A Place for Mom's Family

My Grandfather appears to be eligible for this pension.  He is recently diagnosed with Parkinsons and currently residing in a VA rehab center.  He will be discharged home soon, where he and his wife are disabled and needing more help with each passing day.  The income limit tables linked from the pension application appear to eliminate him as their household income is 39K/year.  After reading all instructions, I am assuming these income limit tables exclude a veteran before factoring expenses.  Is this true?

 

Chris

No, the income limit does not exclude them . . .if they have expenses for care.   In order to determine qualifying income, all unreimbursed medical expenses (UMEs) are subtracted from their gross income.  Included in this calculation would be things such as their Medicare contributions, Medicare supplement or Advantage Plan premiums, Part D premiums, over-the-counter medical related items such as Depends, co-pays and deductible payments, and the cost of care.  If they are remaining at home, you can adjust their income by the amount that they pay to have someone assist them at home, if that assistance is needed for at least one activity of daily living (eating, toileting, bathing, dressing, mobility, memory care, eyesight, etc).  Things that may need to be done for them may include maintenance, bookkeeping, medicine management, laundry, housekeeping, cooking, etc.  They can hire an outside agency or they can pay friends or family to assist them (would require a caregiver contract - we have samples).   After adjusting their income for these UMEs, we can determine if they qualify by reason of income.  Then, we will have to address the asset issue, but that also is adjustable given the set of facts. Let me know if I can help further.  My phone number is 317-564-5056. Kevin Wedmore

 

Great site to find.. I have a bunch of questions.

First of all I can't spell good or put words together to make good sense so pleas overlook my smarts. 

This is for my 85 year old  Mom, Mom uses a cain and walker.now lives at her house

I found out about this VA benifit  through a Assitant living place in town.

Real nice place 1 bedroom is $2,200. Meet with a man there who was not with VA but some kind of  VA help group.

He asked a lot of questions and in the end did say she will qualify.Only thing is my 85 year old Mom has to stop driveing which she does very little.

Mom cannot walk very far with out stopping. Has fiber mialgie, and 2 other things I can't even spell.

Any way man said you can get it but you have to never drive again. First Mom was not wanting to do that but now thinking about it and meeting some woman there she knew agreed to do so..

Mom gets SS check $1,695 a month. My Dad and Mom had a Insurance buisness for 50 years. Dad been dead 45 years Mom kept it up

Now each month Mom does get about $200 to some months $500 a month renewals.

Last  year Mom made TOTAL $38,500. income. Mom has NO investments NO other money comiing in.

Question Mom does still have and lives in her 4 Bedroom house she has had 35 years. Value is $110,000

I was thinking about selling it as it is to big for her and time to settle her in. I now don't want to to mess this up.

Mom right now has $800 in her checking accout with NO savings. Mom got in debt, a few years ago, I had to take a loan out $35,000 pay off all her bills.

Mom tries to make the $650 payment, usually does but has not much left..

Question how does this house come into play with the VA benifit?

What is best thing for me to do about her house.

If I was to sell it I take it would not make her elligiable. What if I was to rent it out?

Can she give this house to me, or put in my name?

What if I mom get this approved and years down the road we sell the house? Does that kick her out?

Last question..

This man who was nice and helpfull tells is as long as she quits driving and gets the Dr. Letter done she CAN MOVE IN.

He said the VA has to approve but when he checks out all what we told her she will get it. I have not been wrong in telling people that they will and don't. 

Mom could pay $1,250 but NOT the whole $2.250,

Mom would turn paper work into VA and it might be a few months untill she gets it approved.

Mom would have to pay $1,850 and when approve would get the months paid back from when she started living there..

Mom cannot pay $1,850 a month unless I rent her house out. 

Does she have to GO IN a place before she can get her contract approved by the VA?

That makes me go HMmmmm> why not wait untill she gets approved?????

 

 sorry this was so LONG and I'm not very good on spelling or putting words together but I hope you can get the jest of what I'm dealing with.

I now handle all her money, make sure every dollar she gets goes on bills and no getting on that Casino Bus with other old woman gambling.

That was her problem 2 years ago..

 

Something else you need to know to help me...

rave@usit.net us my address

Thank YOU so much for this site?

Any way any suggestions advice will be appreciated.

David

Tennessee

 Wonder why nobody will help me and to answer my question?

Must be a hard one???????????????

as of 8-11-11, there are income levels for seniors. there are three tiers. if seniors want to stay in their homes and would like to have help, their income can not be over 80,000. that has to include all bonds, stocks, cash, checking, and all money. cars and house and social security and annunity is not included. If seniors have money invested in a 401k or a retirement and it is drawing income from the principal, it is looked at as income. So many people are not eligable. Most assisted living and nursing homes have specialists who are trained to do all the paper work for the VA. Let them handle the paper work. If one piece of the paper work is off, the VA will deny the entire package. It is very tricky and time consuming paperwork since it is the government. Once it is accepted, the money comes 3 months after the acceptance letter. There is no back pay like with social security. The VA recipant will also get a letter stating they are qualified to get all their medication thru the va if they choose as well. If there is not a VA clinic close, do not choose that option. It is nice there is this benefit for veterans and their spouses.

Thanks my husband and I both need care znc help in finding an apartment we can afford. Thank you, Joyce Weiler

From what I can gather, your mom has a house worth $110,000, $35,000 in debt, and is about $1,000 short to cover the monthly expense of the apartment.

According to mrspigglewiggle, annuities aren't included when qualifying for the assistance. If this is true the best option may be for you to sell the house, immediately pay off the remaining portion of the $35,000 loan so you're not paying any more interest. This will leave you with $75,000 to cover the additional $1,000 in monthly rent for the apartment. It's possible to put that money into an annuity that will pay out a monthly sum while collecting interest. Even without interest, the money left over from the house sale will be enough to cover the difference in your mom's rent for over 6 years.

This is just what I would do in your situation, you should definitely speak to an attorney who is experienced in Medicaid and Veterans Benefits law. It might cost you a few hundred dollars, but its worth it if it saves thousands of dollars by making the wrong decision.

assisted living center

 Hi, Just make an appointment with your local VA office and tell them your mom is in need of financial help and would like to apply for the Aid and Assistance benefits. They were very helpful with my own mothers paper work. 

That might be possible if it weren't for the excess resources or the need for additional income that needs to be supplied . . .a veteran's service officer cannot help you by telling you what changes you may need to make in order to qualify . . .they can only tell you if you are eligible to apply.  If you submit the application and are 'over resourced' (meaning you have more in assets than are allowable, still own your home with no intent to return, etc.), you will be denied the benefit and will have to wait a year to reapply. 

Fortunately, there are organizations that know how things need to be arranged prior to applying so that those who are eligible to apply are also qualified to receive the benefit.  I would suggest only going directly to the VSO if you are certain that your mother will meet the qualification requirements, not just the eligiblity requirements.

I hope this information is helpful . . .I've seen too many families that apply and are turned down when a few simple changes in how things are structured (or even how they are presented) would help them qualify.

 Hi,

Mom is on Medicaid and in a nursing home.  Up until Dad received the VA Aid and Attendance pension, mom's nursing home expenses were paid by Medicaid and Dad received her Social Security monthly paymentfor spousal impovishment.

Dad moved into an assisted living facility and qualified for the VA Aid and Attendance pension.  Because of his income level while receiving the VA benefit and social security, he now pays $556.00 to Mom's nursing home for her care.  $556.00 is the amount of mom's Social Security benefit deducting the $30.00 she gets to keep while in the nursing home.  $586.00 was the spousal impovishment benefit paid to my dad, which now goes to the nursing home.

 From reading about the VA Aid and Attendance benefit, I thought this pension was NOT considered as income for Medicaid benefits? Should Dad be paying for Mom's nursing home expenses even when the VA benefit does not cover his assisted living rent?

Thanks

 

This is true and a great benefit. I'm in the insurance and financial business, and can help seniors and vets with their asset positioning to qualify for these benefits, anywhere in Ventura County, CA. Contact my office at 805-642-1775. Thanks. glad to help, God Bless America!

 My mother will be 90 in August. 3 years ago she had a fall and we both decided it would be best to move into a senior apartment together.

Her savings since that move has dwindled from $125,000 to $30,000.

I do everything for my mother and I also work. My mother is a WWII Veteran.Her SS income is  $363.00 and she gets an additional $1,707.00 federal government from my late fathers retirement he was also a WWII Vet. I contribute $1,256.00 to our income.

Can my mother get some assistance even with my living and caring for her or does she have to wait until is placed in a home.

Eileen Jones

eileen@utilityconsultants.net

Am I correct to assume that this is a national benefit for veterans?

Yes

Indeed the benefit is for all eligible senior veterans and surviving spouses that can demonstrate a need for care or "aid and attendance" on a regular basis. I am always concerned when the questions of assets is brought up. Where does one get these absolute figures of "less than 80K?" The VA states there is "no set limit on liquid assets." It is all relative and extremely easy to re-position prior to the time of filing.