VA disability compensation to those with few assets and a small income.
There are five qualifications to receive the veteran’s pension or survivor’s pension:Nature of discharge
- Assets and income
- Dates and length of service
- Wartime service
- Personal eligibility
Eligibility for VA Pension
- Nature of Discharge
The service member must not have a dishonorable discharge.
2. Assets and Income
The recipient of a veterans pension or survivors pension must have limited assets, which include both tangible assets and annual income. This seems counterintuitive because there’s a separate income calculation, but that’s how it works. The recipient’s primary residence vehicle and basic household appliances do not count toward the asset limit. Any other assets, including investments, other vehicles and personal property, count.
The income amount may be reduced by certain educational expenses, and medical expenses that exceed a certain amount.
The household asset limit for 2022 is $138,489.
3. Dates and Length of Service
Service must fulfill one one of these criteria:
Active duty of at least 90 days, beginning before Sept. 8, 1980
Active duty of at least 24 months or the full-enlistment (with some exceptions), as enlisted personnel, starting after Sept. 7, 1980
Active duty as an officer, starting after Oct. 16, 1981, without 24 months of prior service
4. Wartime Service
Service must include at least one day during wartime. Wartime is defined as:
Mexican Border period (May 9, 1916, to April 5, 1917, for veterans who served in Mexico, on its borders or in adjacent waters)
World War I (April 6, 1917, to Nov. 11, 1918)
World War II (Dec. 7, 1941, to Dec. 31, 1946)
Korean conflict (June 27, 1950, to Jan. 31, 1955)
Vietnam War era (Nov. 1, 1955, to May 7, 1975, for veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period; Aug. 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975, for veterans who served outside the Republic of Vietnam.)
Gulf War (Aug. 2, 1990, through a future date to be set by law or presidential proclamation)
5. Personal Eligibility
The recipient must meet one of these criteria:
Age 65 or older
Have a permanent and total disability
Be a patient in a nursing home for long-term care because of a disability
Be receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Application
If you, or someone you know, may be eligible for a veterans pension or survivors pension, applications are available at the VA website.
How Much Is the Pension?
The amount of the veterans pension or survivors pension is calculated by determining your maximum annual pension rate (MAPR), then subtracting the amount of income that you actually have.
For example, the MAPR for a veteran who does not qualify for Aid & Attendance and Housebound Benefits is $14,753 per year. If the veteran received $12,000 per year in Social Security benefits, they could receive $2,753 per year in veterans pension.
See: 2022 Veterans Pension Rates
As you can see, this really is for very low-income veterans and survivors. But because of the medical expense deduction, potential recipients who have higher medical bills may qualify for a larger payment.
If you know someone who might be eligible, it is certainly worth investigating. At low-income levels, every dollar helps.
About Once A Soldier: Starting in 2017, our mission is to limit the scars of Veteran suicide. We offer prevention services and postvention services. We reach a national audience and our goal is to become the preferred channel for those who want to help Veteran families who need our services. With 17 Veteran suicides a day in 2021, we believe our two niche services will make a difference to each family and to our nation.
Feeling suicidal or need to talk to a health care professional? Dial The Veteran’s Crisis Hotine 988.
