There are financial eligibility requirements associated with the qualification for any VA pension, including Aid and Attendance benefits. The current rule of thumb is that a married veteran and spouse can have no more than $80,000 in countable assets ($50,000 for a single veteran or surviving spouse). Those amounts include retirement assets but exclude a home and a vehicle. Remember that this is merely a guideline and not a rule. There are other factors that the VA caseworkers consider such as age/life expectancy, income and medical expenses in determining whether the veteran or surviving spouse is entitled to pension benefits.
There is no specified income limit for VA pension benefits. As opposed to just looking at gross income, the VA considers what it refers to as IVAP (income for VA purposes). IVAP is equal to a claimant’s gross income from all sources less countable medical expenses. Click here for a list of possible medical expenses. If a claimant’s IVAP is equal to or greater than the annual benefit amount, the veteran or surviving spouse is not eligible for benefits.
