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VA Aid and Attendance, 2026

Current maximum annual pension rates, the net worth limit, and why care costs can make a veteran eligible despite moderate income.

HomeCosts & PayingVA Aid and Attendance, 2026

VA Aid and Attendance, 2026

Short answer

VA Aid and Attendance is a pension add-on, not a standalone benefit -- a wartime veteran or surviving spouse first qualifies for the VA Improved Pension, then unreimbursed medical expenses (including assisted living and in-home care costs) are subtracted from countable income, wh

SituationMaximum annual rateApproximate monthly
Single veteran needing Aid and Attendance$29,093/year$2,424 per month
Veteran with one dependent needing Aid and Attendance$34,488/year$2,874 per month
Surviving spouse needing Aid and Attendance (no dependents)$18,697/year$1,558 per month

Net worth limit: $163,699 (effective December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026) -- this figure includes both assets and annual income, and generally excludes a primary residence.

VA Aid and Attendance is a pension add-on, not a standalone benefit -- a wartime veteran or surviving spouse first qualifies for the VA Improved Pension, then unreimbursed medical expenses (including assisted living and in-home care costs) are subtracted from countable income, which can raise the monthly pension payment up to the Aid and Attendance maximum annual pension rate (MAPR).

The table above shows maximum annual pension rates converted to an approximate monthly figure; the actual monthly payment depends on the veteran's or survivor's own countable income after medical-expense deductions, and can be lower than the maximum shown. These rates are federal and identical for veterans and survivors everywhere in the country, including Fort Worth and the rest of Tarrant County -- they are not adjusted by state or metro. Rates effective December 1, 2025 (reflects a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment).

Source: VA veterans pension rates

Source: VA survivors pension rates

Questions families ask

What are Texas's nursing facility Medicaid income and asset limits in 2026?

For 2026, the special income limit for Texas nursing facility Medicaid is $2,901/month, with a $2,000 asset limit for a single applicant. Income above the limit generally requires a Miller Trust (Qualified Income Trust) to still qualify.

What is Medicaid Estate Recovery, and does it affect a Fort Worth family's home?

Texas's Medicaid Estate Recovery Program (MERP) can seek reimbursement from a deceased Medicaid recipient's probate estate for long-term-care costs paid by the state, including nursing facility care and some STAR+PLUS HCBS services -- but only after death, and with protections for a surviving spouse or dependent children.

What does assisted living cost in the Fort Worth area?

The 2024 CareScout Cost of Care Survey puts Texas's statewide median assisted living cost at $5,250 a month. No primary source publishes a Fort Worth- or Tarrant County-specific figure separate from that state median, so local pricing likely runs close to or somewhat above it given the metro's growth.

What does memory care cost in Fort Worth?

There is no published memory-care median anywhere in the country -- CareScout does not survey memory care as its own category, in Texas or any other state. Any specific memory-care dollar figure you see online is an estimate or an extrapolation, not a sourced statistic.

How much does in-home care cost in Tarrant County?

The 2024 CareScout survey puts Texas's home health aide median at roughly $28/hour, which works out to about $4,850 a month at 40 hours a week. Non-medical home care (companionship, help with daily tasks) and skilled home health are priced and covered differently, so confirm which you're actually being quoted.

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