Most families read a home-care agreement for the hourly rate and the start date. The clause that decides where Dad's money can go is usually further down, under headings like assignment, authorization to bill, payee, or third-party payment. Read that paragraph before the first shift.

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.

Who VA pays

A VA pension award, including any Aid and Attendance increase, is paid to the veteran. VA may deposit it to an account the veteran designates, or pay an approved payee, such as a fiduciary VA appoints when a veteran cannot manage funds.1 A private home-care agency is not a VA payee by default. If a contract says the agency will be paid from VA benefits directly, ask which VA arrangement makes that possible and whether VA has approved it in writing.

Four clauses to find

  • An assignment or authorization section that lets the signer redirect payment to the agency.
  • Any right to bill a bank, insurer, or other third party, and what happens if that payer refuses, delays, or pays less.
  • Who owes the balance if a benefit is denied, delayed, or lower than expected.
  • Whether a refund or credit is owed if a payment fails, and the deadline for asking for it.

Questions to ask before signing

Ask the agency to point to the exact sentence that would let it collect from Dad's VA payment. Ask which party it would bill first while a VA claim is still pending: Dad, the family, or the agency's collections office. If the answer depends on something the contract does not spell out, treat the gap as unfinished. Keep a signed copy with the assignment section marked, and store it with the claim papers.

What this does not settle

This piece covers one clause. Deposits, unused hours, and the rate are separate checks. This is a briefing on paperwork, not legal advice. The desk's sources are listed on the Sources page.

1. VA.gov, Veterans pension benefits, payment and fiduciary information.

Aid and Attendance STL is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.