New Jersey Veterans Benefits Lawyer

Veterans Benefits

At times, it can feel like veterans are often forgotten when it comes to receiving the assistance they need for care and living. Veterans have sacrificed for our country and we at Scott Counsel want them to know that they are not forgotten here. If you are a family member of a veteran, you may be curious as to what help might be available to them or what, if anything, you can do to help them too.

Aging comes with certain limitations, especially physical limitations on the ability to take care of yourself. What was once easy now requires the help of an at-home aide. Fortunately, many veterans have access to Aid and Attendance benefits to help defray the cost of this care. Aid and Attendance is a monthly supplement to your military pension, and many veterans and spouses of veterans will qualify.

As with any government program, however, the application process can create headaches. The New Jersey veterans benefits attorneys at Scott Counsel, P.C. can help you every step of the way if you call and schedule a time to meet.

Trying to make sense of veterans’ benefits or even what those benefits might be can be difficult, so here are some questions to get you started:

• What is the Aid and Attendance benefit?
• What are the requirements for receiving the Aid and Attendance benefit?
• Who can help me in filing a claim to receive the Aid and Attendance benefit?
• What is a pension benefit?
• What are the necessary requirements to receive pension benefits?

Qualifying for Aid & Attendance

The maximum monthly benefit you receive will depend on various factors, such as your marital status and your pension.

To qualify, you must meet all of the following:

• You receive a military pension.
• You served at least 90 days on active duty, with at least one day overlapping a war, such as the Gulf War or Vietnam.
• You received an honorable discharge.

You also must have a disability or physical condition with which you need help:

• Your eyesight is limited.
• Your disabilities have forced you to move into a nursing home.
• You spend most of the day in bed due to illness.
• You need assistance with eating, dressing, bathing, or other daily activities.

If a permanent disability keeps you housebound, you might qualify for a similar program called the Housebound Allowance. The application process is similar, though the maximum benefit amount is different.

Meeting Income Limits

The VA has limited Aid and Attendance to those who need the supplemental income the most. For this reason, the government has put in place both income and net worth limits. Your income must include income received from all sources, including income from your spouse and any dependents living with you. Fortunately, you may also deduct certain unreimbursed medical expenses, which will lower your monthly income.

Currently, the net worth limit is $138,489 (as of 2022) which does not include your primary residence. If your net worth is too high, meet with an attorney to review what you can do to get under the limit.

Streamlining the Application Process

Many veterans find the application process overwhelming. Far too many veterans are rejected for no valid reason and will need to supplement their application or lodge an appeal. Our New Jersey veterans benefits lawyers can assist with the entire application process. We will complete forms, communicate with the VA, and compile helpful medical evidence. If you are turned down, we can also handle an appeal.

Never assume you can’t qualify for benefits. Our lawyers have helped many people finally get the benefits they deserve.

We can help you figure out the answers to these questions and more. As with any journey into elder care, we often are left with more questions than we know what to do with, and it is vital that those questions be sorted and dealt with accordingly. We know that, oftentimes, people who come through our doors are overwhelmed with a million different things at once, and we take pride in being able to slow things down and deal with each individual aspect of your issue one at a time. That way, no one is overwhelmed by anything and everyone is assured of getting the help that they so desperately need. After all, providing great care starts by simply knowing what you are up against, and seeing it in a less intimidating light. Our end goal is to help you have the tools you need that will give you the confidence to provide the best possible care for your loved one.

Our legal team is proud to serve New Jersey veterans and their families. All veterans deserve to live out their senior years with dignity. We can analyze whether you qualify for Aid and Attendance or the Housebound Benefit, and then we can complete the paperwork for you. Please call us today at (856) 485-4585 to get started right now.