Has anyone applied for VA Aid & Attendance?

I applied for the VA Aid and Attendance for my mother. I did it without an attorney. I had the FREE (and I mean totally FREE) assistance from the Veterans Financial, Inc. group. I completed the application and then faxed it to them to review. They then set up a phone meeting with me to go through the reviewed application and helped in the places I did not answer or may have answered incorrectly or was unclear. They were supportive through the entire process, telling what to expect next, what to do etc. My final application when sent to the VA was approved with no problems. Note that Veterans Financial, Inc. is a private financial services company that specializes in educating families about Veterans benefits, Medicaid planning, and Financial Planning as it relates to long term care expenses. They are not part of the Veterans Administration, but they offer free information about VA Benefits and will provide the necessary forms needed to apply as well as any help you need along the way to complete the forms. I highly recommend contacting them.

Just remember to keep a copy of everything you send to the VA - they have a tendency to lose things. And keep nagging them.

I didn't apply for A&A for my mother-in-law, but I did apply for DIC for her and had no problems. I didn't use an attorney but I have heard that there are some wonderful veterans that volunteer to help people in filing all kinds of paperwork. I suggest you contact your local VFW or VA's office and see if they have any suggestions. Good luck!!

I did the paperwork myself for my mother. The paperwork seems daunting but, like anything else, just do a piece at a time or set aside a full day to work on it and it eventually gets done. Someone earlier said that you have to start over & that is not the case, the VA tells you what is missing and you provide it. The VA sent my mother a letter telling her she had to provide 3 witnesses to prove my father and her had lived together, as they showed they never had. My mom has Alzheimer Disease and the letter put her in a tailspin for three days, "going to hire a lawyer, how did I get 3 daughters?" It was a glitch in the computer system and we never had to answer the letter. Start early, it does take time. The entire process took 20 months, as sequestration has slowed the cogs in the giant wheels of the VA, especially the final interview, if your loved one has cognitive impairment and has a fiduciary (Power of Attorney) appointed. One worker had a case load of 100 people waiting for interviews. The Vet Center is very helpful, as is the VFW or any of the military service clubs. We were advised NOT to contact legislatures, as this can work against you in speeding up the process. My mother got her retro check last month, the start date is when your application is received. Make copies of EVERYTHING you provide, as things may have to be provided more than once. Get annual printouts from your medical supply provider, pharmacy, etc., easier than copies of individual receipts. Be patient, be organized, be persistent, and use your service organizations and the Veteran's Center (county organization which was not the actual VA). Good Luck!

Why is it that a illegal alien can get benefits more easier in this country than a veteran/wife of veteran can from the Veteran's Administration?

You don't need a lawyer. Download the forms you need, fill them out and then have them faxed. Make phone calls to follow up. It took only five months for my mother to get her A & A. I was told by a VA employee to ask them to put my mother ahead of some of the others due to her age and health. I had no problems with them. I also went to a local VA Medical Clinic where they usually
do not help with this, but there was a lady that happen to give me some help.
Do not give up. Keep in contact with them. Do not wait for them to call, you call
them and keep asking them about the progress. Good Luck. I live in Ky.

If you have assets of over $80,000 (this does not include house or vehicle) you will most likely be denied if you don't spend down. It seems that they do not mind if it is under $80,000 but anything over will be looked at.

The $80k is not a hard and fast rule. Unfortunately, VA customer service (?) representatives will give you conflicting info every time you call, because I have called several times and never got the same info

A website mentioned earlier in this string, vetangels.org, helps free of charge and says that the "net worth cannot be excessive," each case is decided individually, and that consideration is given to life expectancy, available income, cost of unreimbursed medical and care.

An article about the book "Checks for Vets," which is referenced on this website (agingcare.com), says pretty much the same as the vetangels.org website and that is there is no net worth limit, but not excessive depending on individual cases. Though this article/book says that the $80K does not include a home and car of no maximum value. I think Medicaid has a max value of $500K on the house, but no max on a car.

Several sources (I can't remember which ones), other than the VA, said that that the VA does not do a "look back" like Medicaid. Though Medicaid, at least in our state, allows spend down on home maintenance in their 5 year look back. So, my take away from this is that if you are going to spend down, do home improvements to boost its value, and possibly a newer more dependable car. However, on the Medicaid side you'd want to make sure the title of the home protects the surviving spouse's interest, if Medicaid tries to recoup from the estate. I have not been able to determine if the VA tries to recoup from the estate.

We used American Veterans Aid, they have a website. They are out of California. We paid $1150.00 for my mother to get the VA Aid and Attendance Pension. We got it in 4 months to the day. The VA told me that I should not pay for this service. They do it for you. They help you fill out the paperwork at their office. My Mother was so sick at that time so I think it was the best thing I for us at that time. I had to charge it to a credit card. I also wrote to my senator to help with the process. Veterans Aid told me it could take up to 12 months after we had completed the paperwork and sent it in for processing. I was very upset and poor because I had quit my job to take care of my Mother. One person jujubean, waited 20 months. That's when I called and wrote to my senator. We also filled a hardship case a month after sending in the paperwork.

I'm so sorry for the type-os. I just woke up with brain fog this mornig, need more coffee.