Dayton Senior AdvisorWhat is VA Aid and Attendance?
It is an increase to VA's needs-based pension for wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily activities, are bedridden, or live in a nursing home; it is not a separate benefit but a higher maximum pension rate.
| VA pension, maximum annual rate | Per year | About per month |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran, no dependents | $29,093 | about $2,424 |
| Veteran with one dependent | $34,488 | about $2,874 |
| Two veterans married, both eligible | $46,143 | about $3,845 |
| Veteran, no dependents, Housebound | $21,313 | about $1,776 |
| Surviving spouse, no dependents | $18,697 | about $1,558 |
| Surviving spouse, one dependent child | $22,304 | about $1,859 |
VA pension rates effective December 1, 2025; the veteran, two-veteran and surviving spouse lines are the Aid and Attendance rates, and the housebound line is shown for comparison.
VA pays the difference between countable income and the maximum rate. Because unreimbursed care costs, including assisted living and home care, reduce countable income, many veterans with moderate pensions qualify once they are paying for care.
Who qualifies for VA pension in 2026?
A veteran with at least 90 days of active duty including one day during a wartime period (or a surviving spouse of one), who is 65 or older or disabled, whose net worth is under $163,699 for December 2025 to November 2026, and whose income after care expenses is below the maximum rate.
VA looks back three years at asset transfers made to get under the net worth limit and can impose a penalty period. The home and car are not counted. Aid and Attendance requires medical evidence of the need for help, usually a VA form completed by a physician.
Where can Miami Valley veterans get free help with a claim?
From the county veterans service office in each of the six counties, accredited at no charge to help prepare and file VA claims, and from the Dayton VA Medical Center for health care questions.
Be wary of anyone who charges to file a pension claim or proposes moving assets into an annuity or trust to qualify; VA rules restrict such fees and transfers. The Dayton VA Medical Center on West Third Street also runs geriatric and long-term care programs for enrolled veterans, including a community living center.
Can veterans get nursing home care from the VA in Ohio?
Yes, in some cases: the VA provides nursing home care at no cost to veterans with high service-connected disability ratings and to others based on priority and availability, through VA community living centers, contracted community nursing homes and Ohio's state veterans homes.
Ohio's state veterans homes are in Sandusky and Georgetown, outside our six counties. Eligibility depends on service-connected status and VA priority group, so start with the Dayton VA's social work service or the county veterans service office.
How does VA pension interact with Medicaid in Ohio?
A veteran on Medicaid in a nursing home usually has VA pension reduced to $90 a month, which the veteran keeps in addition to Ohio's $75 personal needs allowance; for a veteran on the Assisted Living Waiver, VA income counts toward room and board.
Plan the order carefully: some families use VA pension to stay private pay in an RCF for longer, then apply for the Assisted Living Waiver when savings run out. The county veterans service officer and an elder law attorney can map the timing.
Side by side
| VA Aid and Attendance is | VA Aid and Attendance is not | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | A higher rate of needs-based pension | A separate stand-alone benefit |
| Who | Wartime-era veterans and surviving spouses | Every veteran |
| Money | Paid to the veteran or spouse | Paid straight to the facility |
| Help filing | Free from county veterans service offices | A service you should pay for |
Drawn from Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3721, Ohio Administrative Code Chapters 3701-16 and 5160:1-6, ODH and Ohio Department of Aging publications, Ohio Medicaid letters, CareScout, CMS and the VA; our editorial standards explain how we check them.
