VA Aid and Attendance in Arkansas is a federal pension benefit that adds money to a wartime veteran's monthly check when they need regular help with everyday tasks like bathing, dressing, or eating. For a veteran with a spouse, it can reach $2,874 a month ($34,488 a year) in 2026. It's one of the most underused VA benefits, and many Arkansas veterans and surviving spouses who qualify never apply because they don't know it exists.
This guide walks through who qualifies, how much you can receive, how to apply, and where to get free help filing in Arkansas, including from the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs and your county veterans service officer.
In This Guide
- Key Takeaways
- What Is Aid and Attendance?
- Do You Qualify?
- 2026 Aid and Attendance Rates
- The Net Worth Limit and 3-Year Lookback
- How to Apply for VA Aid and Attendance in Arkansas
- Free Help in Arkansas: ADVA and County Veterans Service Officers
- How Aid and Attendance Works with Arkansas Medicaid
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Aid and Attendance?
Aid and Attendance (A&A) is an enhanced VA pension benefit for wartime veterans and their surviving spouses who need help with everyday activities. It isn't a separate program. It's an extra amount added on top of the base VA pension when you need regular care.
You may qualify if you need help with daily activities such as:
- Bathing or showering
- Dressing and undressing
- Eating or preparing meals
- Using the toilet
- Adjusting prosthetic devices
- Protecting yourself from everyday hazards
You can also qualify if you're bedridden, spend a large part of the day in bed because of illness, live in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity, or have severely limited eyesight (5/200 or less in both eyes).
A&A is tax-free, and the money can go toward any purpose, including in-home care, assisted living, or nursing home costs. That flexibility is part of what makes it so useful for Arkansas families piecing together long-term care.
Not sure whether your parent qualifies for Aid and Attendance? Check with Brevy's care navigator at brevy.com.
Do You Qualify?
To receive Aid and Attendance, you have to meet all four of these requirements.
1. Wartime service. The veteran must have served at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a recognized wartime period. Qualifying periods include World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War (which includes all post-9/11 service). Gulf War veterans need 24 months of continuous active duty, or the full period they were called up.
2. Age or disability. The veteran must be 65 or older, or permanently and totally disabled.
3. Need for assistance. The veteran or surviving spouse must need regular help with daily activities, be bedridden, be in a nursing home, or have severely limited eyesight as described above.
4. Net worth under $163,699. This is the 2026 limit. It counts your assets plus your annual income combined. Your primary home, one personal vehicle, and basic household items don't count.
Surviving spouses qualify too. If the veteran has passed away and the surviving spouse needs help with daily activities, they can apply for the Survivors Pension with Aid and Attendance, worth up to $1,558 a month in 2026.
2026 Aid and Attendance Rates
The VA calculates your payment as the difference between your countable income and the Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR) for your category. If your income is low enough, you receive the full amount. These rates are federal, so they're the same in Arkansas as anywhere else.
| Category | Annual Rate | Monthly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran, no dependents | $29,093 | $2,424 |
| Veteran with spouse | $34,488 | $2,874 |
| Two veterans married to each other (both A&A) | $46,143 | $3,845 |
| Surviving spouse | $18,697 | $1,558 |
| Veteran, no dependents (Housebound) | $21,313 | $1,776 |
| Veteran, no dependents (basic pension) | $17,441 | $1,454 |
| Each additional child | +$2,984 | +$249 |
Here's how the math works. If a veteran with a spouse has $12,000 in annual countable income and qualifies for A&A, the VA pays the difference: $34,488 minus $12,000 leaves $22,488 a year, or about $1,874 a month. Out-of-pocket medical expenses, including what you pay for care, reduce your countable income, which raises your benefit.
The Net Worth Limit and 3-Year Lookback
The 2026 net worth limit is $163,699. This combines your assets (savings, investments, and property other than your home) with your annual income.
What counts: bank accounts, stocks, bonds, investment property, IRAs, and other financial assets, plus your annual income.
What doesn't count: your primary residence, one personal vehicle, and basic household goods. The house you live in doesn't push you over the limit, which matters for the many Arkansas veterans who own their homes outright but live on a modest fixed income.
The 3-Year Lookback Rule
The VA reviews any assets you transferred for less than fair market value in the three years before you file your claim. If you gave away or sold assets below market value to get under the net worth limit, the VA may impose a penalty period of up to five years during which you won't receive pension benefits.
This rule exists to stop people from simply giving away savings to qualify. If you're thinking about transferring assets, talk to a VA-accredited attorney or an elder law attorney first. The penalty can be steep, so it's worth getting advice before you move money.
How to Apply for VA Aid and Attendance in Arkansas
The application takes two forms and a medical exam.
Step #1: Get a medical examination. Your doctor fills out VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance), documenting which daily activities you need help with and why. Be thorough. The more detail about specific limitations, the stronger the claim.
Step #2: Complete the pension application. If you're not already receiving VA pension, submit VA Form 21P-527EZ (Application for Veterans Pension), which covers your service history, income, net worth, and medical conditions.
Step #3: Submit everything. You can file online at va.gov, mail the forms, or file through an accredited representative such as your county veterans service officer. Filing online lets you save your progress and track the claim.
Step #4: Wait for a decision. The VA processes claims in the order received. Expect 3 to 6 months, sometimes longer. A complete application with strong medical documentation moves faster. Incomplete submissions are the most common reason for delays.
Documents to Gather First
- DD-214 (discharge papers) showing wartime service dates
- Medical records documenting the need for daily help
- Income documentation (Social Security and pension statements)
- Asset information (bank and investment statements)
- Marriage certificate, if claiming as a veteran with a spouse
- Death certificate, if applying as a surviving spouse
Free Help in Arkansas: ADVA and County Veterans Service Officers
You don't have to file this claim alone, and you should never pay to file an initial VA claim. Free, accredited help is available across Arkansas.
The Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA)
The Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs, known as ADVA, is the state agency whose mission is to connect Arkansas veterans and eligible dependents to the state and federal benefits they earned, including the federal VA pension and its Aid and Attendance enhancement. ADVA works through a statewide network of accredited county veterans service officers who advise claimants, help prepare the forms, and gather the supporting evidence a claim needs, all at no charge.
ADVA also operates two state veterans homes that provide around-the-clock skilled nursing and long-term care: the Arkansas State Veterans Home at North Little Rock and the Arkansas State Veterans Home at Fayetteville. Both homes deliver 24-hour nursing care from RNs, LPNs, and CNAs, along with hospice care, physical and occupational and speech therapy, and social-work support. Veterans, veterans' spouses, and Gold Star parents may apply; applicants need an honorable discharge and a documented medical need for nursing home care. For a veteran weighing assisted living or nursing care, an A&A award can help cover costs whether they stay at home or move into one of these homes.
County Veterans Service Officers
A county veterans service officer can prepare and submit your claim, develop the evidence the VA needs, and help you through the process, all at no cost to you. These officers are accredited representatives, which is what lets them work directly with the VA on your behalf. Because they handle pension and Aid and Attendance claims regularly, they know what evidence the VA looks for and how to document a strong case.
You can find your nearest county veterans service officer through ADVA's service-officer directory. Reaching out early, before a care crisis forces the issue, gives the officer time to gather records and file a complete claim the first time.
Arkansas's Veteran Population
Arkansas is home to roughly 200,000 veterans, who make up close to one in ten of the state's adults, according to the VA's National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. Many of them are older wartime veterans living on fixed incomes, exactly the group Aid and Attendance was built for, which is why it's worth checking eligibility even if you assume your income or savings might be too high.
A word of caution: be wary of companies that charge fees to help with VA claims. VA-accredited attorneys may charge for appeals, but the initial claim filing should be free through your county veterans service officer, ADVA, or a Veterans Service Organization like the VFW, American Legion, or DAV.
Need help finding a veterans service officer near you? Ask Brevy's care navigator at brevy.com.
How Aid and Attendance Works with Arkansas Medicaid
Aid and Attendance and Arkansas Medicaid are run separately, by different agencies and under different rules. A veteran can receive both at the same time, but the two count money differently, so a few points are worth understanding.
- Arkansas Medicaid long-term care is administered by DHS. The Arkansas Department of Human Services, through its Division of Medical Services, runs Arkansas Medicaid and its long-term services and supports for seniors who need nursing home or home- and community-based care.
- Arkansas is an income-cap state. For long-term-care Medicaid, applicants whose income is over the limit may still qualify by using a qualified income trust, also called a Miller trust. Confirm the current income limit with Arkansas DHS.
- The two programs cover different things. A&A can pay for costs Medicaid often doesn't, such as room and board in assisted living, while Medicaid may cover the care services themselves and long-term nursing care.
- How VA pension is counted can vary. Under the general federal rule for SSI-related Medicaid, the basic VA pension counts as income, while the Aid and Attendance and housebound portions paid to cover care are generally treated as unreimbursed medical expenses and excluded from countable income. Because the exact treatment varies by state and by case, confirm how your specific benefit is counted with Arkansas DHS or an accredited veterans service officer before applying.
For the bigger picture of how to protect assets and qualify for long-term-care Medicaid, start with our guide to Medicaid planning strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
The maximum depends on your situation. A veteran alone gets up to $2,424 a month, a veteran with a spouse gets up to $2,874 a month, and a surviving spouse gets up to $1,558 a month. These are federal rates, identical in Arkansas. Your actual payment is reduced by your countable income, and out-of-pocket medical expenses can lower that income and raise your benefit.
Contact your county veterans service officer or the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA). Their accredited staff prepare and submit VA claims for free. You should never pay to file an initial claim.
Yes. VA pension and Arkansas Medicaid are separate programs, and a veteran can receive both. The basic VA pension generally counts as income for Medicaid, while the Aid and Attendance portion paid for care is often excluded as an unreimbursed medical expense, though treatment varies by case. Because Arkansas is an income-cap state, confirm with Arkansas DHS or a veterans service officer before applying.
Usually 3 to 6 months, though complex claims can take longer. The most common cause of delay is an incomplete application, so have your doctor be detailed on VA Form 21-2680 and submit all supporting documents at once.
Learn More
- Medicaid Planning Strategies
- Assisted Living in Arkansas
- Nursing Homes in Arkansas
- Memory Care in Arkansas
- Cost of Senior Care in Arkansas
- Assisted Living vs. Nursing Homes in Arkansas
Find personalized help applying for VA Aid and Attendance in Arkansas at brevy.com.
The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.