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Who is Eligible for a Veterans Pension?

Joe Wallace & Michelle Nati

Who is Eligible for a Veterans Pension?

The Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Pension program is a benefit that is unrelated to military retirement pay.

The VA Veteran Pension program offers VA payments to “wartime Veterans who meet certain age or disability requirements, and who have income and net worth within certain limits,” according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

You may generally qualify if you are at least 65 or have a permanent disability. Those receiving long-term nursing home care or Social Security may also qualify if they meet the other guidelines (see below.)

Veterans may qualify for a VA Veterans Pension if they do not have a Dishonorable discharge and their annual household income and net worth meet Congressional limits. Other criteria apply. At least one of the following must apply:

• You started on active duty before September 8, 1980, and you served at least 90 days on active duty (1 day or more during wartime)
• You enlisted after September 7, 1980, and served at least 24 months or the full period for which you were called (at least 1 day during wartime)
• You were an officer and started on active duty after October 16, 1981, and you hadn’t previously served on active duty for at least 24 months

Federal law lists the applicable wartime periods that may qualify you for a Veterans Pension:

• Mexican Border period (May 9, 1916, to April 5, 1917)
• World War I (April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918)
• World War II (December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946)
• Korean Conflict (June 27, 1950, to January 31, 1955)
• Vietnam War era (November 1, 1955, to May 7, 1975,
• August 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975, for Veterans who served outside the Republic of Vietnam.)
• Gulf War (August 2, 1990, to a date TBD)

Related: How to File for a VA Disability Increase

How the VA Calculates Veterans Pension Payments

If you can receive a Veterans Pension, the Department of Veterans Affairs sets your payment amount based on the difference between “your countable income and a limit that Congress sets (the Maximum Annual Pension Rate, or MAPR).”

Countable Income

To calculate your VA Pension, countable income is defined as “how much you earn, including your Social Security benefits, investment and retirement payments, and any income your dependents receive.”

Disabled veterans and other applicants should know their countable income and household income totals before applying. VA.gov notes the types of countable income may include retirement pay, annuities, and income such as:

• Salary
• Hourly pay
• Overtime
• Tips
• Bonuses
• Commissions

Certain costs, such as non-reimbursable medical expenses, may lower your countable income in the eyes of the federal government.

Don’t neglect making notes of these expenses, as they could make the difference in some cases when it comes to qualifying for the benefit under the household income cap.

The VA bases your maximum payment amount on your number of dependents, whether you are married, and whether that marriage includes another person who might be eligible for a VA Veterans Pension.

There is also a consideration for whether you qualify for VA Aid & Attendance benefits.

The VA calculates your assets, too. You will be assessed on “the fair market value of all your real and personal property, minus the amount of any mortgages you may have.” In the eyes of the VA, personal property assets include any of these items:

• Investments
• Furniture
• Boats

Your assets do NOT, for the purposes of calculating the benefit, do NOT include:

• Your house
• Car
• Appliances and other items you would not pack and ship to a new house

The Department of Veterans Affairs official site offers the following example to help you better understand how a veteran pension is calculated:

• Veteran with a dependent, non-veteran spouse, and no children. The veteran qualifies for Aid & Attendance, and the household income is calculated at $10,000 for the year.
• Your Maximum Annual Pension Rate amount = $33,548
• Your yearly income = $10,000
• Your VA pension = 23,548 for the year (or $1,962 paid each month)

This was calculated under the net worth limit applicable until November 30, 2025, which is capped at $159, 240. The net worth cap may change yearly; these numbers are listed as examples only. Check the current VA cap at VA.gov.

VA Veterans Pension Payment Amounts

The rates below were posted by the federal government for 2025.

These numbers are for reference only; they are always subject to change due to changes in policy, federal law, funding, etc. To learn the Veterans Pension payment amounts for a different year, look them up at VA.gov.

Veterans Pension Amounts: Veterans With No Dependents

Your maximum Veteran Pension payment rate may vary depending on the circumstances.

• No dependents, and you do not qualify for VA Housebound or Aid and Attendance benefits: $16,965
• No dependents, and you DO qualify for Aid & Attendance: $28,300
• No dependents, and you qualify for VA Housebound benefits: $20,732
• If you have medical expenses, you may deduct only the amount that’s above 5 percent of your MAPR amount ($848 for a veteran with no spouse or child).

VA Veterans Pension Amounts: With Dependents

• With at least one dependent and you do NOT qualify for VA Housebound or Aid and Attendance benefits: $22,216
• With dependents and you DO qualify for Aid & Attendance: 31,714
• With dependents and you qualify for VA Housebound benefits: $25,982
• If you have more than one dependent, add $2,902 to your maximum pension amount for each additional dependent.
• If your child works, you may exclude their wages up to $15,000.
• If you have medical expenses, you can deduct only the amount that’s above 5 percent of your MAPR amount ($1,110 for a veteran with one dependent).

VA Veterans Pension: Two Married Veterans

• Neither qualifies for Housebound/Aid Attendance: $22,216
• One spouse qualifies for Aid & Attendance: $31,714
• Both qualify for Aid & Attendance: $44,886
• One spouse qualifies for Housebound benefits: $33,548
• Both qualify for Housebound: $29,747
• One qualifies for Housebound benefits; one qualifies for Aid and Attendance benefits  $37,305
• Add $2,902 to your MAPR amount for each additional child if you have more than one dependent.
• If your child works, you can exclude their wages up to $15,000.
• If you have medical expenses, you can deduct only the amount that’s above 5 percent of your MAPR amount ($1,110 for a veteran with one dependent).

Applying for VA Pension Benefits

If you have special circumstances for your medical care, you may also need these additional forms:

• Statement of Medical Care: Care Worksheets at the end of this pension benefits form that must be completed by an administrator or licensed medical professional
• Claim for Special Monthly Pension (VA Form 21-2680)
• Claim for Medicare Nursing Home and/or $90.00 Rate Reduction Request (VA Form 21-0779)
• Claim for Fiduciary Assistance (VA Form 21-2680)

How to Apply for Veterans Pension Benefits

You can apply online through the VA’s website, by mail, or in person with the help of a trained professional, should you need it. To prepare, you’ll need to gather the following information.

• Your Social Security number (*Required)
• If you have one, your VA file number
• Your military history (*Required)
• Your marital history (if you’re currently married,  you’ll also need your spouse’s marital history.
• Your history of employment
• Dependent information (if applicable)
• Financial information, including the gross monthly income of your household, your household assets’ value, and unreimbursed medical expenses  (*Required)
• Medical records (applicants under 65 only). These forms may include:
• Statement of Medical Care: This must be completed by an administrator or licensed medical professional.
• Claim for Special Monthly Pension (VA Form 21-2680)
• Claim for Medicare Nursing Home and/or $90.00 Rate Reduction Request (VA Form 21-0779)
• Claim for Fiduciary Assistance (VA Form 21-2680)

The pension application is a VA Form 21P-527EZ. You can download it here.

To mail your completed application, send it to:

Department of Veterans Affairs
Pension Intake Center
PO Box 5365
Janesville, WI
53547-5365

You can also download the form and submit it at your regional office. Click here for the one closest to you.

To apply online, use the QuickSubmit tool through AccessVA. If it’s your first time using this tool, you’ll need to register by making an account. After registering, upload your application and documents online.