VA Aid and Attendance in New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire, including from the state's Division of Veterans Services.

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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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

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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire

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 New Hampshire Veterans Services 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 New Hampshire: The Division of Veterans Services

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 New Hampshire.

The New Hampshire Division of Veterans Services

The New Hampshire Division of Veterans Services, formerly the State Veterans Council and State Office of Veterans Services and now part of the New Hampshire Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services, helps state-resident veterans and their dependents secure the benefits they've earned under state and federal law, including VA pension with Aid and Attendance. Its state-employed Veterans Services Officers prepare and submit claims at no cost to the veteran.

The main office is in Manchester, and officers also hold appointments at additional sites including the Manchester VA Medical Center, Nashua, North Conway, Portsmouth, and the New Hampshire Veterans Home in Tilton. A Veterans Services Officer can develop the evidence the VA needs, file your claim, and represent you, all for free.

The New Hampshire Veterans Home

New Hampshire operates one state-run veterans home, the New Hampshire Veterans Home in Tilton, licensed for roughly 250 beds. It provides 24-hour long-term, custodial nursing care that ranges from minimal assistance through hospice and end-of-life care. It is not a Medicare-contracted skilled nursing facility, and many residents transfer in from a skilled nursing facility after rehabilitation. To be eligible, an applicant must have served on active duty (other than active duty for training) in the U.S. Armed Forces, or in reserve units or the New Hampshire Army or Air National Guard, and must have been honorably discharged. For a veteran weighing nursing care, an A&A award can help cover costs whether they stay at home or move into the Home.

New Hampshire's Veteran Population

New Hampshire is home to roughly 90,000 to 100,000 veterans, one of the higher per-capita veteran populations among U.S. states, according to the VA's National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. With that many veterans across a relatively small state, it's worth contacting a Veterans Services 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 the New Hampshire Division of Veterans Services 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 New Hampshire Medicaid

Aid and Attendance and New Hampshire Medicaid long-term care are run separately, by different agencies and under different rules. New Hampshire's Medicaid long-term care benefits, including nursing facility care and the home- and community-based Choices for Independence (CFI) waiver, are administered by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), which sets its own income and asset limits. A veteran may qualify for both, but the two count money differently, so a few points are worth understanding.

  • A&A income doesn't automatically disqualify you from New Hampshire Medicaid. VA pension income is counted when DHHS looks at your finances, but for VA purposes, unreimbursed medical and care expenses can be deducted from your countable income.
  • 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.
  • Institutional Medicaid can reduce your VA pension. Under federal rules, a single veteran with no dependents who is receiving Medicaid-funded nursing home care generally has the VA pension reduced to a small personal-needs allowance for the duration of that institutional Medicaid coverage.
  • Timing matters. Because A&A payments can affect Medicaid eligibility or your share-of-cost calculation, the order in which you apply can matter. Confirm with a NH DHHS caseworker and an accredited Veterans Services Officer before you rely on both.

For the bigger picture of how to protect assets and plan for long-term 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 New Hampshire. 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 New Hampshire Division of Veterans Services, part of the Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services, whose state-employed Veterans Services Officers prepare and submit VA claims for free. Officers serve veterans in Manchester, Nashua, North Conway, Portsmouth, and the Tilton Veterans Home, among other sites. You should never pay to file an initial claim.

A veteran may qualify for both, but the programs interact. New Hampshire Medicaid long-term care is run by DHHS, and VA pension income is counted toward its limits, though unreimbursed medical expenses can be deducted. If you enter Medicaid-funded nursing home care as a single veteran, the VA pension is generally reduced to a small personal-needs allowance. Confirm with a DHHS caseworker and an accredited Veterans Services Officer before relying on both.

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 New Hampshire 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.