VA disability benefits are available for war-time veterans or their

surviving spouse whether or not your disability is

service-connected. There are many veterans and surviving spouses of

deceased veterans from World War II and Korea that don’t even know

they qualify!

It is a shame that this is one of the VA’s best kept secret.

Of the two VA disability benefits, the one discussed here is the

non-service connected disability pension. This benefit has a three

tier payment level depending on your particular situation.

Disability Pension

To be eligible you must meet the following requirements:

• You must have been discharged under other than

dishonorable

conditions.

• If you enlisted before September 7, 1980, you

must have served

90 days or more of active duty with at least one day during a

period of war. Anyone who enlisted after September 7, 1980,

however, must serve at least 24 months or the full period for which

that person was called to serve.

• You must be permanently and totally disabled,

or age 65 or

older. The Veterans Administration no longer requires those over

age 65 to submit evidence they have a disability that prevents them

from working.

• In addition, your "countable" income must be

below the yearly

limit set by law; called the Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR).

The MAPR for 2008 are: Veteran with no dependents $11,181 Veteran

with a spouse or a child $14,643 5. If you are housebound, which

basically means you can no longer safely drive, the MAPR for 2008

are:

Housebound veteran with no dependents

$13,664

Housebound veteran with one dependent

$17,126

Add, for each additional dependent

$1,909

Aid And Attendance Entitlement

If the veteran needs help with the basic activities of daily living

(dressing, bathing, grooming, hygiene, toileting, etc.) they may

qualify for additional disability pension benefits. The veteran

will need to show that he or she needs home care on a regular and

permanent basis, or lives in an assisted living facility. The Aid

and Attendance benefit MAPR for 2008 are:

Veteran who needs aid and attendance with

no dependents

$18,654

Veteran who needs aid and attendance with

one dependent

$22,113

 

VA Disability Benefits Payment

The actual amount of your disability pension will depend on your

"countable" income. Countable income is your gross income minus

qualified health care expenses. The VA will pay you the difference

between your "countable" income and the MAPR that matches your

personal situation. The VA disability pension will be paid directly

to you in 12 equal payments.

How To Apply

You can apply for the VA disability benefits by filling out VA Form

21-526, Parts A,B,C and D plus multiple additional forms and

documentation.

For more information on VA disability benefits you can visit

Veterans Care Advisors website www.veteranscareadvisors.com

where you will be able to find tips and best practices to help you

successfully obtain the VA disability pension benefit.