VA Aid and Attendance can help pay for in-home care in Arkansas, and most families don't realize how flexible it is. It's a monthly cash benefit paid directly to the veteran, who decides how to spend it: a home health aide, a homemaker, or even a family member providing the care. For a wartime veteran or surviving spouse who needs help with daily activities, it can be what keeps them at home.

This guide explains what in-home care costs in Arkansas, how much Aid and Attendance pays, who qualifies, and how the benefit works alongside Arkansas Medicaid.

In This Guide

How Much In-Home Care Costs in Arkansas

In-home care is one of the more affordable ways to get senior care in Arkansas, but the bills still add up. According to the CareScout (Genworth) 2024 Cost of Care Survey, a home health aide or homemaker in Arkansas costs about $59,488 per year, or roughly $4,957 per month, based on a 44-hour-per-week schedule. That's among the lower figures in the country, but still a heavy load for a fixed income.

Costs vary within the state and rise as care needs grow. This is exactly the kind of expense Aid and Attendance is designed to offset.

How Aid and Attendance Helps Pay for In-Home Care

Aid and Attendance is an increased monthly VA pension for wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily activities. It is paid as cash directly to the veteran, who decides how to use it. There is no requirement to spend it at a particular agency, so it can pay for a home health aide, a homemaker, or a family caregiver.

Category Monthly Amount
Veteran alone Up to $2,424
Veteran with spouse Up to $2,874
Surviving spouse Up to $1,558

At up to $2,424 a month for a veteran, the benefit covers a large share of Arkansas's roughly $4,957 monthly cost for in-home care, and at up to $2,874 for a veteran with a spouse it covers even more. Keep in mind the VA pays the veteran; the veteran arranges and pays for the care.

How In-Home Care Costs Lower Your Countable Income

VA pension, including the Aid and Attendance increase, is a needs-based benefit: the VA pays the difference between your countable income and a set annual limit. Continuing, out-of-pocket care costs, such as paying a home health aide, count as unreimbursed medical expenses (UMEs) that reduce the income the VA counts, which is why many veterans who look "too rich" on paper still qualify once their care bills are subtracted.

Only the portion of those expenses above 5% of the applicable annual pension limit is deductible. For 2026 that floor is about $872 per year for a veteran with no dependents and $1,141 per year for a veteran with one dependent. So if a veteran pays $59,488 a year for in-home care, nearly all of it counts against income once the first roughly $872 is set aside. In-home and attendant care qualify as deductible expenses when the veteran has a documented need for that care.

Who Qualifies

To qualify for Aid and Attendance, a veteran generally must:

  • Have served at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a wartime period
  • Be 65 or older, or permanently and totally disabled
  • Need help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, or feeding, or be housebound
  • Have a net worth below $163,699 (this limit includes assets and annual income but excludes the primary home and vehicle)

The VA enforces a 3-year look-back on assets transferred for less than fair market value before filing. A surviving spouse can qualify under the Survivors Pension using the same net worth limit.

Using Aid and Attendance to Pay a Family Caregiver

Many families want to keep care in the family, and there are two ways VA benefits make that possible. First, because Aid and Attendance is cash paid to the veteran, the veteran can simply use it to pay a relative who provides care.

Second, the Veteran-Directed Care (VDC) program gives the veteran a flexible monthly budget to hire their own caregivers, including family members. The veteran (or their representative) decides who provides care and how to spend the budget, and a financial management service handles payroll and taxes. Unlike many Medicaid programs, VDC has no blanket ban on hiring a spouse. To ask about VDC, contact your local VA medical center's social work or geriatrics department.

How Aid and Attendance Works with Arkansas Medicaid

VA pension with Aid and Attendance and Arkansas Medicaid are separate programs that can work together when a veteran needs long-term care. The Arkansas Department of Human Services administers Arkansas Medicaid and its long-term services and supports, and Arkansas is an income-cap state, so applicants over the income limit may still qualify by using a qualified income trust (Miller trust).

Under the general federal rule, the basic VA pension counts as income, but the Aid and Attendance and housebound portions paid to cover the cost of care are generally treated as unreimbursed-medical-expense income that is excluded from countable income. Because the exact treatment varies by state and case, confirm how your specific VA benefit is counted with Arkansas DHS or an accredited veterans service officer before applying.

How to Apply and Get Free Help

To apply for Aid and Attendance, submit VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance), with a doctor's exam documenting the need for help. If you are not already receiving a VA pension, also file VA Form 21P-527EZ (Application for Veterans Pension). Claims commonly take 3 to 6 months.

Don't do this alone. The Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs and its network of county Veterans Service Officers help veterans and survivors prepare and file VA pension and Aid and Attendance claims at no charge. A service officer advises the claimant and helps gather the supporting evidence a claim requires.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Aid and Attendance is paid as cash to the veteran, who can use it for a home health aide, a homemaker, or other in-home care. With in-home care in Arkansas running about $4,957 a month, the benefit of up to $2,424 (or up to $2,874 with a spouse) covers a large share of the cost.

No. The VA pays the veteran a monthly cash benefit; the veteran arranges and pays for the care. That's what makes the benefit flexible enough to cover an agency aide or a family caregiver.

Often not. Out-of-pocket in-home care counts as an unreimbursed medical expense that lowers the income the VA counts, but only the portion above about $872 a year (or $1,141 with one dependent) is deductible. Large care bills can reduce countable income enough to qualify.

Yes, the two are separate programs and can be received together. Because Arkansas is an income-cap state and the treatment of VA income varies by case, confirm your situation with Arkansas DHS or an accredited veterans service officer.

Compare Care Settings in Arkansas

Aid and Attendance can help pay for any care setting. See how it works for the others:

Learn More

Find personalized help using VA benefits to pay for in-home care 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.

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Brevy Care Team

Expert eldercare guidance from Brevy's team of healthcare professionals and researchers.