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Veterans Benefits & Planning

Who Is Eligible for VA Benefits

A common misconception is that only those veterans who were disabled while serving on active duty are entitled to veterans' benefits. This type of benefit (known as "compensation") is available only to those whose disability is connected to the veteran's service, but it is not the only type of benefit offered. Another type of benefit called the veterans "pension" may be available to help meet the costs of long-term care for wartime veterans or their surviving spouses, even if their current medical needs are not associated with their service. This pension has several eligibility requirements.

Requirements for VA Benefits

• The claimant must be a veteran, or a surviving spouse of a veteran, who served on active duty for a period of at least 90 consecutive days during a period of war. Service in combat is not required, but the veteran must have served during wartime and must have been honorably discharged. 
  
  
• The claimant must be over 65 or be permanently and totally disabled.
  
  
• The claimant must satisfy both an income and assets test. 

A veteran or the surviving spouse of a veteran who meets the eligibility requirements for pension may also be entitled to an extra monthly amount if they are "housebound" or in need of the regular aid and attendance of someone else to assist with their activities of daily living. 

VA Benefits & Medicaid Planning

Here at the Legacy Center of Louisiana, we assist veterans and their surviving spouses in determining whether these benefits are available and helping them through the process of applying, if they are.  Linda S. Melancon, an attorney and the owner of the Legacy Center of Louisiana, is accredited by the Veterans Administration to give advice regarding VA benefits, which may include advice about compensation, pension and/or aid and attendance benefits. 

Any comprehensive long-term care plan should consider the availability of VA benefits, as well as Medicaid or other sources of funding to help pay for that care. At the Legacy Center we are educated on all of these benefits so we can make sure we provide you with the best advice to help you navigate the maze of long-term care financing.

VA Benefits & Long-term Care Consultation

If you or a loved one is in need of home care, assisted living care, or nursing home care (or if you want to plan ahead in case you need this care in the future), and live in Baton Rouge or any other Louisiana parishes, please contact us to schedule an appointment to discuss what VA benefits and other sources of funding may be available for you or your spouse.

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