VA Pension Calculator
| 2026 MAPR (from Dec 1, 2025) | No dependents | 1 dependent |
|---|---|---|
| Base | $17,441 | $22,839 |
| Housebound | $21,313 | $26,710 |
| Aid & Attendance | $29,093 | $34,488 |
| Each extra dependent | +$2,984 · working child wages excluded up to $16,100 | |
| Wartime period (VA rules) | Dates |
|---|---|
| World War II | Dec 7, 1941 – Dec 31, 1946 |
| Korean conflict | Jun 27, 1950 – Jan 31, 1955 |
| Vietnam era (in Republic of Vietnam) | Nov 1, 1955 – May 7, 1975 |
| Vietnam era (outside Republic of Vietnam) | Aug 5, 1964 – May 7, 1975 |
| Gulf War | Aug 2, 1990 – date to be set by law |
The VA Veterans Pension is a need-based monthly payment for wartime-era veterans with limited income - it is not compensation for an injury, and it stacks differently from VA disability. The math is a ceiling minus your income: VA sets a Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR) by household shape, subtracts your countable income, and pays the difference in monthly installments. For 2026 - rates that took effect December 1, 2025 on a 2.8% COLA - the ceilings run from $17,441 (single veteran, base) to $34,488 (one dependent, Aid and Attendance).
Two rules do most of the work. First, unreimbursed medical expenses only count above 5% of your MAPR - $872 for a single veteran, $1,141 with one dependent - so the typical older veteran with real out-of-pocket medical costs gets a meaningful deduction. Second, countable income includes Social Security and most other income, but a working child's wages are excluded up to $16,100.
How to use
- Pick your benefit level - base, Housebound, or Aid and Attendance (the higher levels require a VA determination, not a self-assessment) - and whether you have a dependent spouse or child.
- Enter your expected annual income (Social Security, retirement pay, interest - most of it counts) and your annual unreimbursed medical expenses; the calculator applies the 5%-of-MAPR threshold automatically.
- Read the estimate: annual pension = MAPR minus countable income, paid monthly. If countable income reaches the MAPR the pension is zero - that is the income limit working as designed, not an error.
Frequently asked questions
Who qualifies for the VA Veterans Pension?
Per VA: you need wartime service under statutory periods, an other-than-dishonorable discharge, and at least one of: age 65 or older, a permanent and total disability, residence in a nursing home for long-term care because of a disability, or receipt of SSDI or SSI. Your yearly family income and net worth must also fall within limits Congress sets - the calculator models the income side.
Which wartime periods count?
The VA list: World War II (Dec 7, 1941 - Dec 31, 1946), the Korean conflict (Jun 27, 1950 - Jan 31, 1955), the Vietnam era - Nov 1, 1955 - May 7, 1975 if you served in the Republic of Vietnam, otherwise Aug 5, 1964 - May 7, 1975 - and the Gulf War (Aug 2, 1990 through a date to be set by law). The oldest periods (Mexican Border, WWI) still exist in statute but no longer have living claimants in practice.
How do medical expenses reduce countable income?
Only the portion above 5% of your MAPR counts as a deduction. A single veteran at the $17,441 base rate gets nothing for the first $872 of out-of-pocket medical costs, then a dollar-for-dollar deduction above that - which is why the same income can produce $0 or a full pension depending on the medical year you had.
What is the 3-year look-back on asset transfers?
Since October 18, 2018, VA reviews asset transfers for the 36 months before your pension claim. Assets given away for less than fair market value that would have pushed your net worth over the limit trigger a penalty period of up to five years, priced at $2,874 per period unit - the penalty divides the excess transfer by that annual rate.
How is this different from VA disability compensation?
Disability compensation pays for service-connected conditions regardless of income or age; the pension pays based on financial need for wartime-era veterans who are 65+, permanently and totally disabled, in nursing care, or on SSDI/SSI. They can coexist but VA offsets them dollar-for-dollar - you receive whichever is larger, not both.