This briefing is general information for the family, not legal or medical advice. Confirm every form number and submission method on VA.gov before you act, and check the footnotes listed on the Sources page.[1]

What you are choosing

Aid and Attendance is an add-on to a Veterans pension, so the claim travels as a pension application with the need for aid and attendance documented inside it. You have three realistic ways to get it to VA: file it yourself online, file it yourself by mail or in person, or have an accredited representative file it for you. The choice is about who handles the submission and who keeps the proof. VA decides eligibility the same way in every case.[2]

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

Filing yourself

Self-filing costs postage or time, and it keeps the decisions about what goes into the file in the family's hands. Before anything leaves the house, check three things on VA.gov:

First, use the current revision of each form. VA revises forms, and an outdated revision can be returned. The pension application is VA Form 21P-527EZ, and the medical exam form that a physician completes is VA Form 21-2680. Check whether a dependency form, VA Form 21-686c, applies to Dad's household.[3]

Second, make a complete copy of everything you submit, page by page, and write the date you sent it on the copy. Keep the mailing receipt or the online confirmation with it.[4]

Third, write the claim number on every letter you receive afterward, and keep the letters in one folder so you can answer VA's questions without searching.

Hiring a filer

An accredited representative, such as an officer of a Veterans service organization, can help prepare and file a claim. Check that the person is accredited on VA.gov before you hand over any documents.[5] A representative acts for Dad only after an appointment form is signed, and VA Form 21-22a is the form for an accredited representative. Ask these questions and get the answers in writing:

Is the representative accredited, and does the appointment form name that person? Which VA form will be signed, and who keeps the signed original? Is there any fee, and if so, what triggers it and what does it cover? Who keeps the copy of what was sent, and who responds if VA asks for more evidence, and by when?

The split that often works

Many families divide the work. The family gathers the records and answers the household questions. A representative reviews the packet before it goes in. The family then submits it or confirms the submission, so the copies and the receipt stay in the family's name. Whichever route you choose, the family should hold the complete copy.

Where a hired caregiver fits

A hired in-home non-medical caregiver can drive Dad to an exam appointment or pick up mail as an errand. That person should not be the one who submits the packet, signs a form for Dad, or stands in as Dad's contact with VA. Keep the signing with the family and the submission on a route you can prove.

Next step

Read the order on Start Here, then check the free offices on Local Help before you choose a route. The How We Write This Briefing page explains how each claim here is footnoted.

Footnotes

[1] VA.gov, Veterans pension and Aid and Attendance pages, current versions.
[2] VA.gov, Veterans pension benefits overview, current version.
[3] VA.gov, forms search for VA Form 21P-527EZ, VA Form 21-2680, and VA Form 21-686c, current revisions.
[4] VA.gov, guidance on submitting claims and keeping proof of submission, current version.
[5] VA.gov, accredited representative search, and VA Form 21-22a instructions, current versions.