VA Aid and Attendance can help a Colorado veteran or surviving spouse pay for assisted living, and for many families it's the difference between affording care and not. Assisted living in Colorado runs higher than most households can cover on Social Security alone, but this monthly VA pension benefit is designed for exactly this situation: an older veteran who needs help with daily activities and is paying for that help out of pocket.

This guide explains what assisted living costs in Colorado, how much Aid and Attendance pays, the medical-expense rule that lets large care bills lower the income the VA counts, who qualifies, how the benefit works alongside Health First Colorado, and where to get free help applying.

In This Guide

How Much Assisted Living Costs in Colorado

Assisted living in Colorado costs a median of about $70,521 per year, or roughly $5,877 per month, according to the Genworth/CareScout 2024 Cost of Care Survey, the most recent state-level data. That figure sits close to the national median, but it's a statewide midpoint: the Denver metro and mountain-resort areas run higher, while rural counties run lower.

A bill of nearly $6,000 a month is more than most retired households can cover from Social Security and a small pension. That gap is where Aid and Attendance comes in.

How Aid and Attendance Helps Pay for It

Aid and Attendance is a monthly cash benefit added to the VA pension for veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily activities. The money comes to the beneficiary directly, and you decide how to spend it, including paying an assisted living facility. The VA doesn't operate assisted living and doesn't pay the facility for you; it pays you, and you apply it toward the cost of care.

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

Set against Colorado's roughly $5,877 monthly assisted living bill, up to $2,424 covers a meaningful share of the cost for a veteran living alone, and up to $2,874 for a married veteran. It rarely covers the full bill on its own, but combined with Social Security and savings, it can make assisted living reachable.

Wondering how much Aid and Attendance could cover for your family? Chat with Brevy's care navigator for a quick estimate.

How Assisted-Living Costs Lower Your Countable Income

The VA pension, including its Aid and Attendance increase, is needs-based: the VA pays the difference between your countable income and a set yearly pension ceiling. What surprises many families is that the cost of care itself can lower the income the VA counts.

Here's the rule. You can deduct continuing, unreimbursed medical expenses from your countable income, but only the part that exceeds 5% of the applicable pension rate. For 2026 that 5% floor is $872 for a veteran with no dependents and $1,141 for a veteran with one dependent. Assisted living costs count toward this deduction when the facility provides health care or custodial care and the veteran qualifies for Aid and Attendance, or a physician or similar provider states in writing that the care is needed.

The practical upshot: a veteran whose income looks too high to qualify can still qualify once a large recurring bill like assisted living is deducted. At roughly $5,877 a month, a Colorado assisted living bill far exceeds either 5% floor, so most of it reduces countable income, often enough to substantially raise or unlock the benefit.

Who Qualifies

To qualify for Aid and Attendance, the veteran must meet four basic requirements:

  • Wartime service: at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a recognized wartime period.
  • Age or disability: be 65 or older, or permanently and totally disabled.
  • Care need: require help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, or feeding, or be a patient in a care facility due to physical or mental incapacity.
  • Net worth: a net worth under $163,699, which includes assets and annual income but excludes the primary home and vehicles.

The VA also applies a 3-year look-back on assets transferred for less than fair market value before filing, with a possible penalty period. A service-connected disability is not required for this benefit.

How Aid and Attendance Works with Colorado Medicaid (Health First Colorado)

A Colorado senior can potentially receive both Aid and Attendance and Health First Colorado, the state's Medicaid program administered by the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing, but the two programs interact and must be coordinated. They aren't an either-or choice in every case, yet they don't simply stack at full value either.

Under the general federal rule, paying for care can lower the income the VA counts, because the VA reduces countable income by qualifying unreimbursed medical expenses above its threshold. How that VA income is then treated for Medicaid eligibility and for the Medicaid long-term-care cost-share is governed by Medicaid rules, and in many situations the Aid and Attendance portion is treated differently from the base pension when someone is also on Medicaid in an institution.

Because the exact treatment is fact-specific, confirm how the two will work together with a county veterans service officer, Health First Colorado, or an accredited benefits counselor before relying on receiving both at full value.

Trying to understand how VA benefits and Health First Colorado fit together? Chat with Brevy to sort through your options.

How to Apply and Get Free Help

You apply for Aid and Attendance with two VA forms:

  • VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance), completed with a doctor's examination documenting the need for help.
  • VA Form 21P-527EZ (Application for Veterans Pension), if the veteran isn't already receiving a VA pension.

Forms can be submitted online at va.gov, by mail, or through an accredited representative, and claims often take 3 to 6 months or longer to process. You can apply while your loved one is already living in assisted living.

Don't do this alone. Colorado veterans can get free, accredited help filing VA pension and Aid and Attendance claims through the Colorado Division of Veterans Affairs and the network of county veterans service offices. Every county in Colorado has a veterans service office whose officers assist veterans and their family members with claims, applications, and appeals at no cost, so you don't need to hire a paid agent or attorney to apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. The VA doesn't operate or directly pay assisted living facilities. Aid and Attendance is paid to the veteran or surviving spouse as monthly income, and the family then applies it toward the facility's bill. The cost of that care can also count as a deductible medical expense that lowers the income the VA uses to calculate the benefit.

Assisted living in Colorado runs about $5,877 a month, while Aid and Attendance pays up to $2,424 for a veteran alone, up to $2,874 with a spouse, and up to $1,558 for a surviving spouse. The benefit typically covers a meaningful portion rather than the entire bill, and most families combine it with Social Security and savings.

Often, yes. Because the VA deducts continuing unreimbursed medical expenses above 5% of the applicable pension rate ($872 for a veteran with no dependents, $1,141 with one dependent in 2026), a large assisted living bill can reduce countable income substantially, sometimes enough to qualify a veteran who first appeared over the limit.

Through the Colorado Division of Veterans Affairs and your county veterans service office. Every Colorado county has one, and its officers help veterans and family members file VA pension and Aid and Attendance claims at no cost, so paid agents are unnecessary.

Compare Care Settings in Colorado

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

Learn More

Find personalized help paying for assisted living with VA benefits in Colorado 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.