Most of what gets written about the Aid and Attendance pension assumes a single veteran living alone. A married veteran with a spouse still at home is a different household, and the income test does not stop at the veteran's own money. This piece is for the family that has to size the claim against the household as it really is, with two people in it, two incomes, and two sets of needs.[1]
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.
Start with the household, not the veteran
Write down everyone who lives in the home and what each one brings in each month. Include Social Security, pensions, wages, and any other regular payment for each person. Do not leave out a spouse's income because the spouse is the one providing care. The household figure is what the reviewer will compare, so build it the way the reviewer will read it.[1]
Run two versions of the budget
Build one version that shows the household as it is now, and a second version that shows the household if the spouse's income or circumstances change. Compare each version to the published limits for the household type and check the figures on VA.gov on the day you file. The two-version approach shows you early whether the claim fits the household, not just the veteran.[1]
Record marriage and household facts exactly as they are
The marriage and the people in the home are facts the claim depends on. Write them the same way on every form, and keep the marriage certificate and any document that shows the household members. If the household changes after filing, the change has to be reported under the process VA publishes for that purpose, so plan for that obligation from the start.[1]
Ask whether the spouse's own needs are part of the picture
A spouse who needs help with daily living may affect how the household plans care, even though the spouse's needs are not the veteran's needs under the pension. Keep the two sets of needs in separate notes. Mixing them up is one of the most common ways a family ends up with a budget that does not match the claim.
Check how the household fits the care plan
If the plan is for the spouse to stay at home while Dad receives in-home help, the household budget has to carry both the household cost and the care cost. If the plan moves Dad to a facility or a different home, the household figure changes again. Take the budget to the free desks on Local Help: St. Louis Offices and ask them to check the two-person version against the published limit before you commit to a care arrangement.
Notes
[1] VA.gov, Veterans Pension benefits pages on household income, dependents, and reporting changes. Confirm the limits and the reporting process on the day you file or report a change. This briefing does not restate figures. Source list: Sources.