VA Aid and Attendance in South Carolina 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina, including from the South Carolina Department of Veterans' Affairs and your county Veterans' Affairs officer.
In This Guide
- Key Takeaways
- What Is Aid and Attendance?
- Do You Qualify?
- 2026 Aid and Attendance Rates
- The Net Worth Limit and 3-Year Lookback
- How to Apply for VA Aid and Attendance in South Carolina
- Free Help in South Carolina: SCDVA and County Veterans' Affairs Officers
- How Aid and Attendance Works with South Carolina Medicaid
- 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina 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 |
| 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina
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 Veterans' Affairs 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 South Carolina: SCDVA and County Veterans' Affairs 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 South Carolina.
The South Carolina Department of Veterans' Affairs (SCDVA)
The South Carolina Department of Veterans' Affairs, known as SCDVA, is the state agency that helps veterans and their families file VA claims, including need-based VA pension and Aid and Attendance claims. Its accredited representatives can help you file a claim and, in some cases, assist with claims review and representation on an appeal, all at no cost to you. SCDVA advises veterans to file with the help of a veteran's representative, and you can reach the agency at 803.734.0200 to find an office near you.
SCDVA also oversees a network of state veterans homes that provide skilled or intermediate nursing care to eligible veterans: the E. Roy Stone Veterans Pavilion in Columbia, Veterans' Victory House in Walterboro, the Richard M. Campbell Veterans Home in Anderson, Veteran Village in Florence, Palmetto Patriots Home in Gaffney, and Patriot's Village in Sumter, the newest of the six. SCDVA assumed responsibility for these homes from the South Carolina Department of Mental Health in phases beginning July 1, 2024. To be admitted, you generally need to have separated from the Armed Forces under general or honorable conditions, qualify as a South Carolina resident, and require nursing care. 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 Veterans' Affairs Officers
You don't have to travel to Columbia to get help. County Veterans' Affairs officers are located throughout South Carolina, and their help is free. A county Veterans' Affairs officer can prepare and submit your claim, develop the evidence the VA needs, and in some cases represent you on an appeal, all at no cost to you. To find the office that serves your county, contact your local county Veterans' Affairs officer or call SCDVA at 803.734.0200.
South Carolina's Veteran Population
South Carolina is home to a large veteran population, on the order of roughly 340,000 to 350,000 veterans, and ranks among the states with the highest share of veterans in their adult population, according to the VA's National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. With that many veterans, demand on county offices is real, so it's worth contacting yours 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 your county Veterans' Affairs officer, SCDVA, 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 South Carolina Medicaid
Aid and Attendance and South Carolina Medicaid, called Healthy Connections and administered by the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS), are run separately, under different rules. A veteran may seek both, but the two programs can treat a VA pension differently, so a few points are worth understanding.
- A&A is a need-based pension increase. Aid and Attendance is an increased monthly VA pension for wartime veterans or surviving spouses who need another person's help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, or feeding, or who are in a nursing home due to disability.
- Out-of-pocket care costs can raise your VA benefit. When the VA determines your pension amount, it generally reduces your countable income by certain unreimbursed medical expenses, so what you pay out of pocket for care can increase the benefit.
- The two programs follow different income rules. Because eligibility rules and how a VA pension is treated as income differ between the VA pension program and South Carolina's Medicaid program, the same income can be counted differently by each.
- Confirm the treatment before you rely on it. A veteran applying for both should confirm the current treatment with SCDHHS (Healthy Connections) and an accredited representative before relying on a specific outcome.
If you're planning ahead for long-term care costs, our guide to Medicaid planning strategies walks through how families protect assets while qualifying for care.
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 South Carolina. Your actual payment is reduced by your countable income, and out-of-pocket medical expenses can lower that income and raise your benefit.
Contact your county Veterans' Affairs officer or the South Carolina Department of Veterans' Affairs at 803.734.0200. Their accredited staff prepare and submit VA claims for free. You should never pay to file an initial claim.
The two programs are separate, and how a VA pension counts toward Medicaid can differ from how the VA treats it. Because the rules differ between the VA pension program and South Carolina's Healthy Connections Medicaid, confirm the current treatment with SCDHHS and an accredited representative before relying on a specific outcome. Out-of-pocket care costs can reduce your countable income for VA purposes and raise your benefit.
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
- Medicaid Planning Strategies
- Assisted Living in South Carolina
- Nursing Homes in South Carolina
- Memory Care in South Carolina
- Cost of Senior Care in South Carolina
- Assisted Living vs. Nursing Homes in South Carolina
Find personalized help applying for VA Aid and Attendance in South Carolina 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.