ESTATE PLANNING RESOURCES: VA IMPROVED PENSION PROGRAM
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC on Wednesday, July 17, 2013.
One common misconception is that you can only apply for the Improved Pension Benefit Program (IPB) if a veteran or a veteran's spouse has a service-related injury; however this is not the case.
If your loved one's health is declining and you have not yet begun the estate planning process the IPB program will aid in easing the financial burden and offer some respite to you and your family.
The eligibility requirements for the IPB program for a veteran or a veteran's spouse are broken into three programs:
· Basic Pension Benefit
· Housebound Benefit
The first criteria for qualifying for IPB is that veteran or their spouse served a minimum of 90 days during any of the following wars:
· World War II
· Korean War
· Vietnam War
· Gulf War
If those qualifying terms are met, you then need to see if you qualify from a financial standpoint. There is not a clearly defined dollar amount that will ensure that you qualify for IBP. The VA will conduct a "net worth" analysis of your financial standing. If the veteran or their spouse qualifies, they will be eligible to receive assistance for cost of living, home health care, insurance premiums, Medicare premiums, prescriptions, and medical supplies.
To verify whether or not a veteran or veteran's spouse is eligible for IBP and to navigate the qualification process it is helpful to assign a specialist to advocate on your behalf. Our firm can provide you with the guidance you need to evaluate the IBP and other veteran programs that you qualify for.
The Elder & Disability Law Firm is located in Redlands, California.