VA Aid and Attendance in Indiana 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 Indiana 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 Indiana, including from the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs and your County Veterans Service Officer.

In This Guide

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 Indiana 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 Indiana 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 Indiana 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 Indiana

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 Indiana: IDVA 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 Indiana.

The Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA)

The Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs, known as IDVA, is the state agency whose mission is to help Hoosier veterans, service members, their dependents, and survivors obtain every benefit due them under the laws of Indiana and the United States, including federal VA pension benefits like Aid and Attendance. IDVA doesn't decide your VA claim itself (the federal VA does that), but it works with a statewide network of service officers who help with information and prepare your paperwork at no charge.

The state also operates the Indiana Veterans' Home (IVH) in West Lafayette, a full-service facility that has cared for Hoosier veterans since 1896. Set on a campus of more than 250 acres, IVH offers skilled nursing care, long-term residential care, short-term rehabilitation, and memory care. Eligibility to apply extends to honorably discharged veterans, a veteran's spouse or surviving spouse, and Gold Star parents; applicants generally need to have been an Indiana resident for at least one year before applying (residency waivers may apply), and there is no wartime-service requirement, since all periods of service are accepted. For a veteran weighing nursing or memory care, an A&A award can help cover costs whether they stay at home or move into the home.

County Veterans Service Officers

A County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO) works under the supervision of the IDVA Director and assists veterans, dependents, and survivors in obtaining state and federal benefits, completing the applications on their behalf. A CVSO can prepare and submit your Aid and Attendance claim, gather the evidence the VA needs, and guide you through the process, all at no cost to you. Because they are certified and accredited, they know how to document a claim so it moves through the VA cleanly the first time.

Indiana is home to a large veteran population, with hundreds of thousands of veterans living across the state, according to the VA's National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. With that many veterans relying on the same network, it's worth contacting your County Veterans Service Officer early rather than waiting until a care crisis forces the issue.

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, IDVA, 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 Indiana Medicaid

Aid and Attendance and Indiana 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.

  • A&A is an increase to your VA pension, not a standalone benefit. It's paid as an extra monthly amount added to a qualified veteran's or survivor's pension, which is why it interacts with other income-tested programs.
  • Indiana Medicaid covers long-term care for aged, blind, and disabled Hoosiers. That includes institutional nursing-facility coverage and home- and community-based pathways, and, as of July 1, 2024, the Indiana PathWays for Aging program for members age 60 and older, administered by the Family and Social Services Administration's Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning (OMPP).
  • Unreimbursed medical expenses can lower your countable income. Under general federal pension rules, VA pension (including the A&A increase) is counted as income, but the cost of care you actually pay out of pocket can reduce the income that counts for VA pension purposes; for VA, only the portion of medical expenses above 5% of the MAPR is deductible.
  • How a VA pension is treated for Medicaid depends on your pathway. Because the treatment varies by the specific Indiana Medicaid pathway and a household's circumstances, confirm your situation with a County Veterans Service Officer and the Indiana Medicaid eligibility office before relying on any single rule.

For the bigger picture of how to protect assets while qualifying for care, 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 Indiana. 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 Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA). Their certified, accredited staff prepare and submit VA claims for free. You should never pay to file an initial claim.

Yes. A veteran can receive both, though the programs count money differently. VA pension (including the A&A increase) is counted as income, but unreimbursed medical expenses can reduce what counts for VA purposes. Because Medicaid treatment varies by pathway, confirm your situation with a County Veterans Service Officer and the Indiana Medicaid eligibility office 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

Find personalized help applying for VA Aid and Attendance in Indiana 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.