A New Push to Put Homeless Veterans Under Legal Guardianship
Image courtesy of Elder Law Answers. Takeaways A new federal policy raises urgent questions about care, autonomy, and what it means to serve those who have served. Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced a significant action targeting homeless veterans: a formal agreement between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). The […]
Older Adults, Veterans Affected by Reduced SNAP Benefits
Image courtesy of Elder Law Answers. Takeaways The federal government shutdown, which has lasted for more than a month now, has put the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the country’s most extensive nutrition safety net, into sudden and profound uncertainty. During the first month of the shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it had […]
New Law Supports Home Care, Caregivers for Military Veterans
Image courtesy of Elder Law Answers. This article was updated 3/3/2025. Takeaways On January 2, 2025, President Biden signed into law the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act. The legislation represents a significant step forward in supporting the needs of veterans, their families, and their caregivers. Named in honor of former […]
An Introduction to Veterans’ Disability Benefits
Image courtesy of Elder Law Answers. This article was updated 5/22/2025. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers two disability programs: Disability Compensation Benefit If you have an injury or disease that happened while on active duty, you may qualify for disability compensation. (If active duty made an existing injury or disease worse, you […]
Reasons Veterans Miss Out on Veteran Disability Benefits
More than 18 million American military veterans live in the United States today. To address the needs of this population, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.) has expanded health, education, home loan, and other veteran benefits over the years. V.A. disability payments are one of the most common entitlements veterans overlook. However, they are […]
What Are Veteran’s Death Benefits?
Image courtesy of Elder Law Answers. Although death benefits are available to veterans, as well as their families and veterans who did not engage in combat, less than half of those who are eligible for death benefits use them, according to the American Association of Retired People. Available veterans’ death benefits may include burial in a national […]
How Will the Public Health Emergency’s End Affect Veterans?
Image courtesy of Elder Law Answers. Per an announcement from the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the federal Public Health Emergency created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic ended in May 2023. With the end of this Public Health Emergency (PHE), a number of policy shifts may specifically impact U.S. military veterans. The […]
Two Different Disability Programs are Available to Veterans Through the VA
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers two disability programs: Disability compensation is available only for veterans with service-connected disabilities. The disability pension benefit is available to anyone who served during wartime and has a disability. The disability does not need to be related to military service. Disability Compensation Benefit If you have an […]
It’s Now Harder for Veterans to Qualify for Long-Term Care Benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has finalized new rules that make it more difficult to qualify for long-term care benefits. The rules establish an asset limit, a look-back period, and asset transfer penalties for claimants applying for VA pension benefits that require a showing of financial need. The principal benefit for those […]
VA Establishes Asset Limits and Transfer Penalties for Needs-Based Benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has finalized new rules that establish an asset limit, a look-back period, and asset transfer penalties for claimants applying for VA needs-based benefits. This is a change from current regulations, which do not prohibit transferring assets prior to applying for benefits such as Aid and Attendance. As ElderLawAnswers previously reported, the […]