QUALIFICATION FOR VA BENEFITS
If your loved one is a wartime veteran or surviving spouse, he or she may qualify for financial help from the Veterans Administration Aid and Attendance program. If you have been given advice that your loved one's income is above the limit, don't take that automatically as a reason not to apply.
NO LOOK-BACK PERIOD ... FOR NOW
There are legal monthly monetary limits for income and assets. These are mandated by the U.S. Congress. But deductions for certain expenses are available. Assets can be spent down if necessary. An important aspect of qualifying for this program is that there is no look-back period at the moment. This is scheduled to be changed soon, however, so it is important to do planning immediately to avoid this potential hardship.
Many applicants assume that their incomes are too high. On the surface that may be true, but they may still be able to access the Aid and Attendance program benefits when high medical expenses are used as deductions.
An experienced elder law attorney can help you determine eligibility and whether it is even appropriate to apply for certain Veterans' benefits. The Elder & Disability Law Firm serving Redlands, CA is familiar with planning for Veterans' estates, questions about disability and benefits, and how to coordinate the VA benefits application process with Medi-Cal. We welcome your questions about Veterans Benefits.