Ten Tips For A Successful VA Aid And Attendance Application

1. If you are filing for a parent and your parent has memory loss or dementia, provide your mailing address rather than your parent’s address so that you are sure to receive all correspondence from the VA. Have the information addressed to your parent, care of (“c/o”) your name.

2. Make sure to respond promptly to all requests for information from the VA. Putting off requests for more information or documentation could cause your claim to be denied.

3. Make sure you are eligible before your apply for benefits. You must have enough medical or care expenses to receive the pension and your assets must be below the required amount.

4. Fill out all blanks in the VA application completely. If a particular question does not apply to you, put “N/A” in the blank. Do not leave any item blank on the VA application. This could cause your claim to be denied.

5. Make sure to document your medical and/or care expenses completely. It is not enough to simply tell the VA what your care expenses are; you must show them that you are spending the money by providing items like invoices, bills and receipts for your expenses.

6. Make a copy of everything before you send it to the VA. If your application is lost or misplaced, you will be able to send it out again without having to redo the application.

7. The veteran or widowed spouse must sign the application. An agent who has power of attorney cannot sign the application in his or her place. If the applicant is only able to sign with an “X,” you will need two witnesses to also sign the application.

8. Make sure that doctor’s certificates are filled out properly. The veteran or spouse applying for the VA Aid and Attendance pension benefit must be medically needy in order to qualify. Make sure that the doctor does not neglect to list the veteran and/or spouse’s current diagnoses and conditions, making the claimant seem healthier than they actually are. Also, make sure that the doctor’s certificates are filled out completely and that there are not too many blank items on the form.

9. Make sure to give the VA information about your income and assets. The Aid and Attendance pension is calculated in part by using your gross monthly income. The VA must have proof of what this income is. Providing your annual Social Security and pension statements, as well as documentation for any assets you have that produce income (such as IRAs, CD’s, etc.) will greatly speed up the processing time of your application.

10. Always include a voided check with your application so that the VA can directly deposit your funds.