My daughter and I were putting together a family tree project for her class. Someone on my Mom’s side was really into genealogy, and so we immediately got tapped into her vast amounts of work. We traced back to Josiah (born in 1758) who served in the Revolutionary War. The records showed that his widow Hannah applied for benefits through the federal government due to his service. It said she received $80.00 per year.
The purpose of these benefits is to honor the sacrifices of soldiers and their families.
Veterans day is celebrated across the country with a variety of events to acknowledge, thank, and show appreciation for the veterans in our communities and the sacrifices they have made.
Many communities host parades and ceremonies to show their respect and gratitude for our veterans, and I highly encourage you to check one out if you have one nearby. It will give you a greater appreciation for our country and those who defend it.
The VA has many benefits available to those who have served our country. One of those benefits is improved pension, which is often referred to as Aid and Attendance. This can provide some tax-free income to help pay for the cost of care. Sometimes, this can make all the difference in someone being able to stay at home longer, or being able to stay at an assisted living facility. (And widows now receive $1,400.00 or more per month.)
A veteran or their surviving spouse needs to meet some basic criteria to qualify. First, the veteran must have served at least 90 days of consecutive active duty service, with one day being during a wartime period. For Gulf War veterans, this duration increased to two years of active duty service. The veteran must have received a discharge other than dishonorable. The claimant must have limited income and assets available and have a permanent and total disability at the time of the application or be over the age of 65. If they are disabled, the disability must have been caused without willful misconduct committed by the claimant. To get Aid and Attendance benefits, one must meet all the essential criteria mentioned while being blind, living in a nursing home, or meeting the legal definition for Aid and Attendance.
The VA has worked on making the process to apply not quite so complicated. You can go to www.vba.gov to get more information.
Our veterans have given a lot to our country, and this is one way the government recognizes those who have served us. To the veterans in our community, thank you for your service!