The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Veterans Pension program is available to wartime veterans who meet certain requirements. The VA Survivors Pension program is available to qualified surviving spouses and unmarried dependent children of eligible wartime veterans. These eligibility requirements are set by Congress. Additional aid and attendance or housebound allowance for claimants who are eligible for pension benefits can be paid by the VA.
Pension poaching targets those who are potentially eligible for VA benefits such as veterans and their families. An unethical advisor takes advantage of the claimant by assisting and artificially qualifying them for VA pension benefits. It further involves advising claimants to hide assets in annuity products or trusts. This process can disqualify claimants from benefits or tie up the claimant’s savings in investments that earn fees for the advisors. If ineligibility is discovered, the claimant will be required to repay benefits received. Perpetrators can include financial planners, attorneys, and caregivers.
No one should charge a claimant for preparing an application or for filing an application for benefits with the VA. VA does not charge to process applications for benefits. Assistance may be obtained from the National Call Center at (800) 827-1000. To find a VA location, visit https://www.va.gov/find-locations.
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