Tomorrow is Veterans Day. There will likely be parades on the news.

However, I want to discuss something else. It's the VA benefit, Aid and Attendance, that children of parents facing care costs often overlook.

For instance, a father who served in the military is finding it difficult to bathe alone, and when looking into home care, the costs quickly exceed his Social Security check.

Or consider a mother who has lost her military husband and is in a similar situation. It's truly unfortunate to see someone unaware of the benefits they could receive.

First, you need to understand the structure. Aid and Attendance is not a standalone benefit; it is an additional amount added to the VA Pension.

The VA states that you must be receiving a pension to qualify for this additional benefit. If you do not have a pension, you can prepare to apply for one alongside this benefit.

Let's look at the amounts. According to the official VA table, the maximum annual amount applicable until November 30, 2026, for a veteran without a spouse is $29,093.

If there is a spouse or one dependent, it is $34,488, and for a surviving spouse, it is $18,697. The rates are adjusted annually based on December 1, so check the VA table right before applying.

Many people misunderstand this. You do not receive this amount directly; rather, you receive the maximum amount minus your countable income.

However, you can deduct your out-of-pocket medical and care expenses from this income. This is the key point. Only amounts exceeding 5% of the maximum pension are recognized, and for a veteran without a spouse, that threshold is $872.

Let's calculate a hypothetical example. A veteran without a spouse receives $24,000 a year from Social Security and spends $18,000 a year on home care.

After deducting $872 from $18,000, the deductible amount is $17,128, making the countable income $6,872. Subtracting this from $29,093 gives an annual benefit of $22,221, or $1,851 per month. The actual amount will be determined by the VA review.

There are three eligibility criteria. First, service record. If you started active duty before September 8, 1980, you must have served for at least 90 days, with at least one day during a wartime period.

Those who enlisted afterward must generally serve for 24 months or the entire period of their orders. It is not about whether you were in combat but whether your service period overlapped with wartime. Dishonorable discharges may affect eligibility.

The wartime periods defined by the VA include the Korean War from June 27, 1950, to January 31, 1955, and the Vietnam War from August 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975. The Gulf War began on August 2, 1990, with an unspecified end date.

Those who only served in the Korean military may find it difficult to meet these U.S. military criteria.

The second criterion is health status. You need assistance with bathing, eating, or dressing, or you spend most of your day lying down due to illness, or you are in a nursing home due to disability, or you have severely limited vision. Meeting any one of these conditions is sufficient.

The third criterion is assets. Until November 30, 2026, the net worth limit is $163,699, and your home, car, and most household items are excluded. However, the VA's definition of net worth includes assets plus annual income, minus medical expenses, so you cannot just look at your bank balance.

Your home is not counted as an asset even if your parents move to a facility. However, if you rent it out, the rental income counts as income, and if you sell it while receiving a pension, the proceeds will count as assets unless you buy another home in the same year.

The biggest caution is transferring money to children. The VA looks back 36 months from the application date, and if assets were transferred below market value to avoid exceeding the limit, benefits may be denied for up to five years.

For example, if someone with a net worth of $130,000 gives $50,000 to their child, they exceed the limit by $16,301. Dividing this by the monthly amount of $2,874 calculated from this year's table means they will not receive benefits for five months.

So what should you do? Today's task is to find your parents' DD-214. If it's a surviving mother, also gather the marriage certificate and death certificate.

Next is the Intent to File. By notifying the VA with VA Form 21-0966, you will have a year to complete your application, and if approved, it can be retroactive to that date. I would start with this.

Then gather the receipts for care expenses and ask your doctor to fill out VA Form 21-2680. If they are in a nursing home, you will need the facility-specific form 21-0779.

If you find it overwhelming to do alone, search for accredited representatives on the VA website or visit your county's Director of Veterans Affairs office. If you are in the Philadelphia area, there is also the VA Regional Benefit Office at 5000 Wissahickon Ave.

Be cautious of companies that ask for money upfront to assist with applications or recommend asset relocation products. According to regulations, only VA-authorized agents and attorneys can charge fees, and only after the initial decision stage.

Every household's situation is different, so before moving large sums of money, be sure to consult with an authorized representative or elder law attorney.

I believe that these benefits are where welfare should function properly. If those who served and their families cannot receive assistance due to lack of knowledge about the paperwork, it is not solely their fault.

This Veterans Day, consider making a call to express your gratitude and ask if they know where their military service documents are. That one question could change the calculation of care costs.