income and assets, and it doesn't depend on an injury from military service.
A person can get A&A if at least one of these is true:
- They need another person's help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, eating or using the bathroom.
- They spend most of the day in bed because of their illness.
- They live in a nursing home because of a physical or mental disability.
- Their eyesight is very limited.
There's another amount called Housebound for people who spend most of their time at home because of a permanent disability. You can't get A&A and Housebound at the same time.
How much it pays in 2026
The VA sets a Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR). The rates below are in effect from December 1, 2025, to November 30, 2026.
| Type of pension | Veteran with no dependents | Veteran with 1 dependent |
|---|---|---|
| Basic pension | $17,441 a year | $22,839 a year |
| With Housebound | $21,313 a year | $26,710 a year |
| With Aid and Attendance | $29,093 a year | $34,488 a year |
For a surviving spouse with no dependent children, the maximum basic pension is $11,699 a year, and with A&A it goes up to $18,697 a year ($22,304 with 1 dependent child and A&A). If both spouses are veterans and both qualify for A&A, the combined maximum is $46,143.
How the payment is calculated: the VA doesn't always pay the maximum. It pays the difference between the maximum rate and the family's "countable" income. That income can be lowered by subtracting unreimbursed medical expenses, like the cost of a nursing home, an assisted living community or an in-home caregiver. That's why many families who think they earn "too much" do qualify once they report their care costs.
A simple example: if a veteran's only income is $20,000 a year from Social Security, but they pay $15,000 a year for care that no insurance reimburses, their countable income could end up well below the maximum with A&A. The VA does the exact calculation with its own rules, so use this example only as a rough guide.
Main requirements
- Military service: in general, having served on active duty for at least one day during a wartime period recognized by the VA, with a discharge that isn't dishonorable. There are minimum length-of-service rules depending on when the person entered the service.
- Age or disability: being 65 or older, or having a total and permanent disability, or living in a nursing home, or getting SSI or SSDI, among other conditions.
- Net worth: from December 1, 2025, to November 30, 2026, the limit is $163,699. The VA adds up assets and yearly income. The primary home doesn't count.
- Asset transfers: the VA reviews transfers made in the 3 years before the application. Giving away assets or selling them for less than they're worth in order to qualify can lead to a penalty of several months without the pension.
The rates and the net worth limit change every December 1. Before you do the math, check the rates page on VA.gov.
How to apply
- Forms: the veteran applies for the pension with VA Form 21P-527EZ, and a surviving spouse with VA Form 21P-534EZ. For A&A, you also use VA Form 21-2680, which a doctor fills out to explain why the person needs daily help. If your loved one lives in a nursing home, the VA may also ask for VA Form 21-0779, which the facility fills out; nursing home staff are usually used to completing it.
- Where: online at VA.gov, by mail or at a VA regional office. You can also get free help from an accredited representative of a Veterans Service Organization (VSO) or from your county veterans service office.
- VA phone number: 1-800-827-1000 (TTY: 711).
- Helpful documents: the DD-214 form or other proof of discharge, marriage certificate, bank statements, proof of income (Social Security, pensions) and receipts for medical and care expenses.
About the cost of applying: according to the VA, help from an accredited VSO representative is always free. Accredited attorneys and claims agents can charge for their services, so ask ahead of time how much they charge and when. If someone suggests moving your money into financial products to qualify faster, check with an accredited representative first, because those decisions can also affect Medicaid. VA.gov has a tool to find accredited representatives.
Nursing homes and care for veterans
The VA provides, or helps pay for, several types of long-term care:
- Community Living Centers (CLC): the VA's own nursing homes, usually near a VA medical center. Coverage and copays depend on the veteran's service-connected disability rating and financial situation.
- State Veterans Homes: each state runs its own. The VA pays a daily rate (per diem) for each eligible veteran and, for some veterans with a severe service-connected disability, may pay the full cost. Many have waiting lists, so it's a good idea to ask early.
- Community Nursing Homes: private nursing homes that have a contract with the VA.
- Home and community care: primary care at home, in-home aides, adult day centers and respite care so the caregiver can rest.
- Veteran-Directed Care: the veteran gets a flexible budget to hire their own caregivers, who can be family members. Whether it's available depends on the VA medical center in your area.
To use these health services, the veteran usually needs to be enrolled in VA health care. The social worker at the nearest VA medical center is a great place to start.
If you're looking for a nursing home or want to compare options near your loved one, you can start with our directory by state or the guided search. On each listing you'll see the Medicare star ratings and public inspection information, which help you prepare your questions for the visit. Also read how to choose a nursing home.
Aid and Attendance and Medicaid at the same time
Many families combine benefits. For example, a veteran can use their pension with A&A to pay for assisted living and, if they later need long-term nursing home care, apply for Medicaid. Each program has different rules (the VA reviews 3 years of transfers and Medicaid reviews 5 years), and what you do to qualify for one can affect the other. Before moving assets, talk with an elder law attorney or a VA-accredited representative. Also read our guide on whether Medicaid pays for nursing homes.
Frequently asked questions
Does my dad need to have served in combat?
No. The VA doesn't require combat service. What counts is having served on active duty for at least one day during a wartime period recognized by the VA (for example, the Korean War, the Vietnam era or the Gulf War), plus the minimum length of service. For most periods it doesn't matter where he served; for the Vietnam era, the dates change depending on whether he served in Vietnam or outside of it.
Can a veteran's widow get Aid and Attendance?
Yes, if she meets the requirements for the Survivors Pension and needs daily help. The amounts are different from the veteran's (see the table above).
Is the pension paid directly to the nursing home?
Usually the VA deposits the payment to the beneficiary, and the family uses it to pay for care. If the person can't manage their money, the VA can appoint a fiduciary.
How long does the decision take?
It varies. A complete application, with a detailed medical form and receipts for expenses, usually moves faster.
Practical tips for the family
- Start saving receipts now for everything you pay for care: the care home, the caregiver, medications and health insurance premiums.
- If your loved one can no longer sign, you'll need a power of attorney or an appointed representative. See our guide to power of attorney and advance directives.
- Ask the doctor to describe in detail the daily activities your loved one needs help with. A form with little information can delay the decision.
- Use the home care calculator to estimate the care expenses you could report.
- If you're the caregiver, also see help for family caregivers.
Rules and amounts can change. This guide is general information and is not a substitute for advice from the VA or an accredited representative.
Sources
- VA, Veterans Pension rates: https://www.va.gov/pension/veterans-pension-rates/ (accessed October 15, 2026)
- VA, Survivors Pension rates: https://www.va.gov/family-and-caregiver-benefits/survivor-compensation/survivors-pension/rates/ (accessed October 15, 2026)
- VA, Aid and Attendance and Housebound: https://www.va.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound/ (accessed October 15, 2026)
- VA, Form 21-2680: https://www.va.gov/forms/21-2680/ (accessed October 15, 2026)
- VA, Survivors Pension (Form 21P-534EZ): https://www.va.gov/family-and-caregiver-benefits/survivor-compensation/survivors-pension/ (accessed October 15, 2026)
- VA, Veterans Pension eligibility: https://www.va.gov/pension/eligibility/ (accessed October 15, 2026)
- VA, how to apply for the Veterans Pension: https://www.va.gov/pension/how-to-apply/ (accessed October 15, 2026)
- VA, find an accredited representative: https://www.va.gov/get-help-from-accredited-representative/ (accessed October 15, 2026)
- VA, Geriatrics and Extended Care: https://www.va.gov/geriatrics/ (accessed October 15, 2026)
- Federal Register, VA pension rates notice: https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-02993.pdf (accessed October 15, 2026)
This is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice. Rules vary by state and by year: confirm with the official agency that applies to you.
Keep reading
How much care costs
Nursing home, assisted living, adult day care, and home care prices by state (CareScout 2025). What the rate includes, what's extra, and how to pay.
Does Medicaid pay for care?
Yes, Medicaid pays for a nursing home if your loved one qualifies. 2026 limits, the 5-year look-back, spouse protections, waivers and how to apply.
Power of attorney and directives
What a power of attorney, health care proxy, advance directive, and guardianship are in the U.S., when to prepare them, and forms in Spanish.
Help for family caregivers
What the National Family Caregiver Support Program is, who qualifies, its five services and how to apply. Plus FMLA and Medicaid for family caregivers.
