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:

1. You must have been discharged under other than
   dishonorable
   conditions.



2. 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.
   



3. 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.



4. 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.