Surviving spouses of wartime veterans can claim up to $1,558 monthly through the VA Survivors Pension with Aid and Attendance, but most eligible families never file.
Unreimbursed care costs such as home aides, prescriptions, and Medicare premiums reduce countable income dollar-for-dollar, letting survivors who look over-income on paper still qualify.
Gifting assets to children before filing triggers a VA 36-month lookback that can block benefits for up to 5 years under the $159,240 net worth ceiling.
Many financial professionals are salespeople paid on what they push, not whether you end up wealthier. A fiduciary is the opposite. The SEC legally requires them to put your interests first. Advisor.com's free matching tool pairs you with vetted fiduciaries from major national firms, all in under three minutes. See who you match with today.
If you are the surviving spouse of a wartime veteran and you are paying out of pocket for help at home, the VA may owe you a monthly check you never claimed. It is called the Survivors Pension with Aid and Attendance, and the maximum for 2026 tops out at roughly $18,697 a year for a surviving spouse with no dependents, or about $1,558 a month. Most eligible families never file. Many learn about it only after spending down the assets that would have qualified them.