What is Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit

The Veterans Benefit Administration provides a disability income to the surviving spouses of veterans who served during a period of war. This pension is much more known to be called as aid and attendance pension benefit. Veterans aging below 65 years old need to provide a proof of full disability to get this pension benefit, on the other hand, 65 years and above are not required to. Discover more here.

Death pension, the one received by surviving spouses, is lesser amount but still based on the same rules for a living pension claim. In other words, so that the surviving spouse will receive a lesser amount, the veteran must meet all the necessary requirements for pension or has been receiving pension unless he is over 65 years of age or totally disabled. In addition, the spouse must be single in order for her to be eligible to receive the pension.

In case of a death claim, the claim must be submitted by the surviving spouse otherwise, the veteran should claim. An employee of the local regional VA office, a VA approved agent, or a duly appointed service organization can file the claim on behalf of the veteran or his surviving spouse. To make the claim of other people binding, the veteran must sign a document which authorizes a power of attorney to let someone else submit a claim. If the veteran is unable to submit the claim or sign a power of attorney for a third person to file a claim, then a duly authorized guardian can complete the application. For as long as there is a power of attorney and an indication that the veteran is incompetent for financial affairs, a parent, spouse, or a friend of the veteran can submit and complete the transaction on behalf of him.

On the day the VA will receive an original application is the date of effectivity. The process of approval usually takes three to six months, but it does not really matter since the effective date always reverts back to the day the original application was received.

The first payment usually starts on the first day of the month following the month of effectivity. Thus, for example the approval process took six months, then  benefits for at least five months should be paid retroactively. For checking or savings accounts, the VA requires automatic deposit of awards.

If ever the veteran will die during the application before it was completed, the veteran will have accrued benefits. An accrued benefits payable will arise if the regional office finds out that they already have the information necessary to approve the application. Click for more.

Read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veterans_Affairs