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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

VA Aid and Attendance is a federal Veterans Pension or Survivors Pension add-on for wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily activities. It supplements the base pension up to a Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR); VA pays the difference between countable inc

SituationMaximum annual rateApproximate monthly
Veteran, no dependents, Aid and Attendance$29,093/year$2,424 per month
Veteran with 1 dependent, Aid and Attendance$34,488/year$2,874 per month
Surviving spouse, no dependents, Aid and Attendance$18,697/year$1,558 per month
Two veterans married to each other, both qualify$46,143/year$3,845 per month

Net worth limit: $163,699 (effective December 1, 2025 – November 30, 2026)

VA Aid and Attendance is a federal Veterans Pension or Survivors Pension add-on for wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily activities. It supplements the base pension up to a Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR); VA pays the difference between countable income and the MAPR, after deducting unreimbursed medical expenses, so the actual monthly payment varies by household income.

MAPR is a ceiling, not a flat payment — VA pays the difference between countable income and the MAPR after deducting unreimbursed medical expenses, so actual monthly payments vary by household. This is a federal benefit, so these rates and rules are identical for Long Island veterans and survivors as for any other state. There is a 3-year look-back period for asset transfers, with penalty periods up to 5 years. Rates effective December 1, 2025 – November 30, 2026 (2.8% COLA applied).

Source: VA veterans pension rates

Source: VA survivors pension rates

Questions families ask

What is the NHTD Medicaid waiver and could it help my parent stay out of a nursing home?

The Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) Medicaid Waiver is a federal 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Services waiver administered by NYSDOH through Regional Resource Development Centers. It helps Medicaid-eligible people age 65 and older, and younger people with physical disabilities, who have been assessed as needing nursing-home-level care receive services in the community instead, either transitioning out of a nursing facility or diverting from being admitted to one in the first place.

What is New York's Assisted Living Program (ALP) and how is it different from private-pay assisted living?

The Assisted Living Program (ALP) is New York's Medicaid-funded alternative to nursing home placement, operating inside licensed Adult Homes or Enriched Housing Programs rather than as a separate building type. It serves people who are medically eligible for nursing home care but can safely be served in a less medically intensive, lower-cost setting, covering personal care, room and board, housekeeping, home health aides, nursing, therapy, medical equipment, adult day health care, and RN case management. ALP is regulated under 18 NYCRR Part 494.

My mom is 68 with a low income - does New York's ACA Medicaid expansion cover her nursing home or home care costs?

No. New York's 2014 ACA Medicaid expansion covers a different population: adults ages 19-64 without dependent children, up to 138% of the federal poverty level, with no asset test. Long-term care Medicaid for seniors is a completely separate eligibility pathway - it is asset and resource-tested, applies to people 65 and older or those needing institutional-level care, and is what actually covers nursing home care, MLTC, the ALP, and NHTD waiver services.

How much money can my spouse keep if I go on Medicaid for nursing home care in New York in 2026?

For 2026, the community spouse may generally keep the greater of the state minimum Community Spouse Resource Allowance ($74,820) or half of the couple's countable resources, up to the federal maximum of $162,660. The community spouse is also entitled to a Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance of $4,066.50 per month from the institutionalized spouse's income. These figures come from NYSDOH's GIS 26 MA/03 guidance, effective January 1, 2026.

How much spending money is a Medicaid nursing home resident allowed to keep each month in New York?

New York's Nursing Home Resident Personal Needs Allowance is $50 per month - the amount a Medicaid-funded nursing home resident is permitted to keep from their own income for personal expenses, with the rest going toward the cost of their care. According to the NY State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA), this figure has been unchanged since the 1980s, and NYSOFA notes that 33 other states currently pay a higher PNA, ranging from $52 to $200.

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