A veteran's pension is a pension for veterans of the United States Armed Forces, who served in the military but did not qualify for a retirement pension from the Armed Forces. It was established by the United States Congress and given to veterans who meet the eligibility requirements. Along with payments veterans are also given additional benefits depending on their eligibility and needs.
The veterans' pension system is managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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A pension plan for disabled veterans was established by congress in 1792.[1] Pension legislation for all surviving veterans was passed in 1818. This was unique to federal legislation. Money was shifted from the national treasury to individuals who were perceived as having the right to preferential treatment. The recipients were entitled to these payments because the pensions were viewed as delayed payments for the people who served during the American Revolution.[2]
Someone is generally eligible for veteran's pension if he or she
The annual pension is calculated by adding all of the person's countable income. Any deductions are then subtracted from that total. The remaining total is deducted from the maximum pension limit[4] (taking into account the number of dependents, spouse, etc.). This final number is the yearly pension; dividing it by 12 results in the monthly pension.[5]
In addition to monthly payments, certain veterans may be eligible for additional benefits such as automobile grants, special adaptive housing, traumatic service members group life insurance, educational benefits and health care. [7]
Aid and Attendance is an amount awarded in addition to the basic pension. This benefit takes into account a person's unreimbursed (out-of-pocket) medical expenses. These medical expenses are subtracted from a person's gross income to determine eligibility.[8]
A veteran is eligible for Aid and Attendance when he or she
A veteran is eligible for Housebond benefits when he or she