Planning for Veterans Benefits

Today we celebrate Veterans Day. If you have Veterans as clients, there are several benefits available to veterans and their families, some less known than others. The best way to help your clients discover whether they qualify for these benefits may be through a visit to the local Veterans Administration Office. The VA also operates an excellent website and each of the benefits can be found there with a little digging. Below is a summary of those benefits. To learn more about these and other benefits available to the families of Veterans, click the image to the left, or go to http://www.va.gov/opa/publications/benefits_book/federal_benefits.pdf.

Geriatrics and Extended Care: The Veterans Administration’s Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care, offers programs and services for Veterans who may be chronically ill, elderly, or in poor health. Veterans can receive long-term care programs and services at home, at VA medical centers, or in the community.

Veterans Pension Program: This pension is a benefit paid to wartime veterans who have limited or no income, and who are age 65 or older, or, if under 65, who are permanently and totally disabled.

Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits: Veterans who are more seriously disabled may qualify for Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits. Aid and Attendance (A&A) and Housebound Benefits are paid in addition to monthly pension Neither benefit may be paid without eligibility for the pension.

Dependent Indemnity Compensation (DIC): This benefit pays a monthly income to a surviving spouse or other dependents of a veteran who meet the eligibility requirements. DIC also may be paid to certain survivors of veterans who were totally disabled from service-connected conditions at the time of death, even though their service-connected disabilities did not cause their deaths.

Death Pension: Similar to the Veterans Pension mentioned above, the VA provides pensions to low-income surviving spouses and unmarried children of deceased veterans with wartime service. The death pension provides a monthly payment to bring an eligible person’s income to a level established by law. The payment is reduced by the annual income from other sources such as Social Security. The payment may be increased if the recipient has unreimbursed medical expenses that can be deducted from countable income.

Burial Benefits: The Department of Veterans Affairs offers several burial and memorial benefits for eligible survivors and dependents. These benefits may include internment at a state or national Veterans cemetery, plot, marker and more. VA’s National Cemetery Scheduling Office or local national cemetery directors verify eligibility for burial. A copy of the Veteran’s discharge document that specifies the period(s) of active duty and character of discharge is usually sufficient to determine eligibility. In some instances, a copy of the deceased’s death certificate and proof of relationship to the Veteran (for eligible family members) may be required.

Thank a veteran. Write your will.