Connecticut is home to roughly 160,000 veterans, and many of the families we serve include one — a Korea- or Vietnam-era veteran now in his 80s or 90s, or the surviving spouse of one. When those families sit down to figure out how to pay for help at home, the conversation usually covers savings, long-term care insurance, and Medicaid. A federal benefit that could add more than $2,800 a month, tax-free, almost never comes up.
That benefit is VA Aid and Attendance. It is one of the most underused benefits in the entire veterans system, largely because families assume VA benefits only apply to service-connected injuries. Aid and Attendance does not require any service-connected disability at all. Here is how it works in 2026, using the VA's official current figures.
What Aid and Attendance Is
Aid and Attendance is an enhanced level of the VA pension — a needs-based benefit for wartime veterans and their surviving spouses. The base pension supports low-income wartime veterans; the Aid and Attendance enhancement substantially raises the maximum payment when the person also needs regular help from another person for daily activities.
It is paid directly to the veteran or surviving spouse in cash, and the family decides how to use it. Paying an in-home caregiver — including non-medical companion and personal care — is one of the most common uses, because the need for that kind of daily help is exactly what qualifies a person for the benefit in the first place.
Official 2026 Rates
These are the VA's Maximum Annual Pension Rates (MAPR) with Aid and Attendance, effective December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026 (a 2.8% cost-of-living increase over the prior year):
| Recipient | Maximum per year | Approx. per month |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran, no dependents | $29,093 | ~$2,424 |
| Veteran with one dependent (spouse or child) | $34,488 | ~$2,874 |
| Two married veterans, both with Aid and Attendance | $46,143 | ~$3,845 |
| Surviving spouse, no dependents | ~$18,694 | ~$1,557 |
The actual payment is the MAPR minus the household's countable income. A veteran with a MAPR of $34,488 and $10,000 in countable income would receive about $24,488 for the year. Which brings us to the detail most families miss.
The Detail That Changes Everything: The Medical Expense Deduction
Families often look at their Social Security and pension income, conclude they earn "too much," and never apply. But the VA lets you subtract unreimbursed medical expenses from your income before it counts — and the money you pay for home care counts as a medical expense for this purpose, along with health insurance premiums, prescriptions, and similar costs (above a small threshold of 5% of the MAPR).
Who Qualifies
Service requirements (the veteran):
- At least 90 days of active duty, with at least one day during a qualifying wartime period (WWII, Korea, Vietnam era, or Gulf War era — service did not need to be in a combat zone)
- Discharge under conditions other than dishonorable
Care need (the applicant):
- Needs another person's help with daily activities — bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, or adjusting prosthetic devices; or
- Is largely confined to bed, is a nursing home resident, has severely limited eyesight, or qualifies as housebound
Financial limits (December 2025 – November 2026):
- Net worth at or below $163,699 — this includes assets plus annual income, but excludes the primary home and vehicle
- A 3-year look-back applies to asset transfers made for less than fair market value; improper transfers can trigger a penalty period of up to 5 years
Surviving spouses:
- The spouse of a qualifying wartime veteran may be eligible if the marriage was in effect at the veteran's death and the spouse has not remarried (limited exceptions apply)
How to Apply — Step by Step
- Gather records: discharge papers (DD-214), marriage/death certificates where relevant, financial records, and documentation of care needs and care costs.
- Get medical evidence. The applicant's physician completes VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance) documenting the need for daily assistance.
- File the claim: VA Form 21P-527EZ for veterans, 21P-534EZ for surviving spouses — online at VA.gov, by mail, or through a representative.
- Use free, accredited help. Connecticut families can work with a Veterans Service Officer at no charge through the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs, their town's veterans service contact, or organizations like the American Legion, VFW, and DAV. Never pay anyone to file a VA claim — accredited help is free, and paid "pension consultants" are a well-documented source of problems.
- Keep care receipts. Ongoing home care invoices document the medical expense deduction at application and at annual reviews.
Decisions commonly take several months. Benefits are generally paid retroactively to the month after filing — and filing an intent to file first can protect an even earlier effective date while you assemble documents.
How It Fits With Connecticut's Own Programs
Aid and Attendance is one of three major funding paths we regularly help Connecticut families think through, alongside the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders (CHCPE) and the Adult Family Living caregiver stipend. They serve different situations:
- Aid and Attendance — wartime veterans and surviving spouses; cash benefit; net worth up to $163,699.
- CHCPE — Connecticut residents 65+; services-based; tighter income and asset limits.
- AFL — pays a live-in family caregiver under CHCPE rules.
The programs can sometimes be combined, but VA pension income can affect Medicaid-based eligibility — review the interaction with a Veterans Service Officer or elder-law professional before applying to both. Families comparing private-pay options alongside these programs can start with our Connecticut home care cost guide and care options comparison.
Where Connecticut Caring Companions Fits
Connecticut Caring Companions is a Registered Nurse–owned, non-medical home care agency serving Hartford County, Connecticut. For veteran families, we provide the companion care, personal care, and respite support that Aid and Attendance is designed to help pay for — and our invoices provide the clear documentation of care costs that the VA's medical expense deduction requires.
If you are caring for a veteran or a veteran's surviving spouse and trying to work out how to fund help at home, call us. We will lay out the funding paths that fit your situation and point you to the right accredited application help — honestly, and at no cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does VA Aid and Attendance pay in 2026?
For December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026: up to $29,093/year (~$2,424/month) for a veteran with no dependents, $34,488/year (~$2,874/month) for a veteran with one dependent, and roughly $18,694/year (~$1,557/month) for a surviving spouse with no dependents. The actual payment is the maximum rate minus the household's countable income.
Can Aid and Attendance pay for non-medical home care?
Yes. It is a cash benefit paid directly to the veteran or surviving spouse and can be spent on in-home caregivers, including non-medical companion and personal care. Home care costs also count as unreimbursed medical expenses that reduce countable income — which typically increases the benefit.
Who is eligible?
Generally: 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a qualifying wartime period, a discharge other than dishonorable, a current need for help with daily activities (or housebound/nursing home status), and net worth at or below $163,699. Surviving spouses of qualifying wartime veterans may also be eligible.
Does Social Security income disqualify us?
Not automatically. Unreimbursed medical expenses — including home care costs, insurance premiums, and prescriptions — are subtracted from income for VA purposes. Many families with meaningful Social Security income qualify once care costs are subtracted.
How do Connecticut families apply?
File VA Form 21P-527EZ (veterans) or 21P-534EZ (surviving spouses) with medical evidence of the care need. Free accredited help is available through the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs, town veterans service contacts, and organizations like the American Legion, VFW, and DAV. Never pay anyone to file a VA claim.
Can it be combined with CHCPE or Adult Family Living?
Sometimes — but VA pension income can affect Medicaid-based eligibility, so review the combination with a Veterans Service Officer or elder-law professional before applying to both.
This article is for general informational purposes and is not legal, financial, tax, or benefits-eligibility advice. VA pension rules, rates, and limits change annually and are determined case by case. Figures above reflect the VA's published rates effective December 1, 2025. Confirm current details at VA.gov or with an accredited Veterans Service Officer before making decisions.