VA benefits that can help pay for care — 2026 maximums, not guaranteed checks.

2026 Aid & Attendance maximums

These figures apply December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026. They are maximums. Most households receive less because income counts against the MAPR. Do not treat a row in this table as “what we will get.”

How the payment is calculated: payment = MAPR − countable income. Care costs that the VA treats as unreimbursed medical expenses can lower countable income and raise the payment — sometimes from zero to a meaningful monthly amount. That is why the same “maximum” produces very different checks.

2026 net worth limit

The net worth limit for 2026 is $163,699. The primary home and one vehicle are generally excluded. Other assets and some income are counted. Net worth is a hard screen; going over it can stop a claim even when care need is obvious.

Who may be eligible

• A wartime veteran, or a surviving spouse of a wartime veteran.
• Service is typically 90 days with at least one day in a wartime period. For people who enlisted after September 7, 1980, the rule is generally 24 months (or the full period they were called to active duty).
• Discharge other than dishonorable. “Medical discharge” is not the standard — character of discharge is.
• The veteran is 65 or older, or is totally and permanently disabled. Surviving spouses do not have a 65+ rule.
• The person needs help with activities of daily living, or needs supervision to stay safe (the Aid & Attendance or housebound tests).
• Household net worth and income must fit the rules above.

Wartime periods families most often ask about

World War II (December 7, 1941–December 31, 1946), Korea (June 27, 1950–January 31, 1955), Vietnam (August 5, 1964–May 7, 1975; earlier for those who served in-country), and the Gulf War period (August 2, 1990–present). A DD-214 is the usual proof. If you do not have it, see document retrieval.

What this site is not

Fund My Senior Care is not a VA-accredited claims firm on this brand. We help you understand whether Aid & Attendance is even on the table, what documents you will need, and whether another path (home equity, a life policy, a tax deduction) should be looked at first. If you want someone accredited to file, we can point you there — we do not file the claim ourselves.

Other VA programs you may hear about

Caregiver Support Program (CSP). Separate from pension. It is for caregivers of eligible veterans and has its own rules. A household can look at CSP and Aid & Attendance; they are not the same application.

Agent Orange and other presumptives. These usually run through disability compensation, not pension. A compensation rating can change income, medical need, and which form you file. Treat it as its own path, not a shortcut to A&A.

Rates and the net worth limit change. Confirm current figures with VA.gov or an accredited representative before you file. This page is education, not a determination.