Senior Veterans Benefits
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American War Era Veterans Benefits Although there are a variety of benefits administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that may be available to Veterans of the United States armed forces, our concentration is on those available to war era veterans. Specifically, we support families through the process of applying for the non-service connected Improved Pension with Aid and Attendance.
The benefit is also known as the non-service related disability pension. Similar to a long term care benefit, this entitlement is meant for war era veterans who are spending the majority of their monthly income on their health care, and are 65 or older. It is also paid to veterans or spouses under 65, who are permanently and totally disabled as determined by the Veterans Administration.
There are two parts to the benefit and a veteran or widow(er) must be eligible for both in order to qualify for the maximum benefit. The basic Improved Pension and the additional special monthly benefit called Aid and Attendance.
NON-SERVICE RELATED DISABILITY PENSION - IMPROVED PENSIONThe basic Improved Pension is a non-service related tax-free benefit paid directly to the veteran or widow(er) of the veteran monthly. In order to qualify for the basic pension, an individual must meet certain eligibilty requirements set by Congress and administered by the Veterans Administration. Because this pension is a non-service related disability benefit, the veteran need not have been harmed in service and in most cases, need not have served over seas.
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ADDITIONAL SPECIAL MONTHLY BENEFIT - AID & ATTENDANCE The Aid & Attendance benefit is paid in addition to monthly pension. This benefit may not be paid without eligibilty to basic pension. A veteran may be eligible for Aid & Attendance if their quality of life would improve from the assistance of another person on a regular basis.
Veterans or widow(er)s of veterans are entitled to an Improved Pension with Aid & Attendance which will provide considerable income to help offset the cost of necessary health expenses.
War Era Veterans
Why are there specific benefits for
War Era Veterans?In his second inaugural address, President Abraham Lincoln, famously called for us "to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan". For this reason, Improved Pension with Aid & Attendance is only available for those veterans who served during a war era.
Non-Service Related Pension History
In 1951, the United States Congress mandated a benefit for all American War Era Veterans. This benefit was created as a way of improving the income of the men and woman who fought for our freedom.
It was intended for service men and women in their retirement years, when they may requre some assistance in their daily lives.
Congress called the benefit, The Improved Pension and asked the VA to administer it to qualified veterans and their surviving spouses.
The theory behind the benefit was quite interesting. Congress believed that the pensions our war era veterans might have earned - had they not been sent off to war - would most likely have been higher when they retired. Thus, the benefit and the name. The IMPROVED pension.
Unfortunately, families were unaware this benefit even existed, much less understood who qualified for it. The restrictions regarding qualifications rendered only a small population of applicants eligible.
A change was needed...
Updating the Pension - Getting the Word Out!
Some time in 2002, during the Clinton Administration, Congress took another look at this Improved Pension for war era veterans and their widow(er)s and pondered why the number of qualified individuals was so small.
After reveiwing the qualifications, Congress decided that more veterans and spouses could be eligible if they were able to deduct their rising medical expenses. This change allowed the benefit to fulfill the original goal of Congress back in 1951.
Veterans and their spouses are now able to deduct their health expenses - thus enabeling them to qualify for their entitlement. Over 500,000 veterans and/or the widow(er)s of veterans are currently receiving their pension!
The Veterans Administration also sent out call to the public to "Get the Word Out" regarding this benefit to all war era veterans and their surviving spouses.
Our founders' have made it their mission to "Get the Word Out", and have educated hundreds of thousands of families throughout the United States about this benefit for the past eight years.
You can help too! Join us for a FREE one hour workshop held in our offices throughout southern California weekly. Learn the facts. Ask questions. Then... get out there and "Get the Word Out"!