ATTENTION: For ALL VETERANS And Their SURVIVING SPOUSES!Called “Forgotten Income for Forgotten People”, it is the . . . NON-SERVICE CONNECTED IMPROVED PENSION (with Add-on Benefits, up to $25,524 annually, tax-free)

The non-service connected Improved Pension Benefit is called by other names such as pension compensation, special monthly pension or death pension. And many times, it is mistakenly called Aid and Attendance. Aid and Attendance is actually one of the two add-ons to this benefit, Housebound being the other. It is a grave disservice to many Veterans and surviving spouses when the benefit is understood ONLY with its add-ons, as it may then exclude those who otherwise would qualify. You do NOT have to be in need of medical or nursing services to qualify for Improved Pension or death pension. You DO have to be in need of some medical or nursing services to qualify for either Housebound or Aid and Attendance add-ons.

To receive the Improved Pension Benefit alone or with either of its two add-ons included, you must satisfy the requirements, of three categories. The first is the military requirement, followed by the two categories of financial means testing which includes your monthly income and your net worth or assets. More information.

The benefit dollar amounts awarded from either an Improved Pension or a death pension as well as their add-ons of Housebound and Aid and Attendance are paid directly to the Veteran, Surviving Spouse or their fiduciary. The Veteran or Surviving Spouse is free to spend the awarded dollars as they choose. It is very misleading to characterize the benefit as long term care insurance and the VA does not recognize it as such. The awarded dollars are NOT long term care insurance benefits nor are they necessarily intended to be spent as such although they could be if the Veteran or Surviving Spouse so chooses.