The VA Improved Pension is so underused and unknown that I didn’t know about it -- and I am married to a retired Army Major! One of my high school buddies told me about it when she discovered through a care assessment company that her mother was eligible and was receiving the maximum benefit for a surviving spouse - over $900 per month.
The amazing thing about the VA Improved Pension is that you don’t have to be retired or even have long years of service to qualify. The veteran needs to have been in service for at least 90 days of active duty with 1 day beginning or ending during a period of War and have been discharged honorably. The link http://veteranaid.org/docs/Periods_of_War.pdf lists the periods of war that have been qualified by Congress.
The VA’s goal with this program is to help those in financial need. Their operating manual states that: “The VA’s income-based programs are intended to give beneficiaries a minimum level of financial security. They are not intended to protect substantial assets or build up the beneficiary’s estate for the benefit of the heirs.” However, the VA is not required to tell veterans about any of these benefits and some of those whom you talk to at your local Department of Veterans Affairs might not know about it either.