VA Aid and Attendance in Montana is the same federal VA pension paid at a higher maximum rate when a wartime veteran needs 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. If your family is paying out of pocket for a parent's care, it's one of the first benefits worth checking.

This guide walks through who qualifies, how much you can receive, how to apply, and where to get free help filing in Montana, including from the Montana Veteran Affairs Division and its accredited Veteran Service Officers.

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 the same VA pension paid at a higher maximum rate when you need regular care, so the Aid and Attendance figure is the ceiling on the whole pension, not an amount paid on top of the basic rate. This guide covers that pension route. VA Form 21-2680 is also used to apply for Aid and Attendance that will be added to your monthly compensation benefits, so a veteran who receives VA disability compensation rather than a pension takes a different path.

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).

The VA pays A&A as cash to the veteran or surviving spouse, so the money can go toward in-home care, assisted living, or nursing home costs. That flexibility is part of what makes it so useful for Montana 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. How much service the VA requires depends on when the veteran started active duty. Someone who started before September 8, 1980 needs at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a wartime period. Someone who started as an enlisted person after September 7, 1980 generally needs at least 24 months, or the full period for which they were called or ordered to active duty, again with at least one day during wartime. A third branch covers an officer who started on active duty after October 16, 1981 and had not previously served on active duty for at least 24 months. Meeting any one of the three satisfies the service test. Recognized wartime periods include World War II, the Korean conflict, the Vietnam War era, and the Gulf War, which runs from August 2, 1990 through a future date to be set by law, so post-9/11 service falls inside it.

2. Discharge, plus age or disability. The veteran must have no dishonorable discharge, and at least one of these four must be true: they are at least 65 years old; they have a permanent and total disability; they are a patient in a nursing home for long-term care because of a disability; or they are getting Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income. Any one branch is enough. A permanent and total rating is not the only disability route: a wartime veteran under 65 who receives SSI qualifies on that branch alone, with no adjudicated rating.

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. The calculation includes your and your dependents' assets and income for VA purposes. Your primary home, your car, and basic home items don't count as assets.

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 Montana as anywhere else. The VA publishes them as annual maximums; a monthly payment is the yearly award divided by 12, which is how the monthly column below is figured.

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 $1,453
Each additional dependent +$2,984 +$248

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. The VA's calculation includes your and your dependents' assets and income for VA purposes.

What counts: bank accounts, stocks, bonds, investment property, IRAs, and other financial assets, plus your annual income.

What doesn't count as an asset: your primary residence, your car, and basic home items like appliances you wouldn't take with you if you moved. The house you live in doesn't push you over the limit, which matters for the many Montana 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 Montana

The steps below are the pension route, the one this guide covers: VA's condition is that "You may be eligible for this benefit if you get a VA pension." Form 21-2680 also covers Aid and Attendance added to monthly compensation benefits, so a veteran on VA disability compensation rather than pension should ask an accredited representative which route fits before filing.

1
Step 1

File an intent to file, if you're still gathering information

A claimant still assembling records can submit VA Form 21-0966 (Intent to File) first. Submitting an intent to file can secure the earliest possible effective date for any retroactive payments you may be eligible to receive, which matters while you wait on a medical examiner.

2
Step 2

Get a medical examination

A medical examiner fills out the examination information section of 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.

3
Step 3

Complete the pension application

A wartime veteran pursuing the pension route who is not already receiving a VA pension also submits VA Form 21P-527EZ (Application for Veterans Pension), which covers service history, income, net worth, and medical conditions. This is the wartime, means-tested pension form, so it is not the right form for a veteran seeking Aid and Attendance added to disability compensation.

4
Step 4

Add the nursing home form, if it applies

A claim for a patient in a nursing home will also need VA Form 21-0779 (Request for Nursing Home Information in Connection with Claim for Aid and Attendance). The form is required for a nursing-home claim; ask the facility or your Veteran Service Officer who should complete it.

5
Step 5

Submit everything

You can file online at VA.gov, mail the forms to the VA Pension Intake Center, apply in person at a VA regional office, or have an accredited representative such as a Montana Veteran Service Officer file for you. Filing online lets you save your progress and track the claim.

6
Step 6

Wait for a decision

Asked how long a decision takes, the VA's answer is "It depends." It processes claims in the order it receives them, unless a claim requires priority processing. Incomplete submissions are the most common reason for delays, so send everything at once.

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 Montana: MVAD and Veteran 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 Montana.

The Montana Veteran Affairs Division (MVAD)

The Montana Veteran Affairs Division, known as MVAD, is the state veterans agency, administratively attached to the Montana Department of Military Affairs. Its Montana Veteran Services Program is a no-cost resource staffed by nationally accredited Veteran Service Officers who prepare and submit VA compensation and pension claims, handle the appeals process, and provide advocacy and representation at VA hearings, as well as survivor benefit claims and military service records requests. Because Aid and Attendance is an increase to the VA pension, it falls squarely within the pension-claim help these officers provide.

MVAD runs this program statewide through a network of nine veteran service offices, located in Belgrade, Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Havre, Helena, Kalispell, Miles City, and Missoula. A Veteran Service Officer can develop the evidence the VA needs, prepare and submit your claim, and stay with you through an appeal, all without a fee.

Montana's State Veterans Homes

Montana also operates three state veterans homes, all managed by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) Health Care Facilities Practice: the Montana Veterans' Home in Columbia Falls, in the northwest, the Eastern Montana Veterans Home in Glendive, in the east, and the Southwest Montana Veterans Home in Butte. The Columbia Falls and Glendive homes both hold Medicare/Medicaid and Veterans' Administration certification. Admission to the Columbia Falls nursing program is open to honorably discharged veterans who served in the armed forces of the United States and who qualify for skilled or intermediate nursing care or domiciliary self-care living; spouses of veterans are admitted on a space-available basis, and a veteran and spouse may be admitted together if both qualify. For a veteran weighing assisted living or nursing care, an A&A award can help cover costs whether they stay at home or move into one of these homes.

Montana's Veteran Population

Montana is home to 85,247 veterans, according to the VA's National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics state summary for FY2023, and 46.5% of them are 65 or older. Because Montana is large and rural, it's worth contacting the nearest Veteran Service Office 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. The services an accredited Veterans Service Organization representative provides on a VA benefit claim are always free, and only accredited agents and attorneys may receive fees from claimants at all. Even they may charge only for representation provided after the VA has issued notice of its initial decision on the claim, so no one should charge you to prepare and file the initial pension application. A Montana Veteran Service Officer, or a VSO like the VFW, American Legion, or DAV, can file your initial claim at no cost.

How VA Aid and Attendance Works with Montana Medicaid

Aid and Attendance and Montana Medicaid are run separately, by different agencies and under different rules. Montana Medicaid for long-term care is administered by the DPHHS Senior and Long Term Care Division, which pays for nursing-home, home, and community-based care for residents who meet income and asset limits. A veteran can receive both A&A and Medicaid 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 Montana Medicaid. Under the general federal rule, the base VA pension counts as income for Medicaid, but the portion attributable to the Aid and Attendance allowance is generally not counted, because it offsets the unreimbursed medical and care expenses you pay. That exclusion applies at the eligibility step only: once you're eligible and living in a nursing facility or another medical institution, the A&A amount does count toward your share of cost, the part of your income you owe the facility each month. Not all of your income goes to the facility, though. Under 42 CFR 435.725(c) the agency has to deduct five amounts from your total income first, in this fixed order: (1) a personal needs allowance, (2) a maintenance allowance for a spouse still at home, (3) a maintenance allowance for other family members at home, (4) incurred expenses for medical or remedial care that no third party will pay, including Medicare and other health-insurance premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance, and (5) any SSI or state supplement you keep receiving. Those are deductions the agency owes you, not benefits you apply for, and the amounts are set at the state level, so ask DPHHS what Montana's are. That rule covers institutional care. Home and community-based waiver services fall under a separate federal post-eligibility rule that sets the maintenance allowance differently, so confirm the waiver figures with DPHHS separately.
  • The two programs cover different things. A&A can pay for costs 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.
  • The treatment is technical and turns on your exact circumstances. Because the income rules are detailed and depend on a household's specific situation, confirm how any VA pension income is treated before you rely on it.
  • Timing matters. Because VA pension income factors into Montana Medicaid, the order in which you apply can affect eligibility for one or both. Talk to DPHHS or an accredited Veteran Service Officer who understands both programs before you file.

If you're weighing how to protect savings while qualifying for long-term care, our guide to Medicaid planning strategies lays out the legal options.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does VA Aid and Attendance pay in Montana 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 Montana. 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 Montana?

Contact the Montana Veteran Affairs Division, which staffs accredited Veteran Service Officers through nine veteran service offices in Belgrade, Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Havre, Helena, Kalispell, Miles City, and Missoula. They prepare and submit VA claims for free. You should never pay to file an initial claim.

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

Yes. Many Montana veterans receive both. Under the general federal rule, the base VA pension counts as income for Medicaid, but the Aid and Attendance portion is generally not counted because it offsets your care expenses, and the programs can complement each other, with A&A covering costs Medicaid doesn't, like assisted living room and board. That exclusion applies when Medicaid decides whether you qualify; once you're eligible and in a nursing facility, the A&A amount does count toward your share of cost. It counts only after the deductions federal rules require the agency to make, in this order: a personal needs allowance, a maintenance allowance for a spouse at home, a maintenance allowance for other family members at home, incurred medical or remedial care expenses no third party will pay, and any SSI or state supplement you keep receiving (42 CFR 435.725(c)). Waiver services at home run under a separate federal post-eligibility rule with a different maintenance allowance, so ask DPHHS about the waiver math rather than assuming it matches. The rules are technical, so confirm the treatment with DPHHS or an accredited Veteran Service Officer before applying.

How long does it take to get approved?

Asked how long a decision takes, the VA's answer is "It depends." It processes claims in the order it receives them, unless a claim requires priority processing. The most common cause of delay is an incomplete application, so have the medical examiner be detailed on VA Form 21-2680 and submit all supporting documents at once.

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 TypesAssisted Living in MontanaAssisted living in Montana: how DPHHS licenses facilities in categories A, B, and C, what care costs, and what Medicaid and the Big Sky Waiver pay. Care TypesNursing Homes in MontanaNursing homes in Montana in 2026: costs run below the national median of about $114,975 a year for a semi-private room. Who pays and how to vet a facility. Care TypesMemory Care in MontanaMontana has no separate memory care license. Dementia care lives in assisted living as Category C, with enhanced staff training and a written health-care plan. Care TypesThe Cost of Senior Care in MontanaWhat senior care costs in Montana in 2026, on the CareScout 2025 survey: assisted living about $6,200 a month nationally, how Montana compares, and how to pay. Care TypesAssisted Living vs. Nursing Home in MontanaAssisted living vs. a nursing home in Montana: the care-level line, the cost gap (a nursing home runs roughly double), and who pays each one.
Your next step Find personalized help applying for VA Aid and Attendance in Montana 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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