Military Service Requirements for VA Pension and Other Benefits
Veterans (and consequently, their surviving spouses) are eligible for VA Pension, Aid & Attendance and Housebound benefits if the veteran is aged 65 years and older and served during wartime.
The Veterans Pension program provides monthly payments to wartime Veterans who meet certain age or disability requirements, and who have income and net worth within certain limits. Here are the military service requirements to be eligible for VA benefits.
| Benefit | Minimum Time in Active Duty | Period of Service | Discharge Characterization |
| VA Pension | 90 Days | On or Before Sept. 7, 1980 | Honorable, general, or VA determination |
| VA Aid & Attendance | 2 Years | On or Before Sept. 7, 1980 | Honorable, general, or VA determination |
| VA Housebound | 1 Day | Any | Honorable, general, or VA determination |
| Military Retirement | 20 Years | Any | Honorable |
| Military Retirement Homes (100% disabled) | 1 Day | Any | Honorable, general, or VA determination |
| Funeral Benefits | 24 Months |
On or Before Sept. 7, 1980 For Officers: Before October 16,1981 |
Honorable, general, or VA determination |
| VA Disability Compensation | 1 Day | Any | Honorable, general, or VA determination |
Anyone who served on active duty in the Wartime Events listed below, may qualify for VA Basic Pension, Aid & Attendance or Housebound benefits. Veterans who served from August 2, 1990, to present, are considered Gulf War veterans and may be eligible for the same pension benefits.
|
Wartime Events |
Start |
End |
|
WORLD WAR II |
December 7, 1941 |
December 31, 1946 |
|
KOREAN WAR |
June 27, 1950 |
January 31, 1955 |
|
VIETNAM WAR |
February 28, 1961 |
May 7, 1975 |
|
GULF WAR |
August 2, 1990 |
Present |
Source: www.va.gov/pension/eligibility/
VA Survivor Requirements
You may be eligible for VA Pension Benefits as a surviving spouse if you haven’t remarried after the Veteran’s death, and if the deceased Veteran didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge and their service meets at least one of the requirements listed below.
A VA Survivors Pension offers monthly payments to qualified surviving spouses and unmarried dependent children of wartime Veterans who meet the income and military service qualifications. Read our Guide To Veterans Long Term Care Benefits to learn more about the entitlements available to qualified veterans or their dependents.
What’s next?
Once you’ve determined that you might qualify for VA Pension, Aid and Attendance, and Housebound Benefits book your free consultation meeting with our team at Crider Law and we’ll help you complete the process of claiming the benefits that you so rightfully deserve for your service.
Whether it’s your first time to file a claim, pursuing an appeal or just want to learn more about your rights and entitlements under the VA pension program, we will support you every step of the way.
