What Every Veteran Needs To Know About VA Enhanced Pensions

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Several of the top reasons people enlist in the United States military are for educational benefits, job training, and travel and adventure. Other benefits of military service are only given to those who meet the qualifiers, such as military retirement or disability. However, many who enlist are not aware that there are other benefits that can be extremely helpful, particularly later in life, even if they didn't reach retirement or were not discharged due to a service-related disability. Here's what every veteran needs to know. 

You may qualify for a pension from the VA

If you meet specific qualifiers, you will qualify for a pension from the VA. This is not the same thing as retirement pay or disability pay, primarily because VA pension is means-based. You need to have limited assets and low income in order to qualify for a VA pension. Additional qualifiers include time requirements while serving on active duty during wartime and specific criteria which can be found here.

You may also qualify for additional compensation

If you do qualify for VA pension and are either housebound or need regular assistance with activities of daily living, you may also qualify for one of the following additional compensation through the VA: 

  • Aid and Attendance (A&A). This benefit is given to those who require regular help from other people on a continual basis. The help needed would consist of things such as help with bathing, dressing, toileting, and feeding or help with household chores, such as cooking and cleaning. If you are unable to do these types of activities on a regular basis and have someone helping you, you may qualify for A&A. 
  • Housebound. This benefit is given to people who qualify for a pension from the VA and are also housebound but are not as debilitated or disabled as someone who qualifies for Aid and Attendance, which is determined by the VA through a vigorous application process. 

You can only qualify for one, not both. This additional benefit will result in your pension being called an enhanced pension. 

An enhanced pension increases the income and asset limits

It's very important to note that you cannot qualify for either Aid and Attendance or Housebound without first qualifying for and being awarded a VA pension. However, if the only qualifier that you do not meet is because you exceed the income and/or assets limits, you may still qualify for the VA enhanced pension but only if you meet the qualifications for either Housebound or Aid and Attendance benefits. This may sound confusing, but it's due to the formulas used during the qualification process.

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