VA Aid and Attendance rates change each year. Here is how the 2026 figures are structured and what they mean for your benefit.
How 2026 rates are structured
The VA sets Aid and Attendance amounts through Maximum Annual Pension Rates that vary by household category. A single veteran has one MAPR, a married veteran (or veteran with a dependent) has a higher one, two married veterans have the highest, and a surviving spouse has a lower tier. Each year these rates increase by the same cost-of-living adjustment applied to Social Security. Your actual benefit is not the full MAPR; it equals the MAPR for your category minus your countable income, divided by 12 for a monthly payment. Because exact dollar figures update annually, call 1-800-MEDIGAP for the current 2026 amounts and a personalized estimate.
Why your check may differ from the maximum
Two veterans in the same category can receive very different checks because the benefit is reduced by countable income. The key lever is the deduction for unreimbursed medical and care expenses, which the VA subtracts from your income before calculating your payment. A veteran with high care costs may have little or no countable income and therefore receive close to the maximum, while one with low expenses receives less. This is why documenting every eligible medical and care cost matters so much. Call 1-800-MEDIGAP to estimate your 2026 benefit based on your actual income and expenses.