Whether your mom served or her spouse did, she may qualify for VA benefits that help with things like health care services and long-term care. Here are some of the VA benefits she should consider.
Aid & Attendance
Aid & Attendance is the most common VA benefit for older adults. To qualify, your mom must need help with activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, and feeding.
She might be ill and need these services for now or have a long-term health condition like Alzheimer’s disease and need this level of service for the rest of her life.
If your mom is visually impaired with vision of 5/200 or less, she can also qualify for Aid & Attendance.
Regardless of why she needs Aid & Attendance, she must meet the net worth limit of $150,538. This limit includes assets other than her main home, main vehicle, and home appliances that stay in the home if she moves.
Her annual income is added to her assets to get the net worth. If it exceeds $150,538, she will not qualify for this VA benefit. The government will do a three-year look-back to ensure she hasn’t quickly transferred any assets to family or friends to hasten how quickly she qualifies for Aid & Attendance.
Housebound Benefits
If your mom is housebound, there is an additional benefit she can claim in addition to her monthly VA pension. It’s an alternative to Aid & Attendance for those who are unable to leave their home.
Get Help Applying for VA Benefits
Applying for VA benefits is not the easiest feat. It can be difficult to get the right person, and when you finally think everything is settled, that person directs you to a new agent, where you start over. Save time and frustration by arranging to work with an elder law specialist in VA benefits.
Your mom has to prove she was in the military or married to a qualifying veteran. Not every military member will qualify for VA benefits. It requires having been enlisted during a qualifying war, and there is a date range that has to be met. If your mom served but didn’t serve in the right time period, she will not qualify. It’s difficult to navigate these rules and restrictions.
She needs a list of her assets. If her spouse was a military member, your mom has to provide honorable discharge information and a copy of the death certificate, if necessary. Then, there’s the application that must be completely filled out, without missing anything. If she misses a box, it can delay processing times.
When you work with an elder law attorney, you gain that attorney’s knowledge and experience in filling out VA benefit applications that won’t be returned for more information. Schedule a consultation to talk about your mom’s situation and how to get her the VA benefits she’s qualified to receive.
If you or a loved one need assistance with Elder Law in Hoover, AL contact The Alabama Elder Care Law Firm, LLC today. (205) 390-0101