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VA Aid and Attendance in Texas, 2026 Rates

Current maximum annual pension rates, the net worth limit, and why care costs can make a veteran eligible despite moderate income.

HomeCosts & PayingVA Aid and Attendance in Texas, 2026 Rates

VA Aid and Attendance, 2026

Short answer

Aid and Attendance is not a flat check. VA pays the difference between countable income and the maximum annual pension rate. Unreimbursed medical expenses, including assisted living and home care costs, reduce countable income, which is why a veteran with substantial care bills c

SituationMaximum annual rateApproximate monthly
Veteran, no dependents$29,093about $2,424 per month
Veteran with one dependent$34,488about $2,874 per month
Two veterans married, both eligible$46,143about $3,845 per month
Veteran, no dependents, Housebound$21,313about $1,776 per month
Surviving spouse, no dependents$18,697about $1,558 per month
Surviving spouse, one dependent child$22,304about $1,859 per month

Net worth limit: $163,699 for December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026, with a three-year look-back on asset transfers.

Aid and Attendance is not a flat check. VA pays the difference between countable income and the maximum annual pension rate. Unreimbursed medical expenses, including assisted living and home care costs, reduce countable income, which is why a veteran with substantial care bills can qualify despite moderate income.

Monthly figures are the annual maximum divided by twelve. VA publishes these rates annually, not monthly. Rates effective December 1, 2025.

Source: VA veterans pension rates

Source: VA survivors pension rates

Travis County is home to roughly 46,700 veterans, Williamson County 38,900 and Hays County 14,000. Aid and Attendance is one of the most under-claimed benefits in the Austin metro, largely because families assume income disqualifies them before running the medical expense offset.

Questions Austin families ask

What's the difference between Type A and Type B assisted living in Texas?

Texas licenses assisted living by residents' ability to evacuate. Type A residents must evacuate without physical staff assistance, follow emergency directions, and not need nighttime attendance. Type B residents may need staff help evacuating, nighttime attendance, and help transferring from a wheelchair, but cannot be permanently bedfast.

Is memory care a separate license in Texas?

No. Memory care isn't a license type. Under Texas rule 26 TAC 553.27, any community advertising specialized Alzheimer's or dementia care must hold an Alzheimer's certification, and it must be licensed as Type B to qualify. Always ask to see the Alzheimer's certificate, not just the license.

How do I check if an Austin assisted living facility is licensed?

Search the Texas HHSC provider database. Use TULIP at tulip.hhs.texas.gov for current license status, and the legacy tool at apps.hhs.texas.gov/ltcsearch for inspection history and cited deficiencies. Both are free and public. Confirm the license type, Type A or Type B, matches your parent's actual care needs.

Do Texas assisted living facilities have star ratings like nursing homes?

No. CMS star ratings on Medicare Care Compare cover nursing facilities only. Texas assisted living facilities are regulated solely by state HHSC and receive no federal star rating. To evaluate an Austin assisted living community, review its HHSC inspection history and deficiency reports directly.

Where can I see nursing home inspection results in Texas?

Two places. Texas HHSC publishes survey results with cited and corrected deficiency dates at apps.hhs.texas.gov/ltcsearch. Medicare's Care Compare adds one-to-five star ratings covering health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. HHSC surveys most nursing facilities about once a year on health and life safety code compliance.

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