VA Aid and Attendance in Pennsylvania 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. In 2026 it can reach $2,874 a month ($34,488 a year) for a veteran with a spouse, and a veteran alone can receive up to $2,424. It's one of the most underused VA benefits, and many Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania, including from the state's Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and your County Director of Veterans Affairs.
In This Guide
- Key Takeaways
- What Is Aid and Attendance?
- Do You Qualify?
- 2026 Aid and Attendance Rates in Pennsylvania
- The Net Worth Limit and 3-Year Lookback
- How to Apply in Pennsylvania
- Free Help in Pennsylvania: DMVA and County Directors of Veterans Affairs
- How Aid and Attendance Works with Pennsylvania Medical Assistance
- 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 Pennsylvania 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.
2026 Aid and Attendance Rates in Pennsylvania
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 VA Aid and Attendance in Pennsylvania pays exactly what it pays in any other state.
| 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 (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 Pennsylvania families whose main asset is a long-held home.
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 VA lookback is separate from Pennsylvania Medicaid's own five-year lookback, and the two sets of rules don't line up, so a move that helps with one can hurt the other.
How to Apply in Pennsylvania
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 your County Director of Veterans Affairs. 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 Pennsylvania: DMVA and County Directors of Veterans Affairs
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 in every county.
The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA)
The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, known as DMVA, is the state's lead advocate for its nearly 700,000 veterans. DMVA connects veterans and families to earned state and federal benefits and points them to the County Director of Veterans Affairs for hands-on claim help. In 2024 the department reported helping Pennsylvania veterans secure more than $1 billion in compensation and pension benefits. You can reach DMVA's general line at 1-800-547-2838.
DMVA also runs six Pennsylvania state veterans homes: the Delaware Valley Veterans' Home in Philadelphia, the Gino J. Merli Veterans' Center in Scranton, the Hollidaysburg Veterans' Home near Altoona, the Pennsylvania Soldiers' and Sailors' Home in Erie, the Southeastern Veterans' Center in Spring City, and the Southwestern Veterans' Center near Pittsburgh. These homes offer varying levels of long-term care to eligible veterans. 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.
County Directors of Veterans Affairs
Every Pennsylvania county has a County Director of Veterans Affairs, often based at the county courthouse. These directors are accredited veterans service officers, and they help veterans and dependents identify benefits, determine eligibility, and prepare and file applications for county, state, and federal benefits, including the VA pension and Aid and Attendance. Their help is free, and DMVA is blunt that you should never pay anyone to apply for benefits you earned. Accredited veterans service organizations such as the VFW, American Legion, and DAV also file these claims at no charge.
Pennsylvania Programs That Stack on Top of A&A
Pennsylvania runs its own veteran programs that can sit alongside a federal A&A award:
- Veterans Temporary Assistance provides up to $1,600 in a 12-month period for necessities like food, shelter, fuel, and clothing for eligible veterans and beneficiaries.
- The Disabled Veterans' Real Estate Tax Exemption can wipe out real estate taxes on the primary home of a 100 percent permanently service-connected disabled veteran (or a qualifying surviving spouse), subject to a financial-need test.
Eligibility and dollar limits for these state programs change, so confirm current criteria with your County Director of Veterans Affairs or DMVA before counting on them.
Need help finding your County Director of Veterans Affairs? Ask Brevy's care navigator at brevy.com.
How Aid and Attendance Works with Pennsylvania Medical Assistance
Aid and Attendance and Pennsylvania Medical Assistance, the state's Medicaid program, 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 Medical Assistance. VA pension income is counted when Medical Assistance looks at your finances, but unreimbursed medical and care expenses can reduce your countable income for VA purposes.
- The two programs cover different things. A&A can pay for costs Medical Assistance often doesn't, such as room and board in assisted living, while Medical Assistance, largely through Community HealthChoices, may cover the long-term care services themselves.
- Timing matters. Because VA pension income factors into Medical Assistance, the order in which you apply can affect eligibility for one or both. Talk to a benefits counselor who understands both programs before you file.
For the bigger picture of how Medical Assistance pays for care, see our guide to Pennsylvania Medicaid and our funding map for paying for senior care in Pennsylvania.
Frequently Asked Questions
The maximum depends on your situation. A veteran alone gets up to $2,424 a month, a veteran with a spouse up to $2,874 a month, and a surviving spouse up to $1,558. These are federal rates, identical in Pennsylvania. Your actual payment is reduced by your countable income, and out-of-pocket medical expenses can lower that income and raise your benefit.
Yes. Many Pennsylvania veterans receive both. VA pension income is counted for Medical Assistance, but unreimbursed medical expenses can be deducted, and the programs can complement each other, with A&A covering costs Medical Assistance doesn't, like assisted living room and board. Talk to a benefits counselor before applying, because the order you apply in can affect eligibility.
Contact your County Director of Veterans Affairs, often located at the county courthouse, or the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs at 1-800-547-2838. These accredited officers prepare and submit VA claims for free. You should never pay to file an initial claim.
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
- Medicare Plans and Coverage in Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania Medicaid: The Brevy Pillar Guide
- How to Pay for Senior Care in Pennsylvania
- Nursing Homes in Pennsylvania
- Your Complete Guide to Being a Family Caregiver in Pennsylvania
Find personalized help applying for VA Aid and Attendance in Pennsylvania 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.