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W
washoe Asked September 2013

What benefits are there for a certified blind veteran and his spouse on a fixed income?

How and where can one find out what is available under those circumstances? The veteran also has type 2 diabetes. Can the spouse get paid as the caretaker?

JessieBelle Sep 2013
Hi, washoe. They need to talk to either a social worker or a VA representative to see what is available. Veterans qualify for certain benefits if the household income is low enough. Applying for the benefits take a while, and waiting for the benefits to begin takes even longer, but if they qualify I believe the benefits may pay retroactively to the time of application. I don't know a lot about this, because my parents did not qualify. Often there is an attorney who will help apply for the benefits. Sometimes they work for free, so see what is available.

One word of warning -- sometimes you will be approached by someone who wants you to pay for applying for the benefits. You do not have to pay for application. Sometimes you pay an attorney to help get benefits, but that is a personal choice. The application itself is free. Anyone who says you have to pay to apply is scamming.

If they qualify, there is money available to pay the spouse or other person to be a caregiver. I think it is a couple of thousand a month. I hope someone who knows more will correct or add to what I've written here.

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