Maximizing VA Benefits: Eligibility Requirements, Drafting Trusts, Asset Protection and Income Tax Savings

Although the VA provides aid and attendant and housebound pension benefits to wartime veterans and surviving spouses, many veterans are unaware of these special pension benefits. VA special pensions are an important tool that elder law counsel can leverage to help clients plan for their long-term care needs.

Elder counsel should master the intricacies involved in qualifying and applying for these benefits. Our panel will provide instruction on little-known VA requirements and techniques to obtain the benefits.

Our panel will also offer counsel their experiences and techniques in pre-planning through the use of trusts and other options to maximize the flexibility the VA provides (e.g. no “look-back” period). The panel will discuss both proactive and reactive planning for clients.

Listen as our distinguished panel reviews eligibility requirements for VA aid and attendant and housebound benefits. They will discuss planning techniques through the use of trusts and other planning tools from both crisis and pre-planning perspectives. You will leave with the knowledge necessary to meet the needs of your clients whom are eligible for VA benefits.

1. VA enhanced pension benefits
   1. Aid and attendance
   2. Housebound
2. Eligibility requirements
3. Asset protection planning
   1. Crisis approach
   2. Pre-planning approach

The panel will review these and other key issues:

• What are the eligibility requirements for the VA enhanced pension benefits?
• What substantiation must be provided to the VA?
• What options are available for planning in a crisis situation?
• What pre-planning steps should be taken to maximize eligibility for the pension benefits?