If you're caring for a veteran, it's good to know that numerous veterans benefits programs from the Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.) can provide financial support to a veteran, his or her spouse, and survivors. Even if he hasn't claimed veterans benefits before, his age, physical condition, or low income may now qualify him for financial help. By assisting him in the application process, you may be able to help improve his quality of life or benefit his survivors.
How to determine if a veteran qualifies for financial benefits
"Service-connected disabilities" can first show up when a veteran ages. Many of the financial veterans benefits available from the V.A. are payable only if a veteran has what's called a service-connected disability. "Disability" means a physical, mental, or emotional condition that limits or prevents a veteran from performing some normal, everyday activities; "service-connected" means that the condition was caused while the veteran was in the military. But the veteran need not have actually become disabled while in the military.
For many veterans, a condition that began decades before in the military only becomes disabling as they age. If so, a veteran may qualify for service-connected disability benefits whenever the condition actually becomes disabling.
Compensation may be approved even if a disability is small or only appeared recently. Someone who served in the military may have a disability that has recently begun to limit his ability to perform normal daily activities. If the problem was caused by something that happened when he was in the military, the condition is service-connected.
If so, he may be eligible for a monthly disability compensation payment. When he applies, the V.A. will give his disabling condition a rating, starting at 10 percent or higher and moving up in 10-percent increments:
- The lowest rating (10 percent disability) pays $117 per month.
- The highest rating (100 percent disabled) pays $2,527 a month.
- If the veteran is housebound or needs regular in-home care (called "aid and attendance"), the monthly amount can be higher.
- If an older veteran has a 30-percent rating or higher, his spouse is eligible for additional monthly benefits.
- Older, low-income wartime veterans may qualify for a V.A. pension. A veteran aged 65 or older may be eligible for a monthly V.A. pension if all of the following apply:
- He has a low income.
- He had 90 days or more of active military service.
- At least one day of his active service was during a "period of war" (World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War), though the veteran need not have been in combat.
The amount of the pension varies depending on need but can be as much as $930 per month for an individual or $1,220 per month for a couple. If the veteran is permanently housebound, his individual monthly benefits could be as high as $1,137 per month. If the veteran needs regular in-home assistance, he can get a pension of up to $1,555 per month (plus more for a spouse).
The V.A. may supply loans or grants to buy or refinance a home or to modify a home or car. The V.A. offers veterans benefits in the form of several types of loans and loan guarantees to help veterans buy or refinance a home or condominium. For some veterans with service-connected disabilities, the V.A. also gives Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grants to pay for modifications to a home to adapt it to help compensate for their disability. These grants may also be available to modify the home of a family member with whom the veteran lives. A similar grant is available for some veterans to modify a car.
Thank you.
My husband is a 100 percent disabled veteran I have lost my job and I am wondering if there is help out there so we can live month to month I am helping him because he loses his memory leaves the stove on just little things he need to be watched is ther a benefit out ther for this kind of help
vet i was in the army national guard in alabama and oklahoma from 1986 to 1994 i never saw any war time or anything like that but i did go to equador to help after a earthquake and i served and helped during tornadoes here in oklahoma im now disabled and draw ss my wife works but the company she works for is laying off my power has been off for two months and i dont know what to do i need help
Hello thomas.r62, Thank you very much for your question. If you'd like, you can post your question in our Ask & Answer section, here: ( http://www.caring.com/ask ). Take care -- Emily | Community Manager
I am 100% total and permeant disabled gulf war vet. I live in a two story home and need a one level ranch do to my disabilities. I have bad credit because I worked one day and literally I was not able to ever work again. Does the Va. buy homes and help fid homes suitable for my handicap?
I am a Viet Nam vet, and live on a pension of 985 dollars per month. The VA is nearly USELESS except for this.I need teeth pulled, and the bastards refuse to help me out. If I do ANY work, I am docked dollar for dollar. They pay just enough so I don`t qualify for food stamps or public assistance, and my bills are nearly equal to my income. It sucks to be a disabled vet. Screw the VA.
Thank you for the informative article about benefits for veterans. It was well presented and easy to understand. Many veterans qualify for and need benefits but do not know how to find the information or apply. We ask lots of our veterans and they give a lot. Many are injured, many die. As a country we should do all we can to help veterans obtain the benefits they deserve. When a veteran is wounded he/she lives with that disability for their entire life. We should remember that sacrifice and give veterans what we have promised.
Thanks for the info.....
My husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at age 55. He served in the Navy during Vietnam. He was stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin. He has been denied VA benefits because he never "officially" touched land. Agent Orange was airborne! How can the VA deny his claim? With the wind stream, it is impossible that he was NOT exposed. Are there other Veterans diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease who served on the USS Gridley stationed at North SAR (Search and Rescue) off the coast of Hai Phong, Gulf of Tonkin? I am hoping to build an appeal. Thank you for any assistance. I noticed this statement on the VA website from a viewer: "The VA also has a list of ships that visited Viet Nam or were stationed at Yankee station and enjoyed the down wind spraying of the north. This information is still kept from the Citizens as privileged info. The vet service officers should make it public now." Any knowledge of this claim could be very helpful.
A V.A. Death Pension is a monthly payment made to very low-income surviving spouses (who have not remarried), or minor or permanently disabled children, of deceased veterans who served in time of war. Eligibility for a V.A. Death Pension depends on both the deceased veteran and the survivor meeting certain criteria. The deceased veteran must meet two conditions. The veteran must have been discharged from service under other than dishonorable conditions. The veteran must have served at least 90 days of active military service, at least one day of which was during an official period of war. If the veteran entered active duty after September 7, 1980, he or she must have served at least 24 months, or the full period for which called or ordered to active duty.
i would like to know my hubby had a stroke is there a way that we can get financial aid to fix the hse so that he can get around eassly
THANK YOU, VERY HELPFUL