Last page edit 12/17/07

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Veterans' Pension Benefits 

Name Veterans' Pension
Non-Financial Eligibility Conditions Generally, you must have 90 days or more of service of which at least 1 day must have occurred during a period of war, and you must have been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

You must be 65 or older, or have a non-service related disability that VA evaluates as permanent and total. For VA pension purposes, permanent and total means it is not likely that you will be able to maintain a substantially gainful job. Unemployability and age are factors also considered in VA's eligibility decision.

For more information see the Department of Veteran's Affairs Pension Fact Sheet.                                    

Income Eligibility Conditions Your income must be below the amount of benefits you could receive as listed below.  Benefit amounts are reduced by other income.
Asset Eligibility Conditions
Benefit A veteran who has no dependents can get annual benefit of $10,929 (approximately an $910.75 monthly benefit); if home bound $13,356(approximately a $1,113 monthly benefit); if attendant care is needed $18,234 (approximately a $1,519.5 monthly benefit).

To view a full list of rates, see the VA Pension Rate Table

Do these numbers change?

Apply At You can apply by filling out VA Form 21-526, Veteran's Application for Compensation and/or Pension. If available, attach copies of dependency records (marriage and children's birth certificates) and current medical evidence (doctor and hospital reports). You can also apply on the internet at the Department of Veteran Affairs Online Application Website (VONAPP)

Appeals

A description of the appeals process for Veteran's Administration
Source of the Funds Federal tax revenues
You Also Would Be Eligible For Veterans are eligible for a variety of benefits including medical care and vocational rehabilitation programs.
Sources of Law

Federal Law:  Pension for non-service connected disability

Federal regulations: 38 CFR Part 3, especially section 3.4

Other For more information, you can visit the web site of the United States Department of Veteran's Affairs or the web site of the Maryland Department of Veteran's Affairs.
Source: Maryland Legal Assistance Network (MLAN)

  Last date of legal review April 2007 (MLAN/GG)

 
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About this website. The Maryland State Law Library, a court-related agency of the Maryland Judiciary, sponsors this site. The website was developed (1999-2007) as part of an access to justice initiative by the Maryland Legal Assistance Network (MLAN) in collaboration with a number of legal services providers serving low and moderate income Marylanders.  In the absence of file-specific attribution or copyright, the Maryland State Law Library may hold the copyright to parts of this website. You are free to copy the information for your own use or for other non-commercial purposes with the following language “Source: Maryland's People’s Law Library – www.peoples-law.org. © Maryland State Law Library, 2007.”

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