Guidance for Obtaining Veteran Benefits

Are you a veteran or the surviving spouse of a veteran living in the St. Petersburg area?

At Edwards Elder Law, P.A., we are proud to serve our nation's veterans and their family members in obtaining benefits that can help them pay for long-term care. Our elder law attorney is dedicated to ensuring that each individual who comes to us for assistance receives personalized guidance and the security of peace of mind; we keep our client base small for these specific reasons.

If you are a veteran, the surviving spouse of a veteran, or a veteran's family member, we encourage you to contact Edwards Elder Law, P.A. as soon as possible to discuss the benefits that may be available to you.

Qualifying for Department of Veterans Affairs Aid and Attendance Benefits

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides long-term care benefits called improved pension, or more commonly known as VA Aid and Attendance, to certain eligible people. These benefits are available to many wartime veterans and their surviving spouses who need help paying the costs related to home care or assisted living care. Unfortunately, many people give up on pursuing Aid and Attendance benefits because they look at the income and asset requirements and think that they don't qualify. Don't make this mistake.

People who incorrectly assume that they won't qualify often don't realize that the income restrictions are not based on gross income but are instead based on a type of net income calculated after unreimbursed medical expenses are subtracted. They also don't realize that, similar to Medicaid planning, not everything they own is counted as an asset. Some assets are exempt from being counted. When you come to us for help, we can show you that these benefits may actually be available to you.

Choose to Work with Our Elder Law Attorney

When you choose to work with our veteran benefits attorney in St. Petersburg, we will take all the time necessary to get to know you and your situation. We will answer any questions you have regarding your eligibility to obtain long-term care benefits from the VA, such as assessing your qualifying service, income limits, and asset limits.

We will also educate you on why it is important to look at the VA Aid and Attendance program and the Florida Medicaid program together. Many times, an applicant for VA Aid and Attendance benefits may also need Medicaid benefits in the future should he or she move into a nursing home. Although the qualification rules and exemptions for the two programs are similar, they are not the same. If you choose an asset qualification strategy that works for the VA Aid and Attendance program without checking to see if it will also work for the Florida Medicaid program, you could accidentally make yourself ineligible for future Medicaid benefits. Our attorney is well versed in both the VA Aid and Attendance rules and the Florida Medicaid rules, and can help you look at how both programs can work together.

For more information, contact our office today and schedule a consultation with us.