A wartime veteran in South Dakota who needs daily help with bathing, dressing, or eating can raise their pension to as much as $2,874 a month through VA Aid and Attendance. For a veteran with a spouse, that $2,874 a month ceiling works out to $34,488 a year in 2026, and the VA pays the difference between it and the veteran's countable income. It's one of the most underused VA benefits: many South Dakota veterans and surviving spouses who qualify never apply because they don't know the benefit exists.

This guide walks through who qualifies, how much you can receive, how to apply, and where to get accredited help filing in South Dakota, including from the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs and your county 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 a higher pension rate that applies when you need regular care: for a veteran with no dependents, the maximum annual pension rate rises from $17,441 to $29,093. Aid and Attendance can also be added to monthly VA compensation rather than a pension; this guide covers the pension route.

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 arrives as monthly cash, 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 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, the veteran must not have received a dishonorable discharge, and you have to meet all four of these requirements.

1. Wartime service. How much service you need turns on when you started active duty, and VA lists three paths, any one of which satisfies the test. A veteran who started active duty before September 8, 1980 needs at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a recognized wartime period. A veteran who started active duty as an enlisted person after September 7, 1980 generally needs at least 24 months, or the full period they were called or ordered to active duty (with some exceptions), again with at least one day during wartime. A veteran who was an officer and started active duty after October 16, 1981 meets the test if they hadn't previously served on active duty for at least 24 months. Recognized wartime periods include World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War era, and the Gulf War, which began August 2, 1990 and runs through a future date to be set by law or presidential proclamation.

2. Age or disability. The veteran must meet at least one of four alternatives: be at least 65 years old; have a permanent and total disability; be a patient in a nursing home for long-term care because of a disability; or be getting Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income. Any one of the four is enough on its own, so a wartime veteran under 65 who receives SSI meets this test without any permanent and total disability rating.

3. Need for assistance. The veteran or surviving spouse must need regular help with daily activities, have to stay in bed or spend a large portion of the day in bed because of illness, be a patient in a nursing home, or have severely limited eyesight as described above.

4. Net worth under $163,699. This is the 2026 limit. VA's net worth calculation includes your and your dependents' assets and your annual income for VA purposes, so income counts toward the limit, not assets alone. Your primary home, your car, and basic household items like appliances 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 VA Aid and Attendance Rates in South Dakota

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. The VA publishes the MAPR as an annual figure, and the monthly payment is that yearly amount divided by 12. These rates are federal, so they're the same in South 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
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. This combines your and your dependents' assets (savings, investments, and property other than your home) with your annual income for VA purposes, so checking savings alone against the limit gives you the wrong answer.

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

What doesn't count: your primary residence, your car, and basic household goods like appliances. The house you live in doesn't push you over the limit, which matters for the many South Dakota veterans who own their homes or farms 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 Dakota

The application takes a medical exam and, on the pension route, a pension claim. VA describes VA Form 21-2680 as the form used to apply for Aid and Attendance benefits that will be added to your monthly compensation or pension benefits, so the same form serves two routes. The steps below are the pension route, the one this guide covers: VA's condition there is that you may be eligible for this benefit if you get a VA pension. A veteran who receives VA disability compensation rather than a pension should ask an accredited representative about adding Aid and Attendance to that compensation, rather than filing the wartime, means-tested pension application in step 3.

1
Step 1

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

Submitting VA Form 21-0966 (Intent to File) first can, in VA's words, secure the earliest possible effective date for any retroactive payments you may be eligible to receive. The form covers disability, Veterans pension, survivors pension, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation claims, so it's worth filing while you wait on medical records or an examiner's schedule.

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

On the pension route, a wartime veteran who is not already receiving a VA pension also files VA Form 21P-527EZ (Application for Veterans Pension), the form a wartime veteran uses to file a pension claim. It covers your service history, income, net worth, and medical conditions.

4
Step 4

Submit everything

You can file online at va.gov, mail the forms to the VA Pension Intake Center, or file in person at a VA regional office; an accredited attorney, accredited claims agent, or accredited Veterans Service Organization representative, such as your county veterans service officer, can also help you file. Filing online lets you save your progress and track the claim.

5
Step 5

Wait for a decision

Asked how long a decision takes, VA answers, "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 strong medical documentation the first time.

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 Dakota: SDDVA and County Veterans Service Officers

You don't have to file this claim alone. Accredited help is available across South Dakota, and VA says the services an accredited VSO representative provides on your VA benefit claims are always free, while an accredited attorney or claims agent can charge you fees for their services.

The South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs (SDDVA)

The South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs, known as SDDVA, is the state agency created to assist veterans and their dependents in preparing claims for benefits from the federal VA, including pension benefits for certain wartime veterans. SDDVA doesn't decide your VA claim itself (the federal VA does that). As it describes the job, it acts as your advocate: it reviews the facts and circumstances of your claim, helps develop it before presenting it to the VA, makes sure the claim is properly filed, and monitors it as it moves through the VA claims process. You can reach SDDVA representatives in Sioux Falls at (605) 333-6869 or in Pierre at (605) 773-3269.

SDDVA also operates the state's single veterans home, the Michael J. Fitzmaurice State Veterans Home in Hot Springs. The 100-bed home provides long-term care and independent living to eligible South Dakota veterans and their spouses, widows, and widowers, with 78 nursing beds and 24 domiciliary beds for more independent residents. A veteran is eligible for admission if they qualify for per diem payment for domiciliary or nursing home care in a state home; a veteran domiciled in South Dakota within the past five years receives admission preference, as does a veteran who is a member of a federally recognized tribe located wholly or partly within the state. 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 you find local, hands-on help. Every South Dakota county has a county veterans service officer (CVSO), and some reservations have a tribal veterans service officer (TVSO). These officers serve as the local point of contact for South Dakota veterans and their dependents, and they provide assistance with taking applications for the various benefits programs available.

Most of these offices are in the county courthouse or the tribal office. If you're not sure who serves your area, SDDVA can point you to the officer for your county or reservation.

South Dakota's Veteran Population

South Dakota was home to 63,365 veterans in fiscal year 2024, out of 17,921,245 nationwide, according to the VA's National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. With many of those veterans now reaching the ages when daily-care needs arise, it's worth contacting a service 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. SDDVA states that it is accredited by service organizations including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and an accredited VSO representative's services on your VA benefit claims are always free.

How Aid and Attendance Works with South Dakota Medicaid

Aid and Attendance and South Dakota Medicaid are run separately, by different agencies and under different rules. South Dakota's Medicaid long-term care program is administered by the South Dakota Department of Social Services (DSS), which sets its own income and asset rules. A veteran or surviving spouse 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 South Dakota Medicaid. VA pension income is counted when DSS 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.
  • Medicaid nursing-home coverage can reduce your VA pension. Under general federal rules, once Medicaid is paying for nursing home care, the VA typically reduces a single beneficiary's pension, including the Aid and Attendance portion, to a small monthly personal-needs amount.
  • A&A counts toward your share of cost. At the eligibility step, South Dakota applies SSI income rules, under which the Aid and Attendance allowance is not counted as income at all, so only the basic pension counts toward the income limit. Once you are eligible for South Dakota Medicaid and living in a nursing facility, income that was disregarded in determining eligibility must be counted in the share-of-cost calculation, so the Aid and Attendance amount does count toward what you owe the facility. Not the whole amount, though: before the bill is set, the agency is required to deduct your incurred expenses for medical or remedial care that no third party pays, and that deduction is a duty the state owes you rather than something you have to request. If you receive home- and community-based waiver services instead of facility care, there is still a share-of-cost calculation, but it is not the facility one described here, so ask the South Dakota Department of Social Services which calculation applies to a waiver participant and exactly what it leaves you each month.
  • Timing matters. Because the exact treatment of A&A income and assets depends on program rules and individual circumstances, confirm the interaction with the South Dakota Department of Social Services and an accredited Veterans Service Officer before relying on it.

For strategies on protecting assets while qualifying for long-term-care coverage, see our guide to Medicaid planning strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does VA Aid and Attendance pay in South 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 South 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 South Dakota?

Contact your county or tribal veterans service officer, or the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs at (605) 333-6869 in Sioux Falls or (605) 773-3269 in Pierre. Every South Dakota county has a service officer, and some reservations have one as well. VA says the services an accredited VSO representative provides on your VA benefit claims are always free, while an accredited attorney or claims agent can charge you fees.

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

Often, yes. VA pension income is counted for South 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. Under general federal rules, once Medicaid pays for nursing home care, the VA usually reduces a single beneficiary's pension to a small personal-needs amount, and any remaining A&A amount counts toward your Medicaid share of cost once you are in a nursing facility, after the agency deducts the incurred medical or remedial care expenses no third party pays, which it is required to do. If you are on a home- and community-based waiver instead, there is still a share-of-cost calculation, but not that one, so ask the Department of Social Services which rule applies. Confirm the details with the South Dakota Department of Social Services and an accredited service officer before applying.

How long does it take to get approved?

Asked how long a decision takes, VA answers, "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

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Your next step Find personalized help applying for VA Aid and Attendance in South 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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