The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
provides a tax-free, supplemental pension to qualifying wartime veterans and
their families. To be eligible, veterans must have limited income and assets,
and they generally must have a period of service that includes at least one day
on active duty during wartime and 90 days total active duty time. Veterans who
entered active duty after September 7, 1980 generally must have served at least
24 months or the full period for which they were called or ordered to active
duty. Also, veterans must have been discharged under conditions other than
dishonorable. In addition to these basic
service requirements, to be eligible, a veteran must be:
·
Age 65 or older, or
·
Totally and permanently disabled, or
·
A patient in a nursing home receiving skilled
nursing care, or
·
Receiving Social Security Disability Insurance, or
·
Receiving Supplemental Security Income
