Navigating Veterans Benefits

Veterans care, answered

How do I get care?

Call (303) 757-1777 for a free consultation. We'll talk through what your loved one needs and what it would cost — one transparent hourly rate: $43/hour in Denver Metro, Boulder and Northern Colorado (including Louisville), $40/hour in Colorado Springs, Pueblo and El Paso County. Each visit has a three-hour minimum, and there are no contracts.

How do I get authorized?

For Aid & Attendance, the claim is filed with the VA — not with us. A medical examiner completes the examination section of VA Form 21-2680, and an accredited Veterans Service Officer can prepare and submit the claim free of charge. We help you understand what to gather and what to expect — the VA makes the final decision.

Is it income independent?

Not entirely. The VA considers household income and net worth, minus unreimbursed care costs — and for benefits paid under the rates effective December 1, 2025, the household net-worth limit is $163,699. Many families who assume they won't qualify are surprised — it's worth asking.

Do I need to be a veteran?

No. Surviving spouses of wartime veterans may qualify for the Survivors Pension, and for the Aid & Attendance addition to it when they need help with daily activities. The VA decides eligibility — an accredited Veterans Service Officer can check a surviving spouse's case free of charge. Bring your questions to the panel.

Who may qualify for the pension benefits?

For the Veterans Pension, the VA looks for wartime service — at least 90 days of active duty with at least 1 day during a recognized wartime period, or the longer-service rules that apply to those who entered after September 7, 1980. The discharge must not be dishonorable, and income and net worth must fall within limits set by Congress. Age or disability matters too: the veteran must be at least 65, or have a permanent and total disability, or be in a nursing home for long-term care because of a disability, or be receiving SSDI or SSI.

What are Aid & Attendance and Housebound — and how much can they pay?

Both are monthly amounts added to an eligible veteran's or surviving spouse's VA pension. Aid & Attendance applies when the pensioner needs another person to help with daily activities like bathing, dressing and eating; Housebound applies when they spend most of their time at home because of a permanent disability — you can't receive both at once. Under the VA rates effective December 1, 2025, the maximum is $2,424 a month for a veteran with no dependents, $2,874 for a veteran with one dependent, and $1,558 for a surviving spouse; Housebound is $1,776. These figures are maximums reduced by countable income — they change every December with the cost-of-living adjustment, and the VA decides eligibility.

What should I bring or have ready?

Bring your military separation papers (the DD-214) and expect to file copies. Have medical information ready — current diagnoses, medications, and an honest description of the daily activities that need help; for A&A or Housebound, your doctor must complete the examination section of VA Form 21-2680. The VA will also ask for your household's gross monthly income, the value of your assets (your home, car and basic furnishings don't count), and your unreimbursed medical expenses — and if you're under 65, a copy of your medical records.

How long does a claim take?

The VA doesn't publish a fixed timeline; it processes claims in the order they arrive. Filing an intent to file (VA Form 21-0966) first can set an earlier effective date, so when a claim is approved the payments can reach back to that date. An accredited Veterans Service Officer can submit the claim as soon as it's ready — which is one more reason to work with one.

What is a VA-accredited representative — are they free?

The VA recognizes three kinds of accredited representatives: Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representatives, attorneys, and claims agents. Help from a VSO representative is always free; attorneys and claims agents can charge for their services. Colorado CareAssist is not an accredited representative — we help families understand what to gather and point them to a VSO representative or their county's Veterans Service Officer.

How is VA Community Care different from the pension?

VA Community Care is a program, not a payment to you. You must be enrolled in VA health care and meet one of the VA's access criteria, the VA clinic decides and issues the authorization, and the VA pays an enrolled provider directly for the hours it approves — in Colorado, TriWest administers the network. The pension, by contrast, pays the household, which can apply the money toward any provider it chooses. Some veterans use both, and the approval is the VA's decision either way.

What happens at the panel, and how do I RSVP?

The panel is a conversation, not a presentation — short remarks on current benefits, eligibility and resources, then open questions from the floor. Veterans receive a handcrafted chocolate medallion honoring their branch of service; tell us your branch when you RSVP. RSVP by November 1 at (303) 578-3533. Questions about care at home: (303) 757-1777.