VA Aid and Attendance can help a Delaware veteran or surviving spouse pay for assisted living, adding up to $2,874 a month in tax-free income that you can put directly toward the cost of care. Assisted living in Delaware runs well above the national median, so for many families this benefit is the difference between affording a good community and going without.
This guide walks through what assisted living costs in Delaware, how much Aid and Attendance pays, why your care costs can lower the income the VA counts against you, who qualifies, and how to apply with free help from the state.
In This Guide
- Key Takeaways
- How Much Assisted Living Costs in Delaware
- How Aid and Attendance Helps Pay for It
- How Assisted-Living Costs Lower Your Countable Income
- Who Qualifies
- How Aid and Attendance Works with Delaware Medicaid
- How to Apply and Get Free Help
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Learn More
How Much Assisted Living Costs in Delaware
Assisted living in Delaware is expensive. According to the Genworth/CareScout 2024 Cost of Care Survey, assisted living in the state runs about $8,558 per month (roughly $102,690 per year), compared with a national median of about $70,800 per year. That is a survey median, not a government figure, and the actual price varies by community and rises as care needs grow.
At that level, a Social Security check rarely covers the bill on its own. This is where VA Aid and Attendance can make a real difference, because the benefit pays tax-free cash that you can apply directly to the cost of a community.
Trying to work out whether a veteran in your family qualifies? Chat with Brevy for a quick, no-cost eligibility check.
How Aid and Attendance Helps Pay for It
Aid and Attendance is an increased monthly pension the VA pays on top of a qualifying veteran's or survivor's basic pension when they need help with daily activities. The money comes to the veteran as cash, and you decide how to spend it, including putting it toward assisted living.
The VA does not run assisted living facilities and does not pay a community directly. Instead, the benefit raises the veteran's monthly income, and the family uses that income to help cover 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 |
These are 2026 maximums, effective December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026. Against Delaware's roughly $8,558 monthly assisted living cost, $2,874 covers a meaningful slice of the bill, and it stacks on top of Social Security and any other income the household already has.
How Assisted-Living Costs Lower Your Countable Income
VA Pension, including its Aid and Attendance increase, is a needs-based benefit. The VA pays the difference between the veteran's countable income and a maximum yearly pension rate set by Congress. Because the benefit is keyed to income, your continuing, unreimbursed medical and care costs can be deducted to lower that countable income.
The rule has a floor: only the portion of those costs that exceeds 5% of your applicable pension rate is deductible. For 2026, that 5% threshold 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 community provides health or custodial care and the veteran qualifies for Aid and Attendance, or a physician (or qualifying clinician) states in writing that the veteran needs that level of care. The practical upshot: a veteran whose income looks too high to qualify can still qualify once a large recurring cost like Delaware's $8,558-a-month assisted living is subtracted from countable income, often reducing it close to zero.
Who Qualifies
To be eligible for Aid and Attendance, the veteran must meet several requirements.
- Wartime service: at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a recognized wartime period (WWII, Korea, Vietnam, or the Gulf War era). Gulf War service has longer active-duty requirements.
- Age or disability: the veteran is 65 or older, or permanently and totally disabled.
- Need for aid and attendance: the veteran needs help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, or feeding, is bedridden, is in a facility due to disability, or has severely limited eyesight.
- Net worth under $163,699: this limit counts assets and annual income but excludes the primary home, vehicles, and basic household items.
The VA enforces a 3-year look-back on assets transferred for less than fair market value, with a penalty period that can run up to 5 years.
How Aid and Attendance Works with Delaware Medicaid
Many Delaware families combine VA benefits with Medicaid, and the way the two interact matters. Delaware's long-term care Medicaid is administered by the Division of Medicaid & Medical Assistance (DMMA) within Delaware Health and Social Services.
As a general rule, a veteran's basic VA pension counts as income for Medicaid, but the Aid and Attendance allowance paid above the basic pension is generally not counted toward the Medicaid income limit. Delaware long-term care Medicaid also allows certain unreimbursed medical expenses, such as Medicaid-noncovered equipment, dentures, hearing aids, and private health insurance premiums, to be protected from the income a resident must pay toward facility care.
Income rules and limits change, and these programs interact in ways that depend on a veteran's specific situation. Confirm your circumstances with DMMA and a VA-accredited Veteran Service Officer before making decisions.
Not sure how VA benefits and Delaware Medicaid fit together? Chat with Brevy to sort through the 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 is not already receiving VA pension.
Forms can be submitted online at va.gov, mailed, or filed through an accredited representative. Claims often take 3 to 6 months or longer to process.
Do not file alone. Delaware veterans can get free help filing VA pension and Aid and Attendance claims from Veteran Service Officers employed by the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs / Office of Veterans Services. These VSOs are State of Delaware employees, specially trained and accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and an accredited Veteran Service Officer never charges for claims services. You can reach the office at DOS_OVS@delaware.gov or (302) 739-2792 to schedule an appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The VA does not run assisted living facilities and does not pay a community on your behalf. Aid and Attendance is an increased monthly pension paid to the veteran or surviving spouse, and the family uses that cash to help cover the cost of assisted living.
In 2026, the maximum is up to $2,424 a month for a veteran alone, up to $2,874 for a veteran with a spouse, and up to $1,558 for a surviving spouse. Against Delaware's assisted living median of about $8,558 a month, that covers a meaningful share of the bill alongside other income.
Possibly. The VA deducts continuing, unreimbursed care costs above 5% of your pension rate from countable income, and that floor is $872 for a veteran with no dependents or $1,141 with one dependent in 2026. A large recurring cost like assisted living can reduce countable income close to zero, so a veteran who looked over the limit may still qualify.
For 2026, the net worth limit is $163,699, counting assets and annual income but excluding the primary home, vehicles, and basic household items. The VA also applies a 3-year look-back on assets transferred for less than fair market value.
Compare Care Settings in Delaware
Aid and Attendance can help pay for any care setting. See how it works for the others:
- How Aid and Attendance Pays for a Nursing Home in Delaware
- How Aid and Attendance Pays for In-Home Care in Delaware
- How Aid and Attendance Pays for Memory Care in Delaware
Learn More
- VA Aid and Attendance in Delaware
- VA Benefits for Senior Care in Delaware
- Assisted Living in Delaware
- How VA Aid and Attendance Pays for Assisted Living
- VA Benefits for Senior Care: A Complete Guide
Find personalized help paying for assisted living with VA benefits in Delaware 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.