Yes, indirectly and often substantially. VA subtracts unreimbursed medical expenses, including assisted living and home care costs, from countable income. A veteran with significant care bills can therefore qualify despite moderate income. The 2026 net worth limit is $163,699, with a three-year look-back on asset transfers.
The detail behind the number
Yes, and the mechanism is the part families miss. Unreimbursed medical expenses reduce countable income for pension purposes, and assisted living and home care costs generally count as unreimbursed medical expenses when the resident requires that level of care.
The arithmetic can be counterintuitive. A veteran with what looks like disqualifying income can become eligible precisely because care is expensive — the higher the care bill, the lower the countable income. Families who self-screen on income alone routinely rule themselves out incorrectly.
Travis County is home to roughly 46,700 veterans, Williamson 38,900 and Hays 14,000. Aid and Attendance is one of the most under-claimed benefits in the Austin metro, and an accredited Veterans Service Officer will help file at no charge.
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