Aid and Attendance is part of the VA pension, and the monthly amount is paid to the veteran or surviving spouse who qualifies.1 It is not a wage for whoever does the hands-on work at home. That gap is where families get into trouble, so settle it on paper before anyone agrees to a rate.

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.

Check the payment route first

Ask three plain questions. Who receives the pension deposit? Is any part of the plan a paycheck to a family member? Does the written agreement name a rate, the hours covered, and what happens if Dad's needs change? If the answer to the second question is yes, stop and check the rest in writing before the first shift starts.

Check whether VA pays family caregivers at all

VA runs caregiver programs separate from the pension. Their eligibility depends on the veteran's own condition and service record, and each has its own application and approval steps. Qualifying for the pension does not automatically open a caregiver program. Ask the VA caregiver staff which program, if any, Dad could be considered for, and get that answer in writing.2 Do not sign a family pay agreement on the assumption that a program will cover it.

Ask what a family payment does to the file

Money a family member receives from Dad's household can be reviewed as part of his income during a pension claim. Ask a VA-accredited representative how payments to a relative would appear on the claim. Then ask a tax preparer how those same payments would be reported. These are two different questions with two different answers, and the family should not guess at either one.

Put the terms on one page

Write the payer, the amount, the hours, and the day care begins on the family side. Keep VA's decision timing on a separate line, because the two clocks do not match. Then write what happens if the pension is delayed or denied, and what the family will do about it. A plan that only works if the pension arrives on time is not a plan yet.

Where to ask in St. Louis

Start with the offices listed on Local Help: St. Louis Offices. Bring a list of questions, not a conclusion. For how this desk sources its claims, see Sources.

Footnotes

  1. VA, Veterans Pension Benefits, https://www.va.gov/pension/
  2. VA, Family and caregiver benefits, https://www.va.gov/family-and-caregiver-benefits/

This desk is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.