Colorado Springs Senior AdvisorHow can VA Aid and Attendance help pay for assisted living in Colorado Springs?
VA pension with Aid and Attendance raises the maximum pension for a wartime veteran or surviving spouse who needs help with daily activities; unreimbursed care costs such as assisted living or home care reduce countable income, so the monthly payment can approach the full rate.
| Who | Maximum per year | About per month |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran with no dependents, Aid and Attendance | $29,093 | $2,424 |
| Veteran with one dependent, Aid and Attendance | $34,488 | $2,874 |
| Two veterans married to each other, both A&A | $46,143 | $3,845 |
| Surviving spouse, no dependents, Aid and Attendance | $18,697 | $1,558 |
| Veteran with no dependents, Housebound | $21,313 | $1,776 |
VA pension rates in effect December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026.
Aid and Attendance is not a separate check. VA pays the difference between the maximum annual pension rate and countable income, and care expenses lower that income. Eligibility also requires wartime service, a discharge other than dishonorable, and net worth (assets plus annual income) at or under $163,699 for the current rate year.
Is VA pension the same as military retirement or VA disability pay?
No. VA pension is a needs-based benefit for lower-income wartime veterans and survivors; military retired pay and VA disability compensation are separate, and a veteran with a large military pension may have too much income to receive VA pension at all.
That distinction matters in Colorado Springs, where many older residents retired from Fort Carson, Peterson or the Academy. A retired colonel's pension usually rules out VA pension, but a surviving spouse living on a smaller survivor benefit may qualify. A veteran with a service-connected disability rating should ask whether an increase or special monthly compensation for aid and attendance applies instead.
Where do Colorado Springs veterans get free help with a VA claim?
From an accredited veterans service officer, such as the El Paso County or Teller County veterans service office or a veterans service organization, who can file a pension or Aid and Attendance claim at no charge.
Be wary of anyone who charges a fee to file the initial claim or who proposes moving assets into an annuity or trust to qualify; VA has a three-year look-back on asset transfers and a penalty for transfers that create eligibility. Bring the DD-214, marriage and death certificates, a doctor's statement on daily-living needs, and the facility's statement of monthly charges.
Does the VA provide long-term care in the Colorado Springs area?
VA can provide nursing home, home and community-based care to enrolled veterans who qualify, based on service connection, disability rating and need; Colorado Springs veterans receive VA outpatient care locally and are served by the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System.
Colorado's state veterans community living centers are elsewhere in the state; the nearest to Colorado Springs is in Florence, in Fremont County. Admission there has its own eligibility rules and often a wait. Ask the VA social worker about community nursing home contracts in El Paso County, VA-paid home health aides and the caregiver support program.
Side by side
| VA pension with Aid and Attendance | It is not | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Low-income wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need help | Automatic for every veteran |
| Money | A monthly payment that rises when care costs are high | Paid directly to the facility |
| Limit | Net worth up to $163,699 in the current rate year | Available after recent asset gifts without penalty |
| Other benefits | Separate from TRICARE and military retired pay | A replacement for Medicare |
Drawn from 6 CCR 1011-1 Chapter 7, CDPHE and HCPF publications, CareScout, CMS, the VA and the Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging; our editorial standards explain how we check them.
