Handbook for advisors and care providers to help their clients understand the claims process for aid and attendance and other VA benefits available. All veterans long term care benefits are described, but most of the manual is devoted to VA pension with "aid and attendance" or "housebound" allowance. VA rules and regulations for submitting claims are included with examples and case studies.

Numerous case studies illustrate a 15 step process for planning, reducing assets, dovetailing with Medicaid and submitting applications. Sample documents and claims forms for pension and other benefits are found in the book. Printable versions of these documents are also on the benefits estimate software CD included with the purchase.

• A study by the National Care Planning Council that estimates at least 33% of all seniors over 65 could get the aid and attendance Pension benefit under the right conditions, but only about 5% of those seniors are actually receiving it
• How VA internally processes claims for aid and attendance Pension and how to use that knowledge to reduce the time for a decision from 8 months or more to as little as 3 or 4 months
• All about state veterans homes
• A detailed description of veterans health care and the 12 different long term care programs available through the health care system
• A little known grant program that provides up to $1,200 for home renovation projects to accommodate disability
  Special provisions allowing aid and attendance Pension income for applicants whose incomes exceed the income test
• Asset reduction strategies for clients with household assets that exceed the asset test
  How aid and attendance Pension can provide up to $1,843 in additional funds to pay family members to provide care in the home
• How to use a CD that comes with the book and contains forms, support material and a software program that estimates Pension benefits before and after asset transfers
• How to use over 200 pages of citations from federal code and excerpts from VA manual 21-1 to understand ratings, definition of income, unreimbursed medical costs, definition of estate, marriage relationships, VA power of attorney, VA fiduciary program, HISA Grants, EVRs and a host of other issues related to obtaining and maintaining the Pension benefit
• Numerous examples of aid and attendance Pension benefits and case studies on the process of meeting the income test, reducing assets and making application
• Legal restrictions on representation for filing claims and charging fees and a compilation of pertinent statutes and regulations pertaining to representation of veterans in the claims process
• The advantages of becoming a veterans benefits consultant
• What needs to be submitted with the initial application for Pension in order to prevent a delay in receiving an award and to avoid a potential denial

The secret to shortening the time from submission to a decision is to anticipate all of the documentation requirements that are necessary and submit them with the original application.
If the claimant is accurate in filling out the form, in providing proper discharge papers and proof of relationship, in anticipating the need for a fiduciary, and in providing the proper VA power of attorney or guardianship proof, the initial claim is well on its way to being approved more quickly.

Another important issue in submitting a well-documented claim is knowing, in advance, what evidence and documents are required for a rating decision. By providing those documents upfront and not waiting for VA to come back with a request, the claim can be passed by the triage team immediately to the rating activity for a final decision. This might cut the time for a decision from 8 to 12 months to fewer than two or three months.

Benefits Estimates Software

This Software CD comes with the Handook

Printable versions of estimates, checklists, documents and claims forms for the pension and other benefits are a part of the benefits estimate software CD.