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VA Aid and Attendance, 2026

Current maximum annual pension rates, the net worth limit, and why care costs can make a veteran eligible despite moderate income.

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VA Aid and Attendance, 2026

Short answer

The VA's Aid and Attendance pension is a needs-based benefit added on top of a wartime veteran's (or surviving spouse's) basic pension. VA offsets countable income by unreimbursed medical expenses -- including the cost of assisted living, memory care, or in-home care -- which can

SituationMaximum annual rateApproximate monthly
Veteran needing Aid and AttendanceNot verified in this research pass -- confirm current annual maximum at va.gov before publishing a figureConfirm at va.gov per month
Surviving spouse needing Aid and AttendanceNot verified in this research pass -- confirm current annual maximum at va.gov before publishing a figureConfirm at va.gov per month

Net worth limit: Not verified in this research pass -- VA's net worth limit updates annually; confirm the current figure at va.gov before publishing a specific number.

The VA's Aid and Attendance pension is a needs-based benefit added on top of a wartime veteran's (or surviving spouse's) basic pension. VA offsets countable income by unreimbursed medical expenses -- including the cost of assisted living, memory care, or in-home care -- which can significantly increase the monthly benefit a low-income veteran or survivor qualifies for.

VA pays Aid and Attendance monthly, as an addition to the veteran's or survivor's base pension amount, once the unreimbursed-medical-expense offset and other eligibility criteria are met. VA Aid and Attendance rates are federal and identical nationwide, including for veterans and survivors living in the Milwaukee metro -- they are not Wisconsin-specific and do not vary by county. Rates effective Not verified in this research pass -- confirm the current rate table's effective date at va.gov..

Source: VA veterans pension rates

Source: VA survivors pension rates

Questions families ask

What is an RCAC and how is it different from a CBRF?

A Residential Care Apartment Complex (RCAC) offers independent apartment units, not shared rooms, where residents receive room and board, personal care, and nursing services -- up to 28 hours per week of supportive care per resident, a materially higher ceiling than a CBRF's 3 hours. Both are licensed/certified by the DHS Bureau of Assisted Living.

What is an Adult Family Home (AFH) in Wisconsin?

An Adult Family Home is a private home where 3 or 4 unrelated adults reside and receive care, including up to 7 hours per week of nursing care per resident, licensed by the DHS Bureau of Assisted Living. Smaller 1-2 bed adult family homes are regulated separately, under DHS's Division of Medicaid Services rather than DQA licensing.

Does a Wisconsin nursing home need a different license than assisted living?

Yes. Skilled nursing facilities (nursing homes) are licensed under a separate rule chapter, Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 132, distinct from the CBRF, RCAC, and AFH chapters that govern community-based settings, and provide 24-hour licensed nursing care.

How do I check whether a Milwaukee-area facility's license is current?

Use Wisconsin DHS's DQA Provider Search on the ForwardHealth portal, the state's public tool for looking up a facility's license status and survey/inspection history. It's free and does not require creating an account.

Who licenses and regulates senior care facilities in Wisconsin?

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), Division of Quality Assurance (DQA), Bureau of Assisted Living (BAL) licenses and regulates CBRFs, RCACs, adult family homes, and nursing homes statewide. General licensing contact: 608-266-8482.

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