VA Aid and Attendance in Louisiana 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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana, including from the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs and its parish service offices.
In This Guide
- Key Takeaways
- What Is Aid and Attendance?
- Do You Qualify?
- 2026 Aid and Attendance Rates
- The Net Worth Limit and 3-Year Lookback
- How to Apply for VA Aid and Attendance in Louisiana
- Free Help in Louisiana: LDVA and Parish Service Offices
- How Aid and Attendance Works with Louisiana Medicaid
- Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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 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. 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 Louisiana
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 a Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs counselor. 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 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.
Need help finding a veterans service officer near you? Ask Brevy's care navigator at brevy.com.
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.
- 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
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.
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.
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.
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
- Medicaid Planning Strategies
- Cost of Senior Care in Louisiana
- Assisted Living in Louisiana
- Nursing Homes in Louisiana
- Memory Care in Louisiana
- Assisted Living vs. Nursing Home in Louisiana
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.