Pension & Aid and Attendance
Tax-free monthly income for wartime veterans with limited income, and enhanced benefits for those needing help with daily living. Also available for surviving spouses.
Programs
VA Pension Programs
There are four pension-related programs. Each builds on the basic VA Pension eligibility.
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Program 01
VA Pension
Monthly income for wartime veterans with limited income
VA Pension is a needs-based benefit for qualifying wartime veterans who meet age or disability criteria and current income and net-worth limits. A disability used to meet the pension criteria does not have to be service connected. VA disability compensation follows different rules, and VA cannot pay both pension and disability compensation for the same period.
Eligibility
- Your service includes at least 1 day during a recognized wartime period and meets the length rule for when you entered active duty; exceptions can apply
- For service beginning after September 7, 1980, VA generally applies a 24-month or full-called-period rule; verify the current rule and exceptions for your record
- Your discharge must not be dishonorable
- You meet at least ONE of these conditions: you are age 65 or older, OR you are permanently and totally disabled (not necessarily from service), OR you are a patient in a nursing home receiving nursing care, OR you are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Your countable income is below the Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR) for your situation
How to Apply
- Apply online at VA.gov using VA Form 21P-527EZ (Application for Pension)
- Or apply by mail to: Department of Veterans Affairs, Pension Intake Center, PO Box 5365, Janesville, WI 53547-5365
- Or apply in person at your local VA Regional Office
Tip
If you're 65 or older or meet a pension disability criterion and have limited income and net worth, compare your service record with VA's current pension rules. The disability used for pension eligibility does not have to be service connected.
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Program 02
Aid and Attendance (A&A)
Extra monthly pension for veterans needing daily help
Aid and Attendance (A&A) is an enhanced pension benefit that provides additional monthly income on top of the basic VA Pension for veterans and survivors who need help with activities of daily living, are bedridden, live in a nursing home, or have severely limited vision. It can be used to pay for in-home care, assisted living, or nursing home costs.
Eligibility
- You must already be eligible for and receiving (or applying for) VA Pension
- You need another person to help you perform daily activities such as bathing, feeding, dressing, toileting, or adjusting prosthetic devices
- OR you are bedridden or spend a significant amount of time in bed due to disability
- OR you are a patient in a nursing home because of disability-related loss of mental or physical abilities
- OR your eyesight is limited to 5/200 or less in both eyes, or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less
How to Apply
- If applying for the first time: file VA Form 21P-527EZ (Application for Pension) and include VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance)
- If already receiving pension: submit VA Form 21-2680 to your VA Regional Office to request the A&A enhancement
- VA Form 21-2680 must be completed by a licensed physician — it documents your specific need for aid and attendance
Tip
A&A is one of the most underused VA benefits. If you or a family member needs help with daily activities and meets the wartime service and income requirements, apply as soon as possible. The benefit can cover a significant portion of assisted living or in-home care costs.
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Program 03
Housebound Benefit
Extra pension for veterans substantially confined to their home
The Housebound benefit is a mid-tier enhancement to VA Pension — more than basic pension but less than Aid and Attendance. It provides additional monthly income for veterans who spend most of their time at home due to a permanent disability. You do not need to be completely homebound — but you must be substantially confined to your home and its immediate premises.
Eligibility
- You must already be eligible for and receiving (or applying for) VA Pension
- You spend most of your time in your home because of a permanent disability (a disability that is not expected to improve)
- You cannot receive both Housebound AND Aid and Attendance — only one at a time
- Aid and Attendance and Housebound pension additions cannot both be paid at once; VA applies the level supported by the eligibility findings
How to Apply
- Same process as Aid and Attendance — submit VA Form 21-2680 with your pension application (21P-527EZ) or as an update to an existing pension
- The examining physician should document that you are substantially confined to your home due to permanent disability
- For a new application, check whether an Intent to File could protect a potential effective date; VA must receive the completed application for the same benefit within 1 year
Tip
If you don't quite meet the Aid and Attendance criteria but rarely leave your home due to disability, ask about Housebound. It's a significant increase over basic pension and is easier to qualify for than A&A.
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Program 04
Survivors Pension
Monthly income for surviving spouses and children of wartime veterans
Survivors Pension is a needs-based benefit for surviving spouses and dependent children of deceased wartime veterans. Like VA Pension, it is based on the survivor's income and net worth — not on the veteran's cause of death. The veteran's death does NOT need to be service-connected (that would be DIC — a different benefit). Survivors Pension brings the survivor's income up to the applicable Maximum Annual Pension Rate.
Eligibility
- The deceased veteran's record must include qualifying wartime service and meet the service-length rule for the date service began; exceptions can apply
- The veteran must not have been dishonorably discharged
- Surviving spouse: generally must not have remarried after the veteran's death; verify the current Survivors Pension rule for your marital history
- Surviving spouse: your countable income and net worth must be below VA limits
- Dependent children: must be unmarried AND under 18, OR under 23 and attending a VA-approved school, OR permanently unable to care for themselves due to a disability that began before age 18
How to Apply
- Apply using VA Form 21P-534EZ (Application for DIC, Survivors Pension, and/or Accrued Benefits)
- You can apply online through VA.gov, by mail, in person at a VA Regional Office, or through a VSO
- Mail applications to: Pension Intake Center, PO Box 5365, Janesville, WI 53547-5365
Tip
Many surviving spouses don't know about Survivors Pension because they assume VA benefits ended when the veteran died. If your spouse served during a wartime period and your income is limited, check your eligibility — even if the veteran's death was not related to military service.
Rates
2026 Pension Rates (MAPR)
Maximum Annual Pension Rate — your pension payment equals the MAPR minus your countable income.
Veteran Pension Rates
Survivors Pension Rates
Financial Limits
- Net Worth Limit
- $163,699
- COLA Increase
- 2.8%
- Child Wage Exclusion
- $16,100
Income Rules
How Pension Income Works
VA Pension is income-based. Understanding these rules is critical to your application.
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How Pension Payment Is Calculated
Your annual pension payment equals the Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR) minus your countable income. If your countable income is $0, you receive the full MAPR amount. If your countable income exceeds the MAPR, you are not eligible for pension.
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What Counts as Income
Almost all income counts, including Social Security benefits, military retirement pay, investment income, pensions from other sources, and any other regular payments.
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What Does NOT Count as Income
VA disability compensation is excluded from countable income. Certain other payments are also excluded.
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Medical Expense Deductions
Unreimbursed medical expenses can reduce your countable income, but only the amount exceeding 5% of the applicable MAPR is deductible.
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Net Worth Limit
Your net worth (excluding your home, one vehicle, and most personal possessions) cannot exceed the VA's limit. The limit is $163,699 for the period December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026. This includes the net worth of your spouse.
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Three-Year Lookback for Asset Transfers
If you transferred assets (gave them away or sold them for less than market value) in the 3 years before applying for pension, the VA may impose a penalty period during which you cannot receive pension benefits. This is to prevent people from giving away assets to qualify.
Wartime Service
Qualifying Wartime Periods
At least one day must fall within a recognized wartime period. The service-length rule depends on when service began, and exceptions can apply.
- Mexican Border Period
- May 9, 1916 – April 5, 1917
- World War I
- April 6, 1917 – November 11, 1918
- World War II
- December 7, 1941 – December 31, 1946
- Korean War
- June 27, 1950 – January 31, 1955
- Vietnam War (in-country)
- November 1, 1955 – May 7, 1975
- Vietnam War (elsewhere)
- August 5, 1964 – May 7, 1975
- Gulf War
- August 2, 1990 – Present
Aid & Attendance adds significant money
If you or your spouse needs help with daily activities (bathing, dressing, eating) or is bedridden, the Aid and Attendance benefit can add thousands per year to your pension. Many veterans don't realize they qualify. Ask your doctor to complete VA Form 21-2680.
Watch the 3-year lookback
The VA reviews asset transfers made within 3 years of your pension application. Transferring assets to qualify for pension can result in a penalty period. Talk to a VA-accredited attorney or VSO before making any financial changes.
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