Aid and Attendance Calculator
Estimate your VA Aid and Attendance benefit, for wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need regular help with daily activities.
Aid and Attendance can pay up to $29,093 a year for a veteran alone, $34,486 for a veteran with a dependent, or $18,697 for a surviving spouse alone, less your countable income. It is for wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need regular help with daily activities. These rates took effect December 1, 2025.
Aid and Attendance is the highest rate of VA Pension and is meant to help with the cost of long-term care. Answer a few questions below to see whether you are likely to qualify and to estimate your monthly benefit.
Check Your Aid & Attendance Eligibility
You may still qualify for basic VA Pension or Survivors Pension without Aid and Attendance. See our VA Pension Calculator or Survivors Pension tool.
Estimated Aid & Attendance Benefit
()
We have not verified the rate for this combination. Contact a VSO or the VA for your rate.
Aid and Attendance funds can be used flexibly: in-home care from a family member, friend, or professional caregiver, assisted living costs, or nursing home care. It isn't restricted to one specific use.
| Who | Maximum per year | About per month |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran alone | $29,093 | $2,424 |
| Veteran with one dependent | $34,486 | $2,874 |
| Surviving spouse alone | $18,697 | $1,558 |
It is part of VA Pension. Aid and Attendance is a higher payment rate within VA Pension for veterans, or Survivors Pension for surviving spouses. You ask for it as part of that claim. It is for people who need regular help with activities such as bathing, dressing or eating, are bedridden, live in a nursing home because of incapacity, or have severely limited eyesight.
The formula. Your benefit is the maximum rate for your situation minus your countable income. Unreimbursed medical and care expenses above 5% of the maximum rate are subtracted from your income first, so people who pay for home care, assisted living or a nursing home often receive more.
Example. A veteran with no dependents has $30,000 a year of income and pays $24,000 a year for assisted living care. Five percent of the rate is about $1,455, so about $22,545 of the care costs is deducted. Countable income becomes about $7,455, and the benefit is about $21,638 a year, or roughly $1,800 a month. Without the care costs, the income would be above the maximum rate and no benefit would be paid.
Other requirements. Wartime service, a discharge other than dishonorable, and net worth below $163,699. VA also reviews asset transfers made in the 36 months before the claim.
Applying. File an Intent to File first to protect your back pay, then submit VA Form 21-2680 with your pension claim. See how to apply for VA Aid and Attendance. An accredited Veterans Service Organization will help at no charge. Nobody may charge you a fee to prepare an initial VA claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is VA Aid and Attendance?
It is a higher pension rate for wartime veterans or their surviving spouses who need regular help with daily activities, are bedridden, live in a nursing home because of incapacity, or have severely limited eyesight.
How much is the Aid and Attendance benefit in 2026?
Up to $29,093 a year for a veteran with no dependents, $34,486 for a veteran with a dependent, or $18,697 for a surviving spouse alone, less your countable income.
Is Aid and Attendance a separate application from VA Pension?
No. It is a higher rate requested within the VA Pension or Survivors Pension claim.
What can I use Aid and Attendance funds for?
The money is paid to you, and VA does not restrict how you use it. Common uses are in-home care from a relative or a professional caregiver, assisted living and nursing home care.
Do I need a doctor's statement to qualify for Aid and Attendance?
Generally yes. VA asks for medical evidence of your need for regular help or of your qualifying condition, usually on VA Form 21-2680.
Is there a net worth limit for Aid and Attendance?
Yes. The $163,699 limit that applies to VA Pension applies here too.
This calculator gives a general estimate based on VA Aid and Attendance rates effective December 1, 2025. It is not a determination of eligibility. VA reviews the medical evidence for Aid and Attendance itself. For an official decision, consult a Veterans Service Organization (VSO) or apply through the VA.