A wartime veteran with a spouse in Washington who needs daily help bathing, dressing, or eating can have their VA pension paid at up to $2,874 a month 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's one of the most underused VA benefits, and many Washington 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 Washington, including from the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs and its Service Officers.

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
  • 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 Washington 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. 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.

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.

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 Washington

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 Washington as anywhere else. The VA publishes them as annual maximums; the monthly figures below are the annual rate divided by 12.

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. 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. 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: 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 home items. The house you live in doesn't push you over the limit, which matters for the many Washington veterans who own their homes outright but live on a modest fixed income.

That home may also qualify for Washington property-tax relief, though a service-connected rating alone will not do it. The relief is not a stand-alone veteran exemption but the disability path of the state's exemption program for seniors, people retired due to disability, and disabled veterans (RCW 84.36.381): a veteran qualifies with a service-connected evaluation of at least 80 percent, or by being compensated by the VA at the 100 percent rate, and with combined disposable income at or below Income Threshold 3, which is set from the median household income of the county where the property sits rather than by one statewide figure. VA disability compensation is left out of that income calculation. Veterans apply through their county assessor. 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 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 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. Be thorough. The more detail about specific limitations, the stronger the claim.

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), which covers 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 a WDVA Service Officer, can also file the claim for you.

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

  • 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 Washington: WDVA and Its Service Officers

You don't have to file this claim alone. Qualified help is available through the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs. 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, is a full-service state agency that assists veterans, their family members, and survivors, and it describes itself as an advocate that aggressively pursues all federal and state benefits and entitlements on their behalf. Its Veterans Service Offices and its statewide referral service are staffed with qualified Service Officers who help veterans and family members access the benefits they may be entitled to, including VA Disability Compensation, VA Pension or Widows Pension, Aid and Attendance, health care benefits, and other federal, state, or county benefits, and who represent veterans in cases adjudicated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Seattle. You can reach WDVA claims assistance at 1-800-562-2308 or benefits@dva.wa.gov.

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 apply by contacting the WDVA admissions team at 1-877-838-7787. 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.

Finding a Service Officer Near You

WDVA's claims-assistance page tells families to locate a Service Officer near them, and the department's statewide referral service is staffed to make that connection. Call 1-800-562-2308 or email benefits@dva.wa.gov and ask for the Service Officer nearest you. Whichever office you reach, an accredited VSO representative's services on a VA benefit claim are always free.

Washington's Veteran Population

Washington is home to roughly half a million veterans. The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs reports 494,383 veterans in the state as of September 30, 2025, while the VA's National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics puts Washington's veteran population at 502,028 for FY2024 in its Washington state summary. NCVAS is the source to consult for the current federal figure in any given year. With that many veterans, demand on service officers is real, so it's worth contacting one 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. 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 WDVA or a Veterans Service Organization like the VFW, American Legion, or DAV.

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, or live in a nursing home because of disability.
  • 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 and must be split out from the total VA payment amount, while the basic pension amount is generally treated as income. That exclusion governs eligibility only. Once you are eligible and receiving nursing-facility care, income that was disregarded at the eligibility stage must be counted again in the post-eligibility calculation (42 CFR 435.725), so the Aid and Attendance amount is counted back in against your participation in the cost of care. The agency must then subtract the deductions the post-eligibility rules require before the remainder is billed, and incurred medical expenses that no third party pays are one of them. Ask the Health Care Authority or your DSHS case manager which deductions apply and in what amounts, including whether anything is set aside for your own personal needs or for a spouse still living at home, before you budget on the gross figure. A home and community-based waiver client also has a post-eligibility calculation, but the rules that set it are the agency's to state rather than something to assume from the nursing-facility rule.
  • The two programs cover different things. A&A can pay for costs Apple Health long-term care often doesn't, such as room and board in assisted living, while Apple Health may cover the care services themselves and long-term nursing care.
  • 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 $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 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, and ask to be connected with the Service Officer nearest 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 generally treated as income. That applies at the eligibility stage. Once Apple Health is paying for nursing-facility care, the Aid and Attendance amount is counted back in against your participation in the cost of care, and the agency must then subtract the deductions the post-eligibility rules require, including incurred medical expenses that no third party pays. Ask which deductions apply and in what amounts, including whether anything is set aside for personal needs or for a spouse still living at home; if you are on a home and community-based waiver, ask which rules set your calculation. Confirm the exact calculation with the Health Care Authority or DSHS before applying, because timing can affect eligibility.

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. Have the medical examiner be detailed on VA Form 21-2680 and submit all supporting documents at once so the VA doesn't have to come back for more evidence.

Learn More

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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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