United States · VA pension · Rates effective December 1, 2025
VA Aid and Attendance and Housebound rates, 2026.
Maximum annual pension for veterans and survivors, with the A&A amounts in SMC and DIC.
The Aid and Attendance pension ceiling (MAPR) is $29,093 a year for a veteran with no dependents and $34,488 with one dependent; Housebound is $21,313 and $26,710. VA pays the gap between that ceiling and your countable income.
The short version
VA Aid and Attendance (A&A) and Housebound are add-ons to a VA pension, not stand-alone programs. For a Veteran Pension the add-on raises the Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR): from $17,441 to $29,093 a year for a veteran with no dependents, and from $22,839 to $34,488 with one dependent. VA pays the difference between that ceiling and your income for VA purposes. These MAPRs took effect December 1, 2025 after a 2.8% cost-of-living increase.
Aid and Attendance also appears inside two other VA programs, with different dollar amounts: a $201.41 monthly add for a spouse on a veteran's disability compensation, and $421.00 a month added to a surviving spouse's DIC. Those are shown in the last section.
Veterans Pension MAPR, effective December 1, 2025
| Situation | Maximum annual pension (MAPR) | Per month (MAPR / 12, TNAADO calculation) |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran, no dependents: basic pension (no A&A or Housebound) | $17,441 | $1,453.42 |
| Veteran, no dependents: Housebound | $21,313 | $1,776.08 |
| Veteran, no dependents: Aid and Attendance | $29,093 | $2,424.42 |
| Veteran with 1 dependent: basic pension | $22,839 | $1,903.25 |
| Veteran with 1 dependent: Housebound | $26,710 | $2,225.83 |
| Veteran with 1 dependent: Aid and Attendance | $34,488 | $2,874.00 |
| Two married Veterans: neither qualifies | $22,839 | $1,903.25 |
| One qualifies for Housebound | $26,710 | $2,225.83 |
| Both qualify for Housebound | $30,580 | $2,548.33 |
| One qualifies for Aid and Attendance | $34,488 | $2,874.00 |
| One Aid and Attendance, one Housebound | $38,350 | $3,195.83 |
| Both qualify for Aid and Attendance | $46,143 | $3,845.25 |
The annual figures are VA's. The monthly column divides each by 12 for comparison only; VA computes your actual payment from your countable income, so it is not a promised amount. For each additional dependent beyond the first, VA adds $2,984 to the MAPR.
Survivors Pension MAPR, effective December 1, 2025
| Situation | Maximum annual pension (MAPR) | Per month (MAPR / 12, TNAADO calculation) |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, no children: basic pension | $11,699 | $974.92 |
| Housebound | $14,298 | $1,191.50 |
| Aid and Attendance | $18,697 | $1,558.08 |
| Aid and Attendance, spouse of a Spanish-American War veteran | $19,453 | $1,621.08 |
| Surviving spouse with 1 child: basic pension | $15,311 | $1,275.92 |
| Housebound | $17,902 | $1,491.83 |
| Aid and Attendance | $22,304 | $1,858.67 |
| Aid and Attendance, spouse of a Spanish-American War veteran | $22,979 | $1,914.92 |
A qualified surviving child has a MAPR of $2,984. For each child beyond the first, add $2,984. These figures are from VA's Survivors Pension rates page, last updated August 17, 2026.
How the payment is worked out
- Your pension is the MAPR for your situation minus your income for VA purposes (earnings, Social Security, investment and retirement income, and dependents' income), reduced by deductible expenses such as unreimbursed medical costs above 5% of the MAPR.
- Eligibility also depends on net worth. VA gives a net worth limit of $163,699 for December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026, and a look-back of 3 years for asset transfers.
- A veteran cannot receive Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits at the same time.
Worked example (our arithmetic on VA's table)
A veteran with a dependent spouse who qualifies for Aid and Attendance has a MAPR of $34,488. If the couple's income for VA purposes is $10,000 a year, the pension is $34,488 - $10,000 = $24,488 a year, about $2,040 a month. VA's own page walks through the same method with a different, older MAPR ($33,548); that figure is the pre-December 2025 value, so use the table above.
Aid and Attendance inside compensation and DIC
| Situation | Amount per month |
|---|---|
| Spouse receiving A&A, added to a veteran's compensation or SMC | $201.41 |
| Surviving spouse receiving A&A, added to DIC | $421.00 |
| Surviving spouse who cannot leave the house (Housebound), added to DIC | $197.22 |
See the SMC rates page and the DIC rates page for the full tables.
Who qualifies (VA's criteria)
VA says you may be eligible if you get a VA pension and at least one is true: you need another person to help with daily activities like bathing, feeding and dressing; you must stay in bed or spend a large part of the day in bed because of illness; you are a patient in a nursing home because of loss of mental or physical abilities; or your eyesight is limited to 5/200 or less in both eyes or a visual field of 5 degrees or less. Housebound requires spending most of your time at home because of a permanent disability. Claims use VA Form 21-2680, which a medical examiner completes.
Common mix-ups
- Quoting the annual MAPR as a monthly check. It is a ceiling, reduced by your countable income.
- Mixing programs. A&A on pension, on compensation (SMC) and on DIC are three different calculations.
- Using last year's figures. The pension MAPR changes each December 1.
Frequently asked questions
How much is VA Aid and Attendance in 2026?
For a Veteran Pension, the Aid and Attendance MAPR is $29,093 a year with no dependents and $34,488 a year with one dependent, effective December 1, 2025. VA pays the difference between that ceiling and your income for VA purposes.
What is the Housebound rate?
$21,313 a year for a veteran with no dependents and $26,710 with one dependent, effective December 1, 2025. You cannot receive Aid and Attendance and Housebound at the same time.
How much is Aid and Attendance for a surviving spouse?
Under Survivors Pension, the Aid and Attendance MAPR is $18,697 a year for a surviving spouse with no children and $22,304 with one child. A surviving spouse who gets DIC and needs Aid and Attendance receives $421.00 a month more.
How much does a spouse on Aid and Attendance add to a veteran's disability pay?
$201.41 a month at SMC levels, and between $61.00 (30% rating) and $201.41 (100% rating) on the ordinary compensation table.
Is there a net worth limit?
Yes. VA lists $163,699 for December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026, with a 3-year look-back on asset transfers.
What is the 2027 Aid and Attendance rate?
VA had not posted a new pension table when its page (last updated December 18, 2025) was read on November 2, 2026. MAPRs change each December 1 with the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment.
Which form starts an Aid and Attendance claim?
VA Form 21-2680, Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance, completed in part by a medical examiner. Nursing home residents also need VA Form 21-0779.
Sources
Read directly from the primary sources below on November 2, 2026 (eCFR text current through October 29, 2026). Anything calculated by TNAADO is labeled as a calculation. VA rates change each December 1 (compensation, DIC, pension) or October 1 (education); check the linked page for the latest table.
- VA, Current Pension Rates for Veterans (cost-of-living date December 1, 2025; page updated December 18, 2025)
- VA, Current Survivors Pension Benefit Rates (page updated August 17, 2026)
- VA, Aid and Attendance benefits and Housebound allowance (page updated May 8, 2026)
- VA, Current Special Monthly Compensation Rates
- VA, Current D.I.C. rates for spouses and dependents
Reference, not a VA determination or legal advice
Rates are copied from the VA pages cited in Sources. VA decides your rating, your SMC level, your dependents and your payment. This page does not tell you whether you qualify and is not legal or financial advice; an accredited representative (VSO, attorney or claims agent) can review your case.