VA Aid and Attendance can help pay for in-home care in Minnesota, turning a monthly VA pension into real money toward an aide, a homemaker, or a family caregiver. If your loved one is a wartime veteran who needs help with daily activities, this benefit can cover a meaningful share of the cost of staying at home. The hard part is usually knowing it exists and how to claim it.

This guide walks through what in-home care costs in Minnesota, how much Aid and Attendance pays, how your care costs can actually help you qualify, and where to get free help applying.

In This Guide

How Much In-Home Care Costs in Minnesota

In-home care is often the most affordable way to get help, but in Minnesota the bills run well above the national average. In its 2025 Cost of Care Survey, CareScout merged the former homemaker and home health aide categories into a single non-medical caregiver rate, with a national median of about $80,080 a year (about $35 an hour for 44 hours a week). CareScout reports that Minnesota's in-home care costs run above that national line, though it does not publish a defensible state-specific figure for 2025. These are industry-survey medians, not government figures, and costs vary across the state, with the Twin Cities metro running higher than rural Minnesota.

For many Minnesota families, that is well beyond what a fixed retirement income can absorb on its own. This is where Aid and Attendance comes in.

How Aid and Attendance Helps Pay for In-Home Care

Aid and Attendance is an increased monthly VA pension for wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need help with everyday activities. It is paid as tax-free cash, which means the family decides how to spend it, including on a home health aide, a homemaker, or a family caregiver.

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

At up to $2,424 a month for a veteran, the benefit can cover a meaningful share of non-medical caregiver care in Minnesota, and more when combined with the veteran's other income.

How In-Home Care Costs Lower Your Countable Income

VA Pension, including the Aid and Attendance increase, is needs-based: the VA pays the difference between your countable income and a yearly limit set by Congress called the Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR). The lower your countable income, the more the VA pays.

Here is the part families miss: continuing, unreimbursed medical expenses, including in-home care, lower your countable income when there is a documented care need. You can only deduct the portion of those expenses that exceeds 5% of your applicable MAPR. For 2026 that floor is $872 a year for a veteran with no dependents and $1,141 a year for a veteran with one dependent.

Think of it in annual terms. If a veteran with no dependents pays for in-home care, only the first $872 of that yearly cost is not deductible. Everything above that floor reduces countable income. With non-medical caregiver care running above the national median of about $80,080 a year in Minnesota, those costs can wipe out most or all of a veteran's countable income, which is exactly how someone whose income looked too high ends up qualifying.,

Who Qualifies

To be eligible for Aid and Attendance, the veteran must:

  • Have served at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a wartime period
  • Be 65 or older, or permanently and totally disabled
  • Need help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, or feeding, or be largely confined to bed
  • Have a net worth below $163,699 for 2026 (assets plus annual income, not counting the primary home)

The VA also applies a 3-year look-back on assets transferred for less than fair market value. Surviving spouses of wartime veterans can qualify under the survivor pension.

Using Aid and Attendance to Pay a Family Caregiver

Many families want a son, daughter, or spouse to provide the care. Aid and Attendance is paid as cash, so it can be used to compensate a family caregiver directly.

There is also a separate VA program built for this. Veteran-Directed Care gives a veteran a flexible budget to hire their own caregivers, including family members, with help from an Aging and Disability Network agency and a financial management service that handles payroll. Unlike some Medicaid programs, Veteran-Directed Care has no blanket ban on hiring a spouse. Ask your VA medical center's social work team whether it is available in your area.

How Aid and Attendance Works with Minnesota Medicaid

For Minnesota seniors who also need Medical Assistance, the state's Medicaid program administered by the Department of Human Services, to help pay for long-term care, the two programs interact. Minnesota treats Aid and Attendance differently from many states: under its Medical Assistance eligibility policy for the aged, blind, and disabled, VA Aid and Attendance benefits are counted as income and are not excluded. Once on Medical Assistance in a nursing facility, recipients generally contribute most of their income toward the cost of care after allowable deductions.

Because this is a state-specific treatment, Minnesota applicants should confirm how their specific VA pension and Aid and Attendance payments are counted with their County Veterans Service Officer and county Medical Assistance eligibility worker.

How to Apply and Get Free Help

Apply using VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance), which includes a doctor's exam documenting the care need. If the veteran is not already receiving a VA pension, also file VA Form 21P-527EZ (Application for Veterans Pension). You can file online at va.gov, by mail, or through an accredited representative. Processing often takes 3 to 6 months.

Do not do this alone. Every Minnesota county has a County Veterans Service Officer, and statewide there are over 170 certified officers who provide free claims assistance for VA pension and Aid and Attendance. You can reach the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs customer service line at 1-888-546-5838 or find your local officer. Minnesota law makes it unlawful for a County Veterans Service Officer to charge any fee, and only VA-accredited representatives may lawfully prepare a VA claim.

If the VA denies the claim or grants less than expected, the decision is not final. The veteran generally has one year from the date on the decision letter to choose one of three decision review options: a Supplemental Claim with new evidence, a Higher-Level Review by a more senior reviewer, or an appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals. Your County Veterans Service Officer can help file the review at no cost, and a Supplemental Claim with a stronger VA Form 21-2680 exam is often the fastest path after a denial for insufficient medical evidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Aid and Attendance pay for a home health aide in Minnesota?

Yes. Aid and Attendance is paid as monthly cash, so a veteran can use it toward a non-medical caregiver, in-home aide, or a family caregiver. With in-home care running above the national median of about $80,080 a year in Minnesota, the benefit can cover a meaningful share of that cost.

How much does Aid and Attendance pay in 2026?

Up to $2,424 a month for a veteran who needs help with daily activities, up to $2,874 for a veteran with a spouse, and up to $1,558 for a surviving spouse.

Does my income disqualify me if it is above the limit?

Not necessarily. Continuing in-home care costs count as unreimbursed medical expenses and lower your countable income, but only the portion above 5% of your MAPR (a floor of $872 a year for a veteran with no dependents) is deductible. Large care bills can reduce countable income enough to qualify.

Can I get free help applying in Minnesota?

Yes. Your County Veterans Service Officer helps with VA pension and Aid and Attendance claims at no cost; you can also reach the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs at 1-888-546-5838.

What if my Aid and Attendance claim is denied?

You generally have one year from the decision letter to respond. You can file a Supplemental Claim with new evidence, request a Higher-Level Review, or appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals, and your County Veterans Service Officer can help at no cost.

Compare Care Settings in Minnesota

Aid and Attendance can help pay for any care setting. See how it works for the others:

Learn More

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Your next step Find personalized help using VA benefits to pay for in-home care in Minnesota 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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