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9 lesser-known VA benefits for seniors

9 lesser-known VA benefits for seniors

Military veterans are the crown jewels of the nation, which is why they deserve nothing but the best services and benefits. Individuals who have served their country can always use the unique Veteran Affairs (VA) Benefits specially curated for them. There are several benefits that the VA offers the country’s veterans, and, unfortunately, keeping track of all of them can be a little hard. For senior veterans, here are some of the lesser-known VA benefits:

Housebound benefits
Many elderly veterans are often confined to their homes due to permanent disability, reduced mobility, or other issues. Such individuals can use the underrated and lesser-known housebound benefits the VA provides. While veterans can apply for either age and attendance or housebound benefits, they cannot collect them simultaneously. Senior veterans receive pensions and other monetary amounts based on their income and asset limits. They can get homebound monetary relief depending on certain factors, like the number of dependents.

Housebound benefits usually involve the provision of money for hiring help, purchasing things remotely, and making repairs in their homes, among other uses.

Long-term care and caregiver support
For most, long-term care is incredibly expensive and borderline unaffordable. Nonetheless, seniors need long-term care to improve the quality of their lives. Therefore, they can use the aid and attendance programs in the VA benefits schemes. Senior veterans are eligible for all kinds of medical and financial help to cover the cost of assisted living programs, nursing homes, and long-term care options.

Senior couples are eligible to receive monetary amounts of up to $25,020 per year, while the surviving spouses of veterans can receive up to $1,318 every month (translating to $15,816 every year) to cover their long-term care costs. One thing to consider is the eligibility criteria for VA-based long-term care. According to the VA’s aid and attendance program regulations, one must be eligible for a basic pension first to receive long-term care benefits.

Life insurance
Insurance companies, especially privatized ones, are often highly reluctant to give life insurance to senior citizens. Even when the policy is sanctioned, senior citizens have to pay exorbitant premiums every month or year to keep their policy afloat. This is why VA’s benefits also involve life insurance coverage for seniors. Using the Veteran’s Group Life Insurance program, seniors become eligible to purchase and pay for life insurance policies worth up to $400,000 with extremely competitive premium rates. Senior veterans need to contact VA officials to get accurate information about exact premium amounts, minute details related to eligibility, and similar other factors.

Caregiver costs
As their age advances, seniors become progressively less capable of doing physical activities such as going to the restroom, bathing by themselves, eating, following hygiene routines, putting on their clothes, taking prescriptions on time, cooking food, and other similar activities. Some seniors are unable to do the bare minimum tasks. In such cases, a caregiver can help the seniors with daily activities. Caregivers are trained to provide high-quality assistance to seniors related to daily sanitation, cooking, feeding, and the other activities specified earlier. What’s more? They also provide company and have conversations with lonely seniors to make them feel fulfilled and covered at all times.

For ailing veterans at home, the VA offers a specialized caregiver program. While this program does not give direct salaries to caregivers, the latter receive a free support line and a support coordinator to help manage military benefits and the stress of caregiving. In this way, this slightly underrated scheme is good for all the parties involved, especially for senior veterans.

Mortgage help
Many seniors across the country tend to have mortgage issues and other loan repayment problems. Due to their physical limitation and a distinctive averseness to the possibility of using technology to navigate mortgages, seniors tend to fall behind on their mortgage payments. The VA identifies this as an issue and, therefore, enables mortgage repayment assistance and counseling for senior veterans who actively seek out help.

Some of the options for help include special repayment plans, loan modification programs to lessen the load of immediate debt, financial counseling, and loan forbearance.

Increased temporary disability rating
Many senior veterans who are disabled find it challenging to fend for various day-to-day tasks. By increasing the disability rating for individuals who have been in a hospital for about 21 days or are immobilized due to surgery, increasing the disability rating helps senior veterans receive increased compensation.

Fishing licenses
Seniors who love to do fishing as a hobby can check this benefit with the VA. It offers a lifetime fishing license to seniors. Veterans aged 64 and older can get a fishing license for as low as $5. Usually, these licenses are expensive and difficult to get quickly. But, with the VA’s assistance, senior veterans can get them quickly and cheaply.

Death benefits
The VA’s benefits ensure that senior veterans’ invaluable contributions to the country are honored even in death. These benefits include active physical and financial assistance for burial and funerals. Through this, a large percentage of the financial burdens on seniors can be alleviated. Additionally, if a veteran chooses to be buried in a national cemetery, they (dependents too) will receive a private grave site, transportation reimbursement, perpetual care, a government-marked headstone or marker, a presidential memorial certificate, a burial flag, opening and closing of the grave. 

Free tax preparations
Along with financial assistance, senior citizens also need help settling their taxes and tax filings. Veterans can access resources that make the tax preparation process easier for them. This is VA’s initiative, along with the IRS, to make the often-complicated processes involved in making tax sheets, calculating taxable income earned, making notes of any deductions made at source on their income, and similar other benefits.

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11 management options to keep anxiety at bay

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