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I know they are entitled to what ever they decided on the SBP, spousal benefit plan and the medical benefits, but how does social security come into play, since once the veteran is gone, so is the veterans retirement pay. How does all this work?

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As far as social security, you can choose to keep yours, or drop yours and collect your husband's if he has been receiving more than you. Concerning a veteran's widow's benefits, you might get some info at va.gov and check with a VA representative. Your local Va clinic or Va Medical Ctr should be able to put you in contact one.
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Regarding the VA: IF he was a wartime ERA Vet, WWII, Korea, Viet Nam
You might, depending on amount of Pensions & Assets you are recieving/have each month, be eligible for improved pension if Assited living is needed down the road.
Now is good time to to consider a IRGT (trust) for your home . and proper planning regarding assets.
The VA CANNOT provide the financial info you need.
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My mom receives a veteran's benefit. It was for a specific amt of money, once a year for so many years. You need to check with the veteran's administration regarding this benefit and whether or not the spouse is entitled.
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Don't forget about the incredible benefit called "Aid & Attendance". It is a benefit that is earned by our vets and widows once he/she has served at least 90 days of active duty and one of those days during wartime (WWII, Korea, Viet Nam and Gulf War (2 years of duty for Gulf War Vets). This 'New' Improved Pension has been around since 1952, and is available for those who are medically needy and spending ALL of their income on medically related expenses (including in-home care provided by an adult child). Most adult children would never dream of 'charging' mom and dad for in home care support, but if they did, and then used the money to pay mom and dads' bills......the benefit could possibly be made available. For 2013, the preliminary monthly pension benefits (COLA of 1.7% increase) are as follows: Married Vet: $2,053....Single Vet: $1,732...Unremarried Surviving Spouse: $1,113. There is an additional "asset & resource" formula that applies, but rarely causes a disqualification.
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Hi Ed. Are you VA accredited?
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Allieboy....I have 2 accredited VA representatives, a 22 years retired VA Service Officer and an Elder Law Attorney who shares an office in my complex. I am a securities licensed Investment Advisor Representative and talk show host in Sacramento CA. I discuss this subject often on my show and have a great deal of concern about potential financial elder abuse. This benefit has given birth to hundred of Insurance Marketing Organizations teach agents how to use it to sell annuities for large commissions. There other options and my listeners appreciate the information I provide on my program.
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do you know more about the assisted living aid through the VA? My mom's husband (now deceased) served overseas in World War II, and I understand she could get help thru the VA to go to assisted living. Would it be 100 percent of the assisted living cost? Only at certain facilities?
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Thanks for everyone's answers. My husband served from 1976 to 1994. So he will definitely qualify under the War era qualifications. He is currently 70% disabled and there are other disabilities pending, but being addressed. I am curious about the IRGT (Trustt). I found IDGT trust, but not the other.
Ed, thank you very much for your information. We live in Acworth, Ga and are currently able to live comfortably on my husbands military and disability retirement. We have a good rainy day fund, very good term insurance that we can draw on immediately, should one of us become terminally ill and we invested wisely through the years, with the uncertainty of our nations SS system. It's great to know that you have some good VA knowledge in your firm, as well as elderly experience.
We have learned over the many years, that "don't ask, don't tell," means if you don't ask, they won't volunteer the information. The problems is there is no "guide book" for you to make sure that you request all of your possible entitlements. Some find out the hard way and others suffer needlessly. The TriCare system alone had to give back millions of dollars that they did not spend. When I think of all of the military and retirees that could have benefited from those funds, I find it infuriating!
We just don't know what to ask.
Thanks,
S.
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Keep in mind that the Aid & Attendance benefits are capped at the levels I mentioned above. The 'improved pension' plan is supposed to help you pay for normal everyday living expenses ONCE you are spending ALL of you income on 'medically related' expenses such as In-Home Care, Assisted Living, Board & Care or simply living in an adult community that provides a 'protected environment.
It's not a medical reimbursement benefit, it's an additional pension to help pay bills etc. This has been and remains one of the VA's 'best kept secrets' and now that the word is getting out, the VA is considering making it a 'means tested' entitlemant. This would make it more difficult to qualify and help contain costs so that our government can utilize the funds for less 'sacred' causes. We owe our Vets, their spouses, their widows and their families a great deal of gratitude...Shame on our Government for not getting this job done. At last count, we're losing 640 WWII veterans each and every day. More than 16 million served and we own 'em!! Even Korean Vets are now in their mid 70's to mid 80's...and let's not forget about their surviving spouses....God Bless all of you for your sacrifice. I tried to serve our country in 1969, but was denied entry due to Spina Bifita spine issues. Was assigned perminemt 1-Y classification. I am a military service "brat" and my father ( who passed away on June 8th of this year) served in WWII and Korea then went on to serve 26 years of duty to our country. God rest his soul.
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CORRECTION! My husband served from July of 1976 to March of 2004. Heaven only knows where my head was when I put down 1997...............
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My mom is 91 and needs in home care. I have been caring for her for almost 3 years. My husband and I moved to Florida when she broke her hip. It has been a financial hardship for us as I could no longer work and care for her. My question is, for her to receive the $1,113 per month for help, does she have to have no assets. She owns her condo and has some small investments. She does not want to sell her place. She wants to stay in it for as long as possible then possibly assisted living as last resort. We have an appt. with an elder law attorney that will cost a few thousand dollars to figure it all out.
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This is for Veteran's assistance. My Dad served in WWII
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Daughter Mom:

Income & Assets are part of the equation, Family plans play a part as well.

In my case :all Financials Assets & incomes are reviewed, If an attorney is needed/desired for instance a Trust, the legal fees are considerately less if the financial discovery is completed before involving a law firm.
There are many nuances involving the VA and Medicaid issues as well.
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My father was a WWII vet and he passed away in 2003. My mother just turned 91 and is still living on her own in her home. Her only source of income is social security. I had to get her a reverse mortgage in order to pay her bills. Is she entitled to any money from the VA? If so, how can I expedite it?
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$1,149
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Hello...I am writing on behalf of my Mother who is the widow of a deceased Air Force veteran who served in the Vietnam era. Mom is 82 and has dementia and is currently in need of 24 hour care. Mo is a retired educator and received retirement and social security. I am trying to learn all I can to make sure that she receives every possible entitlement so we can provide for her care. I have just learned of the Aid & Attendance Benefit and wondered if the care provided had to come through an agency or could it be private duty. Mom has a LTC policy and it covers $100 per day but requires that any care must be provided through a home health care agency. I wondered if the same applies for Aid & Attendance. Also, do you have to income qualify for this benefit? Does TriCare cover any home care? As you can see, I am in over my head and just want to obtain knowledge so I can do the right thing. Thank you in advance for any advice and counsel you can provide.

Sharon
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A&A can be private duty; as was stated earlier, it's not really a medical reimbursement anyway; it's designed to assist you in your other expenses if you're already paying for medical care. There is somewhat of an income qualification in the sense that you have to be spending it all on medical care - I know, who does that, but that's what you have to be doing, so may as well.
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Is there a booklet or on line site to research this A&A. My husband gets his disability as workmans comp from the Fed Govt. I thought that he couldn't get anything from the VA (he is a VN vet) because that would be "double dipping" but I had a social worker tell me that is a different entity and that I can qualify for A&A. I have had difficulty contacting anyone with this knowledge at the VA.
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and you will because they're pretty well trained not to tell you much because there are so many wanting it - do you have a veterans service organization near you; that's where you'll get the most information or your state veterans dept. office has the people there trained to help you or you can try it online; they have the application but it can get quite complicated, depending on your situation and it will depend on how much disability he's getting and I think possibly as where he's been deemed disabled by the VA as well; not necessarily the same thing, so you probably will need assistance from one of those two sources because that is one of the qualifications for A&A is to be considered disabled -by the VA
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A mjor factor is the need for medical assistance....
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true, for the A&A, but are we talking military retirement pay?
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This may have been addressed, so I apologize if I missed the answer as I skimmed through. My mom, a widow of a WWII vet serving during wartime, has moved from her home (to be sold) and is now living in an ALF memory care paid for by LTC insurance for the next 2 1/2 years however, over $2,000 a month of that is not covered and the bills as well as medical care, insurance, etc has drained her accounts. The home of which she lived has a reverse mortgage and will have some equity but not a lot left and those funds will be needed for her care in the near future. When, if at all, would be best to start applying her for VA benefits? Will the sale of the house become an issue due to the proceeds from that sale being considered an asset once it is sold? I am so confused and last time I questioned someone regarding this elsewhere, they tried to charge me $600. and tell me they charge that to fill out the VA application. Thank goodness I said no and I immediately contacted my local Coast Guard headquarters who in turn gave me some good direction. However, I am still overwhelmed and want to make the right decision for my mom.
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Scrimble, apply now, the facility should be helping you with this and you should NOT have to pay for the benefits consultant.
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1. must be spending more on Health Care than Income
How much equity is in house..? Important (very)

If that is the case ;as a surviving spouse she MAY be entitled to $1,149/month

Depending on her age, asset level after sale ,at initial reckoning may be too high, need to check that out, before applying
Facility may nor be adequately versed on all parameters, and cannot assist with the application.
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How much can an elderly person have in assets to be able to qualify for A & A in 2015/2016? What is the threshold for applying? Mom's assisted living costs more than her SS and pension and she sees her savings dwindling. She's afraid of the costs of her simple joys going away - hair appointments, cable TV, etc. - if she has to go on Medicaid at some point. Dad was wartime Korea vet. Any advice? I do know from reading here that the application to actual benefit takes a long time. Just trying to keep ahead of this stuff.
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the asset level is SUBJECTIVE.... age is taken into consideration...
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My mom is 87 years old and lives with myself and my husband. She has dementia. My mom was married twice . My dad died when I was 3 and she married my stepfather back in 1965. He passed away in 1990. He fought in WWlI. Can my mom get any care from the VA .? When her Dementia gets even worse can they help? I'm her only caregiver . And I know it's going to get worse .
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you should definitely apply before the house is sold or at least typically the house value doesn't apply but may if she's not living in it and often facilities have companies they work with to refer you to to help you with this and, windytown, how old is your mom?
and Georgie, if your mom was married before - and, yes, even if it was a hundred years ago, doesn't matter, what dealing myself with hub's aunt and uncle; he was the vet, she was married before, have to have her previous documents; since they've both passed, may have to have death certificates, not sure, I'm dealing with divorce issue and they saying have to have that, also having to have current marriage certificate but then they're both still alive.
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My Mom is 86 years old and cannot live on her own due to health reasons. She has lived with me for the past 3 years. Her only income is SS. My father was an Air Force pilot during the Korean War, I was born on Barksdale Air Force Base. We have been unable to secure a copy of his discharge papers. We have been told all records burned in a fire at a storage building in St. Louis, Missouri and no one can help us. I just know this can't be right. My father was also in the reserves after he left the Air Force. I am considering going to an Elder Law Attorney, but I am a registered nurse with a 21 year old daughter in college and can't afford too much. My father was very proud of his military service and this make me as well as my mother very sad. I know the spouse of a military veteran who served active war duty is due something. If I were not available to take care of my mother, I don't know what she would do. Thank you.
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Susan, there is a specific form to use if records were or might have been lost in the fire. I don't remember the specific number right now but I think it was 130xx, with the 2 xxs representing the numbers I don't remember.

You could call your local VA ask for the Eligibility Department, and ask them the number of the form to use if records were lost.
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