VA Aid and Attendance can help an Illinois veteran or surviving spouse cover the cost of assisted living, adding up to $2,874 a month in tax-free pension income that can go straight toward a community's fees. The VA doesn't run assisted living facilities or pay them directly, but this benefit puts cash in the veteran's hands every month, and the way the VA counts assisted-living costs can help a family that thought their income was too high to qualify.

This guide walks through what assisted living costs in Illinois, how much Aid and Attendance pays, why your care bills can lower the income the VA counts against you, who qualifies, and how to get free help applying.

In This Guide

How Much Assisted Living Costs in Illinois

Assisted living in Illinois costs about $70,032 per year, roughly $5,836 per month, as a statewide median, according to the Genworth/CareScout 2024 Cost of Care Survey. That figure is on par with national costs overall, but it's a median: the Chicago metro typically runs higher, and downstate communities run lower.

For most families, that monthly bill is the central problem. Assisted living isn't covered by Medicare, and Illinois Medicaid covers it only through limited waiver programs. So the cost usually comes out of the resident's own income and savings. That's exactly the gap VA Aid and Attendance is built to help close.

Trying to work out whether a veteran in your family can afford assisted living? Chat with Brevy for a personalized look at how VA benefits could help.

How Aid and Attendance Helps Pay for It

Aid and Attendance is an increased monthly VA pension for wartime veterans, and surviving spouses, who need help with daily activities. It's paid as tax-free cash directly to the beneficiary, so the money can go toward assisted-living fees, an in-home aide, or any other care the family chooses.

Here's what the benefit pays in 2026:

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

Against an assisted-living bill of about $5,836 a month, a veteran's $2,424 covers roughly 40 percent of the median cost, and $2,874 for a married couple covers nearly half. It rarely pays the whole bill on its own, but combined with Social Security and savings, it can be the difference between affording a community and not.

How Assisted-Living Costs Lower Your Countable Income

The most misunderstood part of this benefit is that your assisted-living bill can actually help you qualify. VA Pension, including its Aid and Attendance increase, is needs-based: the VA pays the difference between your countable income and a set maximum pension rate. Because the benefit is keyed to countable income, you can deduct continuing, unreimbursed medical expenses (UMEs) from that income, and the cost of assisted-living care is one of the deductible categories.

There's a catch worth understanding: only the portion of your unreimbursed medical expenses that exceeds 5 percent of the applicable maximum pension rate is deductible. For 2026, that floor is $872 for a veteran with no dependents and $1,141 for a veteran with one dependent. So you subtract that floor from your annual care costs, and the rest comes off your countable income.

The practical upshot is significant: a veteran whose income looks too high at first glance can still qualify once a large recurring cost like assisted living is deducted, because those fees easily exceed the 5 percent floor and can substantially reduce, or zero out, countable income. Assisted-living costs count as a deductible medical expense when the facility provides health care or custodial care and the resident either qualifies for Aid and Attendance, or a physician or similar provider states in writing that the person needs that care.

Who Qualifies

To receive Aid and Attendance, the veteran must meet four basic tests:

  • Wartime service: at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a wartime period (WWII, Korea, Vietnam, or Gulf War/post-9/11). Gulf War service requires 24 months of continuous active duty or the full period called to active duty.
  • Age or disability: age 65 or older, or permanently and totally disabled.
  • Net worth under $163,699 for 2026, which counts assets and annual income but excludes the primary home, vehicles, and basic household items.
  • Need for aid and attendance: needing help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, or feeding yourself; being bedridden; being in a nursing home due to incapacity; or having severely limited eyesight.

The VA also enforces a 3-year look-back period on assets transferred for less than fair market value before filing, with a penalty period of up to 5 years. If you've given away assets recently, talk to an accredited representative before applying.

How Aid and Attendance Works with Illinois Medicaid (HFS)

Many Illinois families eventually need both Aid and Attendance and Medicaid, and the two programs interact in ways worth understanding before you rely on either. Illinois Medicaid is administered by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), and eligibility is determined by the Illinois Department of Human Services.

For nursing-home residents, Illinois uses a patient-liability, or applied-income, model: once a resident qualifies, essentially all of their monthly income must go toward the cost of care, except for a personal needs allowance (set at $60 per month for skilled nursing facility residents), Medicare premiums, and any protected allowance for a community spouse.

As a general federal rule, VA pension income is generally counted as income for Medicaid, but the portion that consists of Aid and Attendance paid for unreimbursed medical expenses may be treated differently and is often excluded from the income applied to the cost of care. Because this treatment depends on the specific situation and how the benefit is characterized, you should confirm with HFS, the Illinois Department of Human Services, or an accredited Veteran Service Officer before counting on it.

Sorting out how VA benefits and Illinois Medicaid fit together? Chat with Brevy's care navigator to understand 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), with a doctor's examination documenting the need for assistance.
  • VA Form 21P-527EZ (Application for Veterans Pension), if the veteran isn't already receiving a VA pension.

You can submit the forms online at va.gov, by mail, or through an accredited representative. Processing often takes 3 to 6 months or longer, so it's worth applying as soon as the need arises, even while your loved one is already in assisted living.

Don't do this alone. The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) provides free help through Veteran Service Officers who are trained and accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and who handle VA pension claims, including Aid and Attendance, at no charge. IDVA operates full-time and part-time offices across the state, and you can locate the nearest one through the IDVA online locator or by calling the department. Many Illinois counties also run Veterans Assistance Commissions (VACs) that offer free claims help.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. The VA doesn't operate assisted living facilities or pay them directly. Aid and Attendance is paid as monthly cash to the veteran or surviving spouse, who can then use it to pay an assisted-living community's fees.

In 2026, 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 Illinois's median assisted-living cost of about $5,836 a month, that covers roughly 40 to 50 percent of the bill.

Often, yes. The VA lets you deduct unreimbursed medical expenses above 5 percent of the applicable maximum pension rate ($872 for a veteran with no dependents, $1,141 with one dependent in 2026), and assisted-living fees are deductible. Those costs can substantially reduce or zero out your countable income, so apply before assuming you earn too much.

The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) provides free help through VA-accredited Veteran Service Officers at full-time and part-time offices statewide, and many counties run Veterans Assistance Commissions that also help at no charge.

Compare Care Settings in Illinois

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 Illinois 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.