A wartime veteran with a spouse in Washington who needs daily help bathing, dressing, or eating can receive a VA pension of up to $34,488 a year in 2026. That ceiling comes from VA Aid and Attendance, a federal pension benefit that replaces the basic pension rate with a higher one when a veteran needs regular help with everyday tasks. It doesn't start on its own: a veteran or surviving spouse has to apply, and accredited Service Officers in Washington help with that for free.

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. This guide covers that pension route, the one the VA describes when it says you may be eligible for this benefit if you get a VA pension. On the pension route, A&A 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 sets the maximum for the pension as a whole, not an additional amount on top of the basic rate. VA Form 21-2680 is also used to apply for Aid and Attendance that will be added to monthly compensation benefits, a separate route for a veteran who receives VA disability compensation rather than pension.

You may qualify if you need help with daily activities such as:

  • Bathing or showering
  • Dressing and undressing
  • Feeding yourself
  • 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 because of lost mental or physical abilities related to a disability, or have severely limited eyesight (even with glasses or contacts, 5/200 or less in both eyes, or a visual field narrowed to 5 degrees or less).

On the pension route, the increase comes as a higher maximum pension rate that replaces the basic rate, not as a second payment on top of it.

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 length of service the VA requires turns on when active duty started, not on which war the veteran served in.

  • 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.
  • Started active duty as an officer after October 16, 1981, having not previously served on active duty for at least 24 months, with at least one day during wartime.

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. Discharge, plus age or disability status. The veteran must have no dishonorable discharge, and at least one of these four must be true: at least 65 years old; a permanent and total disability; a patient in a nursing home for long-term care because of a disability; or getting Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income. Any one of the four satisfies the test, so a wartime veteran under 65 who receives SSI qualifies here without a permanent and total disability 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 together with your dependents', as the VA figures them. Your primary residence, your car, and basic home items don't count.

A surviving spouse can receive Aid and Attendance too, as an increased rate of the Survivors Pension, paid only to someone already eligible for that pension. In 2026 it's worth up to $18,697 a year for a surviving spouse with no dependents.

2026 VA Aid and Attendance Rates in Washington

The VA calculates your payment as the difference between your countable income and the Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR) for your category. The less countable income you have, the more of that maximum you receive. These rates are federal, so they're the same in Washington as anywhere else. The VA publishes them as annual maximums. Pension is paid monthly, and federal rules set the monthly amount: your MAPR minus your countable income, divided by 12 and rounded down to the whole dollar (38 CFR 3.273 and 3.29).

Category Maximum Annual Rate
Veteran, no dependents $29,093
Veteran with spouse $34,488
Two veterans married to each other (both A&A) $46,143
Surviving spouse, no dependents $18,697
Veteran, no dependents (Housebound) $21,313
Veteran, no dependents (basic pension) $17,441
Each additional dependent +$2,984

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, paid in monthly installments. 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. That 5% is figured on the pension rate without the Aid and Attendance or Housebound increase, so it rises with dependents but not with A&A.

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 income, and it counts your dependents' assets and income too.

What counts: the fair market value of all the real and personal property you own, minus any mortgages, plus your income for VA purposes.

What doesn't count: your primary residence, your car, and basic home items.

That home may also qualify for Washington property-tax relief, though a service-connected rating alone will not do it. The relief is the disability path of the state's exemption program for seniors, people retired due to disability, and disabled veterans (RCW 84.36.381): the veteran must own and occupy the home as a primary residence, with combined disposable income at or below Income Threshold 3, which is set from the county's median household income. VA disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation don't count as income here, and relief grows at the lower income thresholds. The Department of Revenue lists a service-connected rating of at least 80 percent, or VA compensation at the 100 percent rate, but the statute now also reaches a combined rating of 40 percent or higher, or a total disability rating, for taxes collected in 2027 and after. A veteran rated 40 percent or higher should file with the county assessor now and ask which threshold applies. Our guide to the Washington disabled veteran property tax exemption walks through who qualifies and what a surviving spouse keeps.

The 3-Year Lookback Rule

The VA reviews any assets you transferred for less than fair market value in the 36 months (three years) before it receives your claim. If, during that window, you transferred an asset that was part of your net worth for less than fair market value, and keeping it would have put or helped put your net worth over the limit, the VA will assess a penalty period of up to five years. Moving money into an annuity, a trust, or another investment that lowers your net worth also counts as a transfer for less than fair market value, unless you can cash out the whole balance for your own benefit, in which case VA counts it as net worth.

If you're thinking about transferring assets, talk to a VA-accredited attorney or an elder law attorney first.

How to Apply for VA Aid and Attendance in Washington

These steps are the pension route, the one the VA describes for a veteran who gets a VA pension. A veteran who receives VA disability compensation instead applies for Aid and Attendance added to those monthly compensation benefits, using the same VA Form 21-2680 but not the wartime pension application below.

1
Step 1

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

Submitting VA Form 21-0966 (Intent to File) starts the clock while you collect records. The VA says submitting an intent to file can secure the earliest possible effective date for any retroactive payments you may be eligible to receive.

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. VA bases the decision on the actual need for personal help from others, so the examination should spell out each specific limitation.

3
Step 3

Complete the pension application

A wartime veteran pursuing the pension route who isn't already receiving VA pension also files VA Form 21P-527EZ (Application for Veterans Pension).

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 a WDVA Service Officer, can also help you file the claim.

5
Step 5

Wait for a decision

Asked how long a decision takes, the VA answers, "It depends." It processes claims in the order it receives them, unless a claim requires priority processing.

Documents to Gather First

WDVA says these aren't required to file but will speed things up, and a Service Officer can help you request missing records. For a pension application, it asks for:

  • Discharge papers, such as the DD-214
  • Marriage certificate and dates of any previous marriages and divorces
  • Proof of income, such as a Social Security award letter
  • Proof of net worth, such as bank statements, IRAs, and property other than the home
  • Proof of medical expenses, including in-home or facility care costs
  • Medical records showing total and permanent disability, if under 65
  • A copy of the veteran's death certificate

VA's own pension evidence page says a Survivors Pension claimant submits, or lets VA gather, the veteran's DD214 or other separation documents and the death certificate showing cause of death.

Free Help in Washington: WDVA and Its Service Officers

You don't have to file this claim alone. The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs strongly recommends working with an accredited Veterans Service Officer, and says their help is free. An accredited VSO representative's services on a VA benefit claim are always free. Only accredited claims agents and attorneys may charge claimants at all, and they may charge only for representation provided after the VA has issued notice of its initial decision on the claim, so no one should charge you to prepare and file the initial pension application.

The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA)

The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs, known as WDVA, says accredited Veteran Service Officers guide you through claims and appeals. Those on its county map, across Washington and in tribal communities, are contracted with WDVA to provide accredited VA claims assistance. WDVA's Olympia Service Center serves the whole state with in-person and virtual appointments, and its Benefit Specialists help you file for benefits including VA Disability Compensation, VA Pension or Survivors Pension, and VA Health Care.

WDVA also operates four state veterans homes, all of them Medicare- and Medicaid-certified facilities providing 24-hour nursing care, medical care, and pharmacy services, along with supportive services such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, hospice, social services, and recreational activities: the Washington Soldiers Home in Orting, the Washington Veterans Home at Retsil in Port Orchard, the Spokane Veterans Home, and the Walla Walla Veterans Home. To be eligible, an applicant must have served at any time in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, including the National Guard; must have received an honorable discharge, or already be eligible for federal VA monetary benefits, or have been separated with a less than honorable characterization of service due solely to sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression; and must reside in Washington State. A spouse of a resident, the widow of an eligible veteran, or a Gold Star Parent who lost a child while serving may also qualify. Families can reach the WDVA admissions team at 1-877-838-7787. The application names the home you're applying to, and the completed packet can be mailed, faxed, e-mailed, or dropped off.

Finding a Service Officer Near You

WDVA tells families to find a Service Officer near them through the county map on its website, or you can call 1-800-562-2308 or email benefits@dva.wa.gov. When a Service Officer helps you file, you sign a VA Appointment of Representation form so they can act on your behalf with the VA. Whichever office you reach, an accredited VSO representative's services on a VA benefit claim are always free.

Washington's Veteran Population

The VA's National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics puts Washington's veteran population at 502,028 for 2024 in its Washington state summary. The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs shows 494,383 veterans as of September 30, 2025, a figure it draws from VA's own population report and Defense Department data rather than a separate state count. VA's figures are modelled estimates, not a headcount.

A word of caution: be wary of companies that charge fees to help with VA claims. Only VA-accredited attorneys and claims agents may charge a claimant at all, and only for work after the VA has issued notice of its initial decision, so preparing and filing the initial claim should be free through an accredited Veterans Service Organization representative. WDVA warns that unaccredited individuals who prepare, present, or prosecute VA claims are violating federal law.

How Aid and Attendance Works with Washington Apple Health

Aid and Attendance and Washington Apple Health (the state's Medicaid program, administered by the Health Care Authority) 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 is a higher rate of your VA pension. Aid and Attendance is an increased rate of a Veterans Pension or Survivors Pension for those who need another person's help with daily activities, are largely bedridden, live in a nursing home because of disability, or have severely limited eyesight.
  • The attendance and medical portions are generally not counted when Apple Health decides eligibility. Under Washington's published Apple Health rules, the Aid and Attendance allowance, the housebound allowance, and amounts a veteran's pension includes for unreimbursed or unusual medical expenses are not countable income for SSI-related Apple Health (WAC 182-512-0840), while the basic pension amount is treated as income. That exclusion governs eligibility only. For a nursing-facility resident, federal rules (42 CFR 435.725) say income disregarded at eligibility must be considered when Medicaid works out what the resident pays toward care, and Washington's rule says how: these allowances are a third-party resource when the agency sets an institutionalized client's contribution (WAC 182-513-1340), which a client may have to pay in addition to their regular participation (WAC 182-513-1380). In reducing its payment to the facility, federal rules (42 CFR 435.725(c)) have the agency deduct from the resident's income, in order, a personal needs allowance, maintenance for a spouse or family at home, medical expenses no third party pays, and any SSI and state supplement benefits the resident still receives. Federal rules set that allowance at no less than $30 a month. Washington's is $108.74 a month for a nursing-home resident. That federal rule covers residents of medical institutions, so it doesn't set a home and community-based waiver client's share of cost; ask the agency which rule sets yours. For a veteran with no spouse or dependent child, or a surviving spouse with no child, whose nursing-facility care Medicaid covers, federal law caps the VA pension at $90 a month after the month of admission and bars using that capped pension to reduce the facility's Medicaid payment, so the third-party-resource rule reaches only an uncapped allowance, such as one paid to a veteran with a spouse or child. The cap does not reach a State home for which VA pays a per diem for nursing care, so check a Washington State Veterans Home stay with an accredited Veteran Service Officer. VA's regulation dates the cap from the month Medicaid payments begin, so check which date VA applied.
  • The two programs cover different things. Apple Health's COPES waiver covers long-term care outside a nursing home for people the CARE assessment finds meet nursing-facility level of care, and its clients can live in their own homes, adult family homes, or assisted living facilities. Washington's long-term care rules separately define room and board as the amount a person must pay each month for food, shelter, and household maintenance when living in an assisted living facility or adult family home.
  • Timing and exact mechanics matter. Apple Health counts most income when determining eligibility and a client's share of long-term-care cost, so the exact countable-income calculation and any client participation should be confirmed with the Health Care Authority or DSHS for your specific case before you file.

For the bigger picture of protecting assets while qualifying for care, see our guide to Medicaid planning strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

The maximum depends on your situation. A veteran alone gets up to $29,093 a year, a veteran with a spouse up to $34,488 a year, and a surviving spouse up to $18,697 a year, paid in monthly installments. These are federal rates, identical in Washington. 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 Washington?

Contact the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs at 1-800-562-2308 or benefits@dva.wa.gov, or use the county map on its website to find a Service Officer near you. An accredited VSO representative's services on a VA benefit claim are always free. An accredited claims agent or attorney may charge fees, but only for representation after the VA has issued notice of its initial decision, not for preparing and filing the initial application.

Can I receive Aid and Attendance and Washington Apple Health at the same time?

Yes. A veteran can receive both. Under Washington's Apple Health rules, the Aid and Attendance allowance, the housebound allowance, and the unreimbursed-medical-expense portion of a VA pension are not countable income for SSI-related Apple Health, while the basic pension is treated as income. That applies at the eligibility stage. Once Apple Health is paying for nursing-facility care, Washington treats the Aid and Attendance allowance as a third-party resource, so you may have to pay it toward your cost of care on top of your regular participation. That rule can't reach a pension federal law has capped at $90 a month, which happens to a veteran with no spouse or dependent child, or a surviving spouse with no child, as explained above. On a home and community-based waiver, ask which rules set your calculation. The order and timing of applying for each program matter and depend on the state's Medicaid rules, so confirm the exact calculation with the Health Care Authority or DSHS before applying.

How long does it take to get approved?

The VA's own answer is "It depends." It works claims in the order it receives them, unless a claim requires priority processing. WDVA says the documents listed above aren't required to file a claim but will expedite the process.

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 WashingtonAssisted living in Washington has a median of about $7,600/month. How it differs from an adult family home, whether COPES pays, and how to vet a place. Care TypesNursing Homes in WashingtonNursing homes in Washington in 2026 cost far above the national median. What a facility costs, how to check quality, and how Apple Health Medicaid pays. Care TypesMemory Care in WashingtonMemory care in Washington is the Medicaid Specialized Dementia Care Program in an assisted living facility. See the standards, cost, and how to vet a place. Care TypesThe Cost of Senior Care in WashingtonWhat senior care costs in Washington in 2026: assisted living runs about $7,600 a month, a nursing home about $13,155 a month. See every setting and how to pay.
Your next step Find personalized help applying for VA Aid and Attendance in Washington 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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