The Social Security Administration has announced that no cost-of-living adjustments will be made to Social Security benefits in 2011 because the consumer price index has not risen since 2008 when the last Social Security increase occurred.
Like recipients of Social Security and other federal benefits, Veterans, their families and survivors will also not see a cost-of-living adjustment in 2011 to their compensation and pension benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Under federal law, the cost-of-living adjustments to VA’s compensation and pension rates are the same percentage as for Social Security benefits.
One of the benefits left unchanged is the Aid and Attendance (A&A) Pension, which provides benefits for veterans and surviving spouses who require the regular attendance of another person to assist in eating, bathing, dressing and undressing or taking care of the needs of nature. It also includes individuals who are blind or a patient in a nursing home because of mental or physical incapacity. Assisted care in an assisting living facility also qualifies.
To qualify for A&A it needs to be established by your physician that you require daily assistance by others to dress, undress, bathing, cooking, eating, taking on or off of prosthetics, leave home etc. You DO NOT have to require assistance with all of these. There simply needs to be adequate medical evidence that you cannot function completely on your own.
The A&A Pension can provide up to $1,644 per month to a veteran, $1,055 per month to a surviving spouse, or $1,949 per month to a couple (tax free, by the way). If you are aware of a veteran or surviving spouse of a veteran who may be in need of assistance — whether in an assisted living facility or at home — we offer a free review and analysis to determine whether that person qualifies for Aid and Attendance benefits.
Glenn Matecun
VA Accredited Attorney/Veterans Benefits