Veterans
Practical guides to VA Aid and Attendance, pension, and disability benefits for senior veterans and surviving spouses, covering what a calculator cannot.
VA benefits for older veterans and surviving spouses come from a few programs with separate rules: Pension, Aid and Attendance, disability compensation, and DIC or Survivors Pension for a spouse. These guides explain the parts a calculator cannot show, such as how to apply, how disability ratings combine, and what happens to a survivor benefit on remarriage. The calculators below estimate the amounts.
TRICARE For Life and Medicare: How the Two Work Together
Medicare pays first and TRICARE pays second, but only if you keep Part B. Who pays what, drug coverage, and the mistakes that cause gaps.
Read more → VeteransHow to Apply for VA Aid and Attendance (And the Look-Back Rule Nobody Mentions)
The application is one medical form attached to a pension claim.
Read more → VeteransVA Pension MAPR Explained: The Three Tiers and the Deduction Most Veterans Miss
The Maximum Annual Pension Rate has three tiers with different qualifying rules, and it rises every December.
Read more → VeteransVA Combined Disability Rating Math: The Bilateral Factor and TDIU Explained
A standard combined-ratings calculation leaves out two rules.
Read more → VeteransDIC vs Survivors Pension: The Widows Tax Repeal and Remarriage Rule
DIC and Survivors Pension are separate VA benefits with different tests.
Read more →VA benefits older veterans often miss
Many senior veterans think VA benefits are only for injuries from service. In fact, the VA pension pays wartime veterans with limited income whether or not a disability came from service, and the Aid and Attendance add-on can help pay for home care or assisted living. Surviving spouses have their own pension and, when a death was service-connected, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation. Military retirees also need to get Medicare right to keep TRICARE.
| Benefit (rates from December 1, 2025) | Amount |
|---|---|
| VA pension, veteran with no dependents (maximum yearly rate) | $17,441 |
| With Aid and Attendance, no dependents | $29,093 |
| Disability compensation at 100%, veteran alone | $3,938.58 a month |
| Burial and plot allowance (deaths from October 1, 2026) | $1,032 each |
Where to start
- Limited income? Estimate the VA pension and read how medical expenses lower your countable income.
- Need help with daily care? See how to apply for Aid and Attendance.
- Surviving spouse? Compare DIC and the survivors pension.
- Military retiree turning 65? Read how TRICARE For Life works with Medicare.