Question:
I am a Veteran who served during the Korean War. I recently moved to an assisted living community and I need some help paying for my care. I heard there was a benefit for Veterans and was hoping you could explain what it is.
Answer:
There is a little-known Veterans’ benefit called “Aid and Attendance” which will pay a single Veteran up to $1,788 per month (this is tax free for life).
It is also available to a married Veteran ($2,120 per month), and also to the surviving spouse of a Veteran ($1,149 per month). This benefit is available to Veterans at home or in assisted living.
In order to qualify, you must be a “wartime Veteran” (with some exceptions, we are talking about World War II, Korean War or Vietnam War) who meets certain medical and financial conditions. Many Veterans ignore this benefit because they don’t think they qualify – this is a big mistake. I have a short “pre-qualification” worksheet to see whether a Veteran or surviving spouse may qualify for these benefits. If you would like our pre-qualification worksheet, please email me at [email protected] or call me at (517) 548-7400. As a free service to all Veterans, we will provide you with an analysis of whether you would qualify for these benefits.
Monika N. Burrell is an attorney with the law firm of Matecun, Thomas & Olson, PLC in Howell. She is an accredited attorney by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and focuses on estate planning, elder law, senior Veterans’ benefits, probate and trust administration. Visit us at www.MichiganEstatePlans.com. The information in this column is not intended as legal advice.