A wartime veteran in North Dakota who needs daily help with bathing, dressing, or eating can collect up to $2,874 a month in 2026 through a VA pension add-on most families never claim. That benefit is VA Aid and Attendance, a federal pension that adds money to a veteran's monthly check, reaching $34,488 a year for a veteran with a spouse. Many North Dakota 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 North Dakota, including from the North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs and your county or tribal veterans service officer.

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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota

The application takes two forms and a medical exam.

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 your county or tribal veterans service officer. 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. 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 North Dakota: NDDVA and County Veterans 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 North Dakota.

The North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs (NDDVA)

The North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs, known as NDDVA, is the state agency that connects veterans and their families to the federal, state, and local benefits they earned, including federal VA pension benefits like Aid and Attendance. NDDVA doesn't decide your VA claim itself (the federal VA does that), but it works with a statewide network of VA-accredited service officers who advise veterans of their rights, complete and file the necessary forms, gather supporting documents, and represent veterans before the VA. All of this is provided free of charge, and you don't have to join any organization to get help.

NDDVA also helps oversee the North Dakota Veterans Home in Lisbon, on a campus along the Sheyenne River. The Home provides two levels of long-term care: a Basic Care unit, which offers assisted-living-style care for residents who are largely independent and need only minimal nursing services, with a capacity of about 98 beds; and a Skilled Nursing unit for residents needing more intensive nursing care, with a capacity of about 52 beds, roughly 150 beds in total. The Home serves honorably discharged veterans and their spouses, with admission requirements set by the facility. 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 the Home.

County and Tribal Veterans Service Officers

This is where the day-to-day help happens. North Dakota's county and tribal veterans service officers are VA-accredited, and their help is free. A service officer can prepare and submit your claim, develop the evidence the VA needs, and represent you on an appeal, all at no cost to you. You are not required to join any organization to receive assistance.

You can find your local service officer through the NDDVA "Find a Service Officer" directory. Because North Dakota is a rural state with offices spread across many counties, it's worth contacting yours early rather than waiting until a care crisis forces the issue.

North Dakota's Veteran Population

North Dakota has a relatively small but proportionally significant veteran population, in the range of roughly 38,000 to 40,000 veterans, according to the VA's National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. Veterans make up a notably high share of the state's adult population, so the service officers who handle these claims are an important resource. Contact yours early to get your claim moving.

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 your county or tribal veterans service officer, NDDVA, or a Veterans Service Organization like the VFW, American Legion, or DAV.

How Aid and Attendance Works with North Dakota Medicaid

Aid and Attendance and North Dakota Medicaid long-term care are run separately, by different agencies and under different rules. The VA administers A&A, and North Dakota Health and Human Services administers Medicaid. A veteran or surviving spouse can be eligible for both, but the two count money differently, so a few points are worth understanding.

  • A&A income doesn't automatically disqualify you from North Dakota Medicaid. VA pension income is counted when North Dakota Medicaid 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 North Dakota Medicaid long-term care may cover the care services themselves and nursing facility care for eligible low-income residents.
  • VA pension can be reduced for Medicaid nursing home residents. As a general federal rule, when an unmarried veteran or surviving spouse with no dependents is receiving Medicaid-covered nursing home care, the VA pension (including Aid and Attendance) is generally reduced to no more than about $90 a month, which the resident keeps as a personal needs allowance. This reduction is not automatic for married veterans or those with dependents or unreimbursed medical expenses.
  • Timing matters. Because the rules interact in complex ways and depend on marital status, dependents, and unreimbursed medical expenses, confirm your specific situation with a VA-accredited service officer and North Dakota HHS before relying on both benefits.

For the bigger picture of how to protect assets while qualifying for long-term care, see our guide to Medicaid Planning Strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does VA Aid and Attendance pay in North Dakota 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 North Dakota. 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 North Dakota?

Contact your county or tribal veterans service officer or the North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs (NDDVA). Their VA-accredited staff prepare and submit VA claims for free, and you don't have to join any organization to get help. You should never pay to file an initial claim.

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

Yes, a veteran or surviving spouse can be eligible for both. VA pension income is counted for North Dakota Medicaid, but unreimbursed medical expenses can be deducted, and the programs can complement each other, with A&A covering costs Medicaid doesn't, like assisted living room and board. As a general federal rule, though, the VA pension is reduced to no more than about $90 a month for an unmarried resident with no dependents receiving Medicaid-covered nursing home care. Talk to a VA-accredited service officer and North Dakota HHS before applying, because timing and your specific situation can affect eligibility.

How long does it take to get approved?

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

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 North DakotaAssisted living in North Dakota runs about $4,729 a month in 2026. How the state licenses assisted living and basic care facilities, and what Medicaid pays. Care TypesNursing Homes in North DakotaNursing homes in North Dakota in 2026: a semi-private room runs about $138,335/year, above the national median. What it costs, who pays, and how to choose. Care TypesMemory Care in North DakotaNorth Dakota has no stand-alone memory care license—it's a designation within basic care, nursing home, and assisted living rules. Here's how it works. Care TypesCost of Senior Care in North DakotaWhat senior care costs in North Dakota in 2026: assisted living about $56,745 a year, a nursing home about $138,335. See every setting and how to pay. Care TypesAssisted Living vs. Nursing Home in North DakotaAssisted living vs. nursing home in North Dakota: about $4,729/mo private-pay assisted living vs. $138,335/year skilled nursing, and who pays differs sharply.
Your next step Find personalized help applying for VA Aid and Attendance in North Dakota 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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