In 2026, VA Aid and Attendance can bring a Virginia wartime veteran's pension up to $2,874 a month when they need daily help with tasks like bathing, dressing, or eating. That works out to $34,488 a year for a veteran with a spouse, and it's one of the most underused VA benefits: many Virginia 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 Virginia, including from the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and its statewide network of benefit offices.

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 the same VA pension paid at a higher maximum rate when you need regular care, so the Aid and Attendance figure caps the entire pension, and it is not a number you add to the basic rate. The pension isn't the only route, though: VA Form 21-2680 covers an Aid and Attendance amount added to monthly compensation as well as to pension benefits, so a veteran who receives VA disability compensation rather than a pension uses that form too. This guide follows the pension route, which is the one VA describes for veterans who get a VA pension.

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).

The award arrives as cash in the monthly pension check, so Virginia families commonly put it toward in-home care, assisted living, or nursing home costs.

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, and no dishonorable discharge. The veteran must not have received a dishonorable discharge. The length of service the VA requires turns on when active duty started, not on which war the veteran served in, and any one of these three branches satisfies it.

  • Started active duty before September 8, 1980: at least 90 days of active duty, with at least one day during a wartime period.
  • Started active duty as an enlisted person after September 7, 1980: generally at least 24 months, or the full period for which they were called or ordered to active duty, with at least one day during wartime.
  • Was an officer who started active duty after October 16, 1981, and had not previously served on active duty for at least 24 months.

Recognized wartime periods include World War II, the Korean conflict, the Vietnam War era, and the Gulf War, which runs from August 2, 1990 through a future date to be set by law or presidential proclamation.

2. Age, disability, or care status. 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 satisfies this requirement on its own, so a wartime veteran under 65 who receives SSI qualifies here without any adjudicated permanent and total rating.

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 and income, and your dependents', combined. Your primary residence, your car, and basic home 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 $18,697 a year in 2026, or about $1,558 a month.

2026 Aid and Attendance Rates

The Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR) for your category is the maximum amount of pension payable, not a check anyone receives on top of their income: the VA pays the difference between your income for VA purposes and that limit, so the lower your countable income, the closer your payment comes to the ceiling. These rates are federal, so they're the same in Virginia as anywhere else.

Category Maximum Annual Rate (MAPR) Monthly
Veteran, no dependents $29,093 about $2,424
Veteran with spouse $34,488 $2,874
Two veterans married to each other (both A&A) $46,143 about $3,845
Surviving spouse $18,697 about $1,558
Veteran, no dependents (Housebound) $21,313 about $1,776
Veteran, no dependents (basic pension) $17,441 about $1,453
Each additional dependent +$2,984 about +$248

Every figure above is a ceiling, not an award. The VA publishes these rates as annual maximums, and a monthly amount is the yearly maximum divided by 12, which is why the monthly column reads as approximate.

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. Unreimbursed medical expenses can lower your countable income, which raises the payment, but only the portion above 5% of your MAPR counts. The VA puts it this way: you may deduct only the amount that is above 5% of your MAPR, which is $872 for a veteran with no spouse or child.

The Net Worth Limit and 3-Year Lookback

The 2026 net worth limit is $163,699. VA's net worth calculation is not an assets-only test: it combines your assets and your dependents' assets (savings, investments, and property other than your home) with your annual income. Comparing savings alone against $163,699 gives you the wrong answer.

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

What doesn't count: your primary residence, your car, and basic home items. The house you live in doesn't push you over the limit, which matters for the many Virginia veterans who own their homes outright but live on a modest fixed income. That home may also be exempt from local real estate tax. Under Code of Virginia 58.1-3219.5, a veteran the VA has rated 100 percent service-connected permanent and total, or rated below 100 percent but paid at the 100 percent rate for individual unemployability, who occupies the property as their principal place of residence is fully exempt from real property tax on that residence plus up to one acre of land. It is not automatic: you apply through your locality, such as the county tax office or commissioner of the revenue, not through the VA. See our guide to Virginia's disabled veteran property tax exemption for how a surviving spouse qualifies and how to file.

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 Virginia

The steps below are the pension route, the one VA lays out for a veteran who gets a VA pension or is applying for one. It takes two forms and a medical exam, plus an optional third form if you need more time to gather documents. A veteran whose Aid and Attendance would be added to monthly VA compensation instead still needs the examination form in step 2, but not the pension application in step 3.

1
Step 1

File an Intent to File if you are still gathering information

Submitting VA Form 21-0966 (Intent to File) before the full claim can, in the VA's words, secure the earliest possible effective date for any retroactive payments you may be eligible to receive. It costs nothing and buys you time to collect records.

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. This is the form VA uses for an Aid and Attendance amount added to monthly compensation as well as to pension benefits.

3
Step 3

Complete the pension application (pension route only)

If you are pursuing Aid and Attendance as part of a VA pension and are not already receiving one, a wartime veteran files VA Form 21P-527EZ (Application for Veterans Pension). It is the wartime, means-tested pension application, covering service history, income, net worth, and medical conditions, so it is the wrong form for a veteran who receives VA disability compensation rather than a pension.

4
Step 4

Submit everything

You can apply 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 can also help you file, and so can a Virginia DVS veterans services representative. Filing online lets you save your progress and track the claim.

5
Step 5

Wait for a decision

Asked how long a decision takes, the VA's own answer is "It depends." It processes claims in the order it receives them, unless a claim requires priority processing. Sending a complete application with strong medical documentation the first time spares you the back-and-forth of the VA asking for missing evidence.

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 Virginia: DVS and Veterans Service Offices

You don't have to file this claim alone. Free help is available across Virginia, and DVS highly encourages veterans to get it before filing a claim.

The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS)

The Virginia Department of Veterans Services, known as DVS, 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. DVS doesn't decide your VA claim itself (the federal VA does that), but it handles disability claims and pensions, and many of its team members are veterans or military spouses themselves who have personal experience with the claims process and receive comprehensive training. All DVS benefits services are provided free of charge.

DVS also operates state veterans care centers that provide affordable long-term skilled nursing care, dementia and memory care, and short-term rehabilitative care for Virginia's veterans. DVS lists an admissions contact for all four: the Sitter & Barfoot Veterans Care Center in Richmond (a 200-bed facility of single-occupancy rooms on the campus of the Richmond VA Medical Center, with a secure dementia and memory care unit), the Davis & McDaniel Veterans Care Center in Roanoke (a 204-bed facility that opened on Veterans Day, 1992 as the Virginia Veterans Care Center), and the Jones & Cabacoy Veterans Care Center in Virginia Beach (a 128-bed facility of all-private rooms), and the Puller Veterans Care Center in Fauquier County near Warrenton (a 128-bed facility of all private rooms, built on the former Vint Hill Farms Station and now delivering care to Virginia veterans). To join the Puller waitlist, DVS asks prospective residents to call (540) 680-5200 or email PVCCAdmissions@dvs.virginia.gov. Admissions criteria include an honorable discharge from the U.S. Armed Forces, Virginia residency at the time of admission or entry into active duty from Virginia, and meeting the medical requirements for nursing home 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 centers.

Virginia Veterans Service Offices

DVS delivers its free claims help through a statewide network of benefit service offices, reported to number around 38 across the Commonwealth. A DVS veterans services representative can help with disability claims and pensions, at no cost to you. Veterans in Virginia are highly encouraged to seek that assistance before filing a claim, which DVS says has a number of advantages over self-filing.

To find the office nearest you, start with the DVS Benefits and Services directory.

Virginia's Veteran Population

Virginia is home to one of the largest veteran populations of any state: 678,148 veterans in FY2024, the fifth-largest count in the country, behind only Texas, California, Florida, and North Carolina, according to the VA's National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. With that many veterans, demand on the state's benefit 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 DVS or a Veterans Service Organization like the VFW, American Legion, or DAV.

How VA Aid and Attendance Works with Virginia Medicaid

Aid and Attendance and Virginia Medicaid, called Cardinal Care and administered by the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS), are run separately, under different rules. A veteran can often receive both, but the two count money differently, so a few points are worth understanding.

  • VA pension income generally counts for Medicaid, but the rules differ. VA pension, including A&A, generally counts as income when a senior applies for Medicaid long-term care. For VA purposes, though, unreimbursed medical expenses (such as home health services, premiums, and prescriptions) can reduce your countable income, which is why much of the A&A amount is often effectively tied to medical costs.
  • That medical-expense portion can frequently be offset for Medicaid. Because much of A&A is attributable to care costs, that portion can frequently be deducted so that not all of the VA pension counts against Medicaid's much lower income limits. The precise treatment depends on the Medicaid pathway and is determined case by case.
  • Eligibility is only the first step, and the deductions that follow are the agency's duty, not a favor. Once a person is eligible and receiving nursing-facility care, income that was disregarded in determining eligibility has to be considered again in the post-eligibility share-of-cost calculation (42 CFR 435.725), so any A&A amount set aside at the eligibility stage is counted back in. DMAS must then subtract the deductions those post-eligibility rules require before the remainder is billed to the facility, and incurred medical expenses that no third party pays are one of them. Ask DMAS which deductions it will apply and in what amounts, including whether anything is set aside for the resident's own personal needs or for a spouse still living at home, before you budget on the gross figure. A person on a home and community-based waiver such as Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus also has a post-eligibility calculation, but the rules that set it are DMAS's to state rather than something to carry over from the nursing-facility rule.
  • 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 Cardinal Care covers long-term services and supports, including nursing-facility care and home- and community-based waiver services like the Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus waiver.
  • Get your specific situation reviewed. A veteran receiving A&A who also needs Medicaid long-term care should have the income and unreimbursed-medical-expense treatment reviewed for their case, ideally with a DVS benefits representative and DMAS, before filing.

For the bigger picture of how to protect assets and plan ahead, start with our guide to Medicaid planning strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does VA Aid and Attendance pay in Virginia in 2026?

The maximum depends on your situation. A veteran alone has a ceiling of $29,093 a year, about $2,424 a month; a veteran with a spouse $34,488 a year, or $2,874 a month; and a surviving spouse $18,697 a year, about $1,558 a month. The VA publishes these as annual maximums, so a monthly figure is the yearly maximum divided by 12. These are federal rates, identical in Virginia. Your actual payment is reduced by your countable income, and unreimbursed medical expenses above 5% of your MAPR can be deducted from that income.

Where can I get free help applying in Virginia?

Contact the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS), which provides claims help through a statewide network of benefit service offices and says all of its services are free of charge. Its representatives receive comprehensive training, and DVS highly encourages veterans to get help before filing.

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

Often, yes. VA pension income generally counts for Virginia Medicaid (Cardinal Care, run by DMAS), but unreimbursed medical expenses can reduce countable income, and the programs can complement each other, with A&A covering costs Medicaid doesn't, like assisted living room and board. The precise treatment depends on the Medicaid pathway and your situation, so talk to a DVS representative and DMAS before applying.

How long does it take to get approved?

The VA's own answer is "It depends." It works through claims in the order it receives them, unless a claim requires priority processing. The most common cause of delay is an incomplete application, so make sure the examination information section of VA Form 21-2680 is filled out in detail and submit all supporting documents at once.

Learn More

VA BenefitsHow to Get VA Aid and Attendance in TexasLearn about VA Aid and Attendance benefits in Texas for 2026. Covers eligibility, monthly rates up to $2,874, how to apply, and free help from Texas VSOs. 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 TypesNursing Homes in VirginiaNursing homes in Virginia in 2026: what a skilled nursing facility costs, how to check a facility's quality, and how Virginia Medicaid pays for long-term care. Care TypesAssisted Living in VirginiaAssisted living in Virginia runs about $6,944/month in 2026. What an ALF costs, why standard Medicaid won't pay the rent, and how the Auxiliary Grant helps. Care TypesMemory Care in VirginiaMemory care in Virginia is an assisted living 'safe, secure environment.' See the admission rules, staffing protections, cost, and how to vet a place. Care TypesCost of Senior Care in VirginiaWhat senior care costs in Virginia in 2026: assisted living about $6,944 a month, a nursing home about $123,005 a year. See every setting and how to pay.
Your next step Find personalized help applying for VA Aid and Attendance in Virginia 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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