No Increase in VA Benefits for 2010 Affects all Seniors

While health care costs rise, valuable VA Benefits remain the same in 2010 due to the economy.

Lakewood, CA (PRWEB) December 1, 2009

The California Elder Law Center, which specializes in Medi-Cal, Aid & Attendance programs and Veterans benefit plans, assists Veterans and their spouses in accessing these same VA Benefits that are not increasing next year due to poor economic conditions.

The "Aid & Attendance" pension is often the only way a Veteran or the spouse of a Veteran can pay for the care to stay in their home or in an assisted living facility when they become frail or are faced with dementia. "Many accredited representatives of vets and their families will be working overtime next year to make ends meet for their clients...The amount of the benefit may not be going up but the cost of care is certainly rising," said Michael McGuire, Attorney at Law.

The California Elder Law Center has a program designed to help senior Veterans and their spouses with the cost of care at home or in assisted living facilities. "The program is known as "Aid & Attendance" and is actually a pension that pays vets and spouses as much as $1,944 per month, for life, tax free. By its own admission, the "Aid & Attendance" program is the least known and most under-utilized program for vets that have served during period of war," said Michael McGuire, Attorney at Law and President of the California Elder Law Center.

As of December 1st, veterans will not get the annual cost of living increase for their benefits. The benefit amounts will be as follows: $1,949 Veteran with a Spouse (Veteran and/or spouse are in need of care), $1,644 Single Veteran, $1,056 Surviving Spouse and $1,292 for a Veteran with a Spouse who is in need of care. "The recession has impacted millions of people but none more so than seniors over the past year," said Michael McGuire, Attorney at Law. And now, yet another source of critically important funding care for seniors, the VA "Aid & Attendance" pension has felt the sting of a shrinking economy. Each year, just like Social Security, the VA announces cost of living increases in benefit amounts... but not this year. This year, just like the Social Security Administration, there will be no increase in benefits for senior veterans.

According to Sandra Diaz, also a VA Accredited Elder Law Attorney with the California Elder Law Center, "The challenge is to make sure senior vets and their spouses are safe and well cared for in spite of the expanding need and steadily increasing cost of care in California." For more information visit: http://www.va.gov

About California Elder Law Center
The California Elder Law Center specializes in elder law issues. Attorneys Michael J McGuire and Sandra Diaz are actively involved in legislative issues and are experts in Medi-Cal, Aid & Attendance programs and Veterans benefit plans. The goal at the California Elder Law Center is to help seniors and their care-givers by creating a plan to legally protect their homes and life savings while ensuring the senior gets the best possible care in the process. Attorney Michael McGuire conducts free informational clinics each Wednesday at 2pm at the California Elder Law Center offices in Lakewood, California. For more information please call 562.627.9600 or visit http://www.calelderlaw.com.

###