VA Aid and Attendance for Central Iowa Veterans and Widows

A benefit that is easy to miss

VA pension with Aid and Attendance is one of the most under-used ways central Iowa families pay for assisted living and home care. It is not a separate check and not limited to veterans with service-connected disabilities. It is an increased pension rate for wartime veterans and surviving spouses with limited income and assets who need help with daily activities, are bedridden, live in a nursing home or have limited eyesight.

The key is that unreimbursed care costs reduce countable income. A widow with a modest pension may not qualify while living at home, then qualify once she begins paying for assisted living.

The 2026 rates

VA pension rates in effect December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026. Net worth limit $163,699.

The VA pays the difference between the maximum rate and the claimant's countable income. The net worth limit, assets plus annual income, generally excludes a primary home and vehicle, and the VA reviews asset transfers in the three years before a claim.

Who qualifies

The veteran must have served during a wartime period under the VA's rules, generally with at least 90 days of active duty and one day during wartime, and been discharged other than dishonorably. A surviving spouse must have been married to the veteran under the VA's rules and not remarried. The claimant must meet the medical need and the financial tests.

Where to get help in the metro

Every county in the metro, Polk, Dallas, Warren, Jasper, Madison and Guthrie, has a county veterans affairs office whose accredited service officers prepare pension claims at no charge. Bring the DD-214, a marriage certificate for a survivor claim, current income and asset figures, and the care contract or receipts showing monthly costs. Avoid anyone who charges to file a claim.

The VA Central Iowa Health Care System's medical center on Euclid Avenue handles medical care and can authorize some home and community services for enrolled veterans. The Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown provides long-term care for veterans and eligible spouses.

A worked example

Consider the widow of a Vietnam-era veteran living in Pleasant Hill with $1,600 a month from Social Security and modest savings. At home with no care costs, her income is above the survivor's maximum rate, so she receives nothing. When she moves into assisted living costing about $5,100 a month, her unreimbursed care costs exceed her income, her countable income falls to zero, and she may qualify for the full Aid and Attendance rate, about $1,558 a month for a surviving spouse with no dependents, if she meets the net worth and medical tests.

That is why the timing of a claim matters. A county veterans service officer can explain how the VA treats care costs and when to file.

What to avoid

Be cautious of anyone who charges to help file a pension claim, or who suggests moving assets into an annuity or trust to qualify. The VA reviews transfers made in the three years before a claim and can impose a penalty period, and some of those products also create problems for Iowa Medicaid later. Accredited county veterans service officers file claims at no charge, and an elder law attorney can advise on planning that works for both the VA and Medicaid.

Coordinating with Medicaid

VA pension counts as income for Iowa Medicaid, while some VA amounts tied to medical expenses are treated differently, so the order of applications matters. Ask a county veterans service officer and Iowa HHS how the two interact before applying for both.