What Is The Va Non-service Connected Financial Benefit

What is VA Non-Service-Connected Pension?

VA Pension, or Veterans Non-Service-Connected Inability Pension, is a needs-based program for wartime veterans who are ages 65 or older or accept a permanent and full non-service-continued disability, and who have limited income and net worth. VA Pension is distributed every bit a tax-complimentary benefit.

Eligibility Requirements for VA Alimony

Veterans may be eligible for non-service-connected disability pension if they see the following criteria:

You were discharged from service nether other than dishonorable weather; and
You lot served 90 days of active duty with at least one day during wartime; and
Your countable income is below the maximum almanac alimony rate (MAPR); and
You lot run into net worth limitations; and
You lot meet one of the following criteria: (one) you are 65 or older; (2) you have a permanent and total non-service-connected condition; (iii) you are a patient in a nursing domicile due to mental or physical incapacity; or (4) you lot are receiving Social Security disability benefits.

Importantly, veterans who entered active duty afterwards September vii, 1980 must serve at least 24 months of active-duty service to qualify. If the length of service is less than 24 months, the veteran must take completed their entire tour of active duty.

Wartime Periods

According to VA, eligible wartime periods for alimony purposes include the following:

Mexican Border Flow (May half dozen, 1916 – April v, 1917)
World State of war I (April vi, 1917 – November 11, 1918)
Globe War II (December vii, 1941 – Dec 31, 1946)
Korean conflict (June 17, 1950 – January 31, 1955)
Vietnam era (February 28, 1961 – May vii, 1975 for veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period, otherwise August v, 1964 – May 7, 1975)
Gulf War (August 2, 1990 – through a date to be prepare past law or Presidential proclamation, currently 2021)

Payment Rates for VA Pension

Monthly payment amounts for VA pension will exist based on the difference betwixt the veteran's countable income and the MAPR, a limit on pension rates set past Congress.

Countable Income

A veteran's countable income is how much they earn, including their Social Security inability benefits, investment and retirement payments, and any income their dependents receive. Some expenses, such equally non-reimbursable medical expenses (i.east., medical expenses not covered past the veteran'southward insurance provider), may reduce the veteran's countable income if such expenses make up more than 5 percent of their income.

MAPR Amount

A veteran'southward MAPR amount is the maximum amount of pension payable. The MAPR amount is based on the number of dependents (east.g., spouse, children) the veteran has, if they are married to some other veteran who qualifies for VA pension, and if their disabilities qualify for Housebound or Aid and Attendance (A&A) benefits. MAPRs are adjusted each year for cost-of-living increases. Veterans can find their current MAPR amount using VA'southward Alimony Rate Tabular array.

VA's Pension Rate Table

As of 2020, veterans may receive the following MAPR amounts depending on their number of dependents and their level of inability:

If you accept no dependents and…	MAPR amount
You lot don't qualify for Housebound or A&A benefits	$13,752
You qualify for Housebound benefits	$16,805
You qualify for A&A benefits	$22,939

If you lot take one dependent and…	MAPR amount
You don't authorize for Housebound or A&A benefits	$xviii,008
You qualify for Housebound benefits	$21,063
You qualify for A&A benefits	$27,195

Importantly, if veterans take more one dependent, they should add together $ii,351 to their MAPR amount for each additional dependent.

If you lot're 2 veterans who are married to each other and…	MAPR amount
Neither of y'all qualifies for Housebound or A&A benefits	$18,008
One of you qualifies for Housebound benefits	$21,063
Both of yous authorize for Housebound benefits	$24,114
1 of you qualifies for A&A benefits	$27,195
One of y'all qualifies for Housebound benefits and ane of yous qualifies for A&A benefits	$thirty,241
Both of you lot qualify for A&A benefits	$36,387

Case of Determining MAPR Corporeality

VA provides the following example to demonstrate how VA alimony is calculated based on MAPR and countable income:

You are a qualified veteran with a dependent, non-veteran spouse, and no children.
You also qualify for A&A benefits based on your conditions.
Yous and your spouse have a combined yearly income of $10,000.
MAPR amount = $27,195 (come across table higher up)
Yearly income = $x,000
VA pension = $17,195 for the year (or $1,432 paid each calendar month)

What is the Cyberspace Worth Limit to Authorize for VA Pension?

VA has recently changed the way information technology assesses net worth to make the pension entitlement rules more than understandable and comprehensive. Net worth is the total of a veteran's or a veteran'south beneficiary'due south assets and annual income. Net worth too includes the internet worth of the veteran's spouse. Veterans should report all of their net worth when applying for VA alimony.

As of December 1, 2019, the cyberspace worth limit to authorize for VA alimony is $129,094. Importantly, the net worth limit increases each year depending on the cost-of-living-aligning.

How to Apply for VA Alimony

Veterans tin use for VA alimony using VA Form 21P-527EZ, Application for Pension. They will need to provide information most their armed services history, fiscal information, financial data of their dependents, work history, direct deposit information (optional), and medical information. Once the application is filled out, veterans tin send it to the Pension Direction Heart (PMC) for their state. To find the PMC contact data for each land, click here.