VA Aid and Attendance in Louisiana can add up to $2,874 a month ($34,488 a year) to a wartime veteran's pension when they need regular help with tasks like bathing, dressing, or eating. It's one of the most underused VA benefits, and many Louisiana veterans and surviving spouses who qualify never apply because they don't know it exists. Aid and Attendance is a federal benefit, so the rates are the same in Louisiana as anywhere else.

This guide walks through who qualifies, how much you can receive, how to apply, and where to get free help filing in Louisiana, including from the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs and its parish service offices.

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 Louisiana families piecing together long-term care.

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. Filing a new benefit claim in the months after losing a spouse is hard, and it often falls to someone already worn down by grief and caregiving. 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, and a parish counselor can carry most of the paperwork for them.

2026 VA Aid and Attendance Rates in Louisiana

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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana 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. When care costs are already draining a family's savings, it's tempting to move money quickly to get under the limit, but a fast transfer is exactly what triggers the penalty. Before you shift any assets, talk to a VA-accredited attorney or an elder law attorney who can weigh your options with you and help you avoid a penalty you didn't see coming.

How to Apply for VA Aid and Attendance in Louisiana

The application takes two forms and a medical exam. Gathering forms and medical records during a care crisis isn't easy, and it's exactly the kind of legwork a Veterans Assistance Counselor is there to take off your plate.

1
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.

2
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.

3
Step 3

Submit everything

You can file online at va.gov, mail the forms, or file through an accredited representative such as a Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs counselor. Filing online lets you save your progress and track the claim.

4
Step 4

Wait for a decision

The VA processes claims in the order received, and in practice a decision often takes several months or 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 Louisiana: LDVA and Parish Service Offices

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 Louisiana's parishes.

The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs (LDVA)

The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, known as LDVA, employs federal VA-accredited Veterans Assistance Counselors who staff service offices across the state's parishes. These counselors, all veterans themselves, file claims with the federal VA on behalf of Louisiana veterans free of charge, including for the Aid and Attendance enhanced pension. They also educate veterans on available state and federal benefits and represent them through the appeals process. You can find your nearest office using LDVA's locator or by calling (225) 219-5000. There is never a fee for this assistance, and only VA-accredited representatives may lawfully help prepare a VA claim.

Louisiana's State Veterans Homes

LDVA also operates five state veterans homes: the Northwest Louisiana Veterans Home in Bossier City, the Northeast Louisiana Veterans Home in Monroe, the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Home in Jennings, the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Home in Reserve, and the Louisiana Veterans Home in Jackson. The homes provide skilled nursing with around-the-clock RN coverage, long-term care, rehabilitative therapies, and a memory care wing for residents with Alzheimer's or other dementia-related diagnoses.

Eligible applicants include honorably discharged veterans with at least 90 days of active duty, eligible National Guard and Reserve members, and certain spouses and Gold Star parents. Per LDVA, veterans with a VA service-connected disability rating of 70% or higher are admitted free of charge; veterans rated below 70% pay a monthly fee of $2,424, which a VA Aid and Attendance pension may help offset, and spouses or Gold Star parents pay a monthly fee of $5,500. For a veteran weighing nursing or memory care, an A&A award can help cover costs whether they stay at home or move into one of these homes.

Louisiana's Veteran Population

Louisiana is home to a large veteran population, on the order of roughly 200,000 veterans, who make up about 6% of the state's adult population, according to the VA's National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. With that many veterans, demand on parish offices is real, so it's worth contacting yours 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 an LDVA parish service office or a Veterans Service Organization like the VFW, American Legion, or DAV.

How Aid and Attendance Works with Louisiana Medicaid

Aid and Attendance and Louisiana Medicaid, known as Healthy Louisiana and administered by the Louisiana Department of Health, 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 income doesn't automatically disqualify you from Louisiana Medicaid. For VA purposes, unreimbursed out-of-pocket medical expenses above 5% of the applicable Maximum Annual Pension Rate can be deducted from your countable income.
  • The two programs cover different things. A&A can pay for costs Louisiana Medicaid often doesn't, such as room and board in assisted living, while Medicaid may cover the care services themselves and long-term nursing care.
  • A VA pension generally counts as income for Medicaid. As a general federal rule, a VA pension counts as income for Medicaid, except that the portion attributable to unreimbursed medical expenses, and in many cases the A&A add-on used to pay for care, may be treated differently.
  • A nursing-home pension reduction can apply. Under federal law, a single veteran or surviving spouse with no dependents who is receiving Medicaid-funded nursing-home care has their VA pension reduced to $90 per month, and that $90 is kept by the veteran rather than paid to the facility.
  • Timing matters, and the treatment varies by case. Because the precise treatment of VA pension income under Louisiana's Medicaid rules can vary, confirm how your specific VA pension and A&A amounts are counted with the Louisiana Department of Health and an accredited benefits counselor before relying on either program to pay for care.

For the bigger picture of how Louisiana families pay for long-term care, start with our guide to the cost of senior care in Louisiana.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does VA Aid and Attendance pay in Louisiana in 2026?

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 Louisiana. Your actual payment is reduced by your countable income, and out-of-pocket medical expenses can lower that income and raise your benefit.

Where can I get free help applying in Louisiana?

Contact the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, which staffs accredited Veterans Assistance Counselors in parish service offices statewide, or call (225) 219-5000. Their counselors prepare and submit VA claims for free. You should never pay to file an initial claim.

Can I receive Aid and Attendance and Louisiana Medicaid at the same time?

Yes. A veteran can receive both. A VA pension generally counts as income for Louisiana Medicaid, but unreimbursed medical expenses can be deducted for VA purposes, and the programs can complement each other, with A&A covering costs Medicaid doesn't, like assisted living room and board. Because the precise treatment varies by case, confirm with the Louisiana Department of Health and a benefits counselor before applying.

How long does it take to get approved?

In practice, a decision often takes several months or longer, and complex claims can take more time. 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.

What if the VA denies my claim?

A denial isn't the end of the road. If the VA turns down your Aid and Attendance claim or grants less than you expected, you have three decision review options: a Supplemental Claim (submit new and relevant evidence the VA didn't have before), a Higher-Level Review (a more senior reviewer re-examines the same evidence), or an appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals (a Veterans Law Judge reviews your case). You generally have one year from the date on the decision letter to request a Higher-Level Review or a Board appeal. An LDVA Veterans Assistance Counselor or a VSO can prepare and file the review for you at no charge, and the VA benefits hotline is 800-827-1000 (TTY 711).

Learn More

MedicaidMedicaid Planning StrategiesSee which assets you keep, how the 5-year look-back works, and the legal moves that qualify you for Medicaid long-term care without losing the house. Care TypesCost of Senior Care in LouisianaWhat senior care costs in Louisiana in 2026: assisted living runs about $5,100 a month, a nursing home about $89,790 a year. See every setting and how to pay. Care TypesAssisted Living in LouisianaAssisted living in Louisiana runs about $5,100/month, well below the national median. The four ARCP license levels, what it costs, and who pays the bill. Care TypesNursing Homes in LouisianaNursing homes in Louisiana in 2026: a semi-private room runs about $89,790 a year, below the national median. How to check quality and how Medicaid pays. Care TypesMemory Care in LouisianaLouisiana has no separate memory care license, but any dementia program must put in writing what makes it special. See what to demand and what it costs. Care TypesAssisted Living vs. Nursing Home in LouisianaAssisted living vs. a nursing home in Louisiana comes down to care level and who pays: about $5,100/month private-pay vs. about $89,790/year for nursing care.
Your next step Find personalized help applying for VA Aid and Attendance in Louisiana 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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