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VA Aid and Attendance, 2026

Current maximum annual pension rates, the net worth limit, and why care costs can make a veteran eligible despite moderate income.

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VA Aid and Attendance, 2026

Short answer

VA Aid and Attendance is a pension add-on for wartime veterans (and surviving spouses) who need help with daily activities. Unreimbursed medical expenses -- including the full cost of assisted living or in-home care -- offset countable income, which is often what makes a veteran

SituationMaximum annual rateApproximate monthly
Veteran needing Aid and Attendance, no dependents$29,093/year$2,424 per month
Veteran needing Aid and Attendance, one dependent$34,488/year$2,874 per month
Surviving spouse needing Aid and Attendance, no dependent children$18,923/year$1,577 per month
Surviving spouse needing Aid and Attendance, one dependent child$22,304/year$1,858 per month

Net worth limit: $163,699 (effective December 1, 2025 - November 30, 2026)

VA Aid and Attendance is a pension add-on for wartime veterans (and surviving spouses) who need help with daily activities. Unreimbursed medical expenses -- including the full cost of assisted living or in-home care -- offset countable income, which is often what makes a veteran with a pension and moderate savings newly eligible even though their income looks too high on paper.

Figures above are the federal Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR) divided by 12 for an approximate monthly figure -- the VA pays the difference between a household's countable income and the MAPR, so most households receive less than the full amount shown. These rates are federal and apply the same in Indiana as anywhere else in the country; they rise most years with a cost-of-living adjustment (2.8% for this cycle). Rates effective December 1, 2025.

Source: VA veterans pension rates

Source: VA survivors pension rates

Questions families ask

Which Indianapolis-area hospital systems most often discharge patients to senior care?

IU Health, Ascension St. Vincent, Community Health Network, Franciscan Health and Eskenazi Health handle the bulk of Indianapolis-area discharge planning, alongside Hendricks Regional Health, Riverview Health, and Hancock Regional Health in the collar counties.

Can I push back on a hospital discharge date?

Yes, and it is usually less fixed than it sounds, particularly if no safe plan exists yet. Ask the case manager directly what happens if no placement is confirmed by the target date, and involve the hospital's patient advocate if the timeline feels unsafe.

How do I know when it's no longer safe for a parent to live alone?

Look for specific, dated incidents rather than a general impression: a missed medication week, an unreported fall, the stove left on, or a house that has become unsafe rather than merely untidy. Rule out reversible causes first -- a urinary tract infection, medication interaction, or untreated hearing loss can all mimic decline.

What should I do after a parent's first fall?

Treat it as a signal, not an accident -- a first fall is one of the strongest predictors of the next one. Get the cause investigated (medications, vision, inner-ear issues), fix the immediate environment, and ask CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions about equipment-lending programs.

What should I do right after a dementia diagnosis?

Slow down -- very little has to be decided the first month. Get the specific diagnosis type, since Alzheimer's, vascular dementia, Lewy body and frontotemporal dementia progress differently, and put power of attorney and medical power of attorney paperwork in place now, while capacity is clear.

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