As of December 1, 2008 the pension can pay as much as $23,396 for aid and attendance for a veteran and their spouse, assuming that medical expenses, including necessary medical care, consumes all of their income. The amount varies based on need. You can see some examples of how the pension is calculated here.

In order to qualify for the pension, there are a number of service, medical and financial requirements that have to be met. According to the VA site:

Pension is a benefit paid to wartime veterans who have limited or no income, and who are age 65 or older, or, if under 65, who are permanently and totally disabled. Veterans who are more seriously disabled may qualify for Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits.  These are benefits that are paid in addition to the basic pension rate.

Generally, you may be eligible if:

* you were discharged from service under conditions other than dishonorable,

AND
* you served at least 90 days of active military service 1 day of which was during a war time period. If you entered active duty after September 7, 1980, generally you must have served at least 24 months or the full period for which called or ordered to active duty (There are exceptions to this rule),

AND
* your countable family income is below a yearly limit set by law (The yearly limit on income is set by Congress),

AND
* you are age 65 or older, OR, you are permanently and totally disabled, not due to your own willful misconduct.

If qualified based on service, the financial situation of the veteran and whether there is still a spouse in the picture will determine how much the government is likely to pay.

You can read more about it on the Department of Veterans Affairs site.

I’ve heard from some that it can take as much as 12 months to be approved for the pension. The catch is that the veteran often has to be incurring assisted living, or nursing home, costs to qualify for the pension, meaning that those expenses have to be funded out of pocket until (if) the pension is approved. One approach is to apply for the pension before it is needed financially in order to determine that the veteran qualifies based on the military service first. Assuming that they were rejected for financial reasons only, they can reapply for the pension once they move into a care facility.

The only advice that SHF gives to veterans with regard to the pension is to see a Veteran Service Officer near you. They are trained to give veterans the guidance they need.

The National Association of County Veteran Service Officers is an organization of local government employees tasked with assisting veterans in developing and processing their claims. So, what’s cool about that is that this is what these people do for a living–and it’s free!

You can find the nearest service officer here: Find a Service Officer

If you’re moving, or helping a senior move, one thing to consider is the potential effect that it will have on Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Part D plans. If the move is long distance, there’s a good chance that new Medicare plan(s) will be in order. If the move is within the same city, it’s likely that your current plan will still work. Either way, it’s a good idea to check with the current plan to see if you’ll still be in their coverage area.

Moving out of a Medicare plan coverage area, raises the opportunity to choose plan that covers your new home under a special election period (SEP). Check www.medicare.gov for a plan in your new area. It’s a good idea to review the details of your current plan on the same site to see how the in your new neighborhood compare. Once you’ve chosen a new plan, contact the provider for an application and any special instructions you may need to follow. And by all means, check with Medicare (800-633-4227) to see if there’s anything you may have missed.

Beyond your magazine subscriptions and other accounts, here are some places that you may want to contact to change your address:

• Post office
• Medicare
• If you’re receiving veterans benefits
• IRS
• Your state treasury
• Your Medicare Advantage/Part D providers

Other resources that you may consider:

• National Association of Senior Move Managers
• 10 Tips to Help Older Adults Move
• AARP: Get Moving: Using a Moving Company