VA Pension for Mesothelioma

Am I Eligible to Receive VA Pension for Mesothelioma?

Any veteran wishing to receive VA Pension must be in good standing, meaning they cannot have received a dishonorable discharge. Additionally, VA Pension eligibility for mesothelioma is based on two factors: income and service time.

Service time is based on the length of the veteran’s active duty and the time period they served. To qualify for VA Pension, you must:

• Have served on active duty for at least 90 days
• Be a “wartime veteran,” meaning you served at least one day during a wartime period

According to the official VA website, the following wartime periods qualify a veteran for mesothelioma VA pension:

• World War II (December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946)
• Korean War (June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955)
• Vietnam War period
  • February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975, for veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam
  • August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975, for veterans who served outside the Republic of Vietnam
• Gulf War (August 2, 1990 through an undetermined future date)

Your income also impacts your mesothelioma VA Pension claim: whether it’ll be accepted, and if so, how much you’ll receive. In order to calculate your Pension amount, the VA subtracts your annual income from the Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR). You’ll receive the difference, broken up into 12 monthly payments.

The maximum net worth for a veteran and their spouse is $138,489, which means a claimant above this won’t qualify for Pension. This is the maximum household income and assets to qualify the veteran with mesothelioma for Pension payments.

Along with annual income, certain assets also are added to the net worth. Examples of assets counted are: investments (stocks and bonds); furniture; and boats. Automobiles, houses and household appliances are not considered.

You can deduct out-of-pocket medical costs from your income to increase your mesothelioma pension claim payment. Medical deductions start once they are in excess of 5% of the claimant’s MAPR.

Treating mesothelioma often requires expensive medical payments, and our VA claims agent can show you how to add your medical expenses to your application.

How to Tell Your MAPR for VA Pension

The VA provides the MAPR for each dependent description. These rates are the maximum amount available to veterans filing mesothelioma pension claims.

This number fluctuates depending on whether a veteran qualifies for Housebound or Aid and Attendance benefits. These types of compensation are for veterans with mesothelioma who are either confined to their home or require the assistance of another person to perform daily tasks.

As of December 1, 2021, the MAPR for veterans with no dependents is:

• $14,753, without Housebound or Aid and Attendance benefits
• $18,029, with Housebound benefits
• $24,610, with Aid and Attendance benefits

The MAPR for veterans with at least one dependent (spouse or child) is:

• $18,243, without Housebound of Aid and Attendance benefits
• $21,337, with Housebound benefits
• $27,549, with Aid and Attendance benefits

The MAPR for two married veterans filing together is:

• $19,320, without Housebound or Aid and Attendance benefits
• $22,596, with Housebound benefits for one of you
• $25,870, with Housebound benefits for both of you
• $29,175, with Aid and Attendance benefits for one of you
• $39,036, with Aid and Attendance benefits for both of you and your spouse

As a married couple, you’ll receive $32,443 with Housebound benefits for one of you and Aid and Attendance benefits for the other. You can add $2,523 to your MAPR for each additional dependent child. If you have a dependent child who works, you can exclude up to $12,950 of their annual wages from the income subtracted from the MAPR.

How to File a VA Pension Claim for Mesothelioma

You can file a VA Pension Claim online (through the VA website), in-person (at a local VA office or hospital) or via U.S. mail (with an application form). Another option is relying on a VA claims agent to compile paperwork, fill out the forms and submit the claim for you.

The VA states that the claims process takes 3-4 months. Your VA claims agent can monitor your application’s progress and potentially speed up the approval.

In order to properly submit a VA Pension claim for mesothelioma, you’ll need your:

• Social Security Number or VA file number
• Medical information proving your diagnosis
• Financial details (and for your dependents)
• Bank account information for direct deposit

The process for a mesothelioma pension claim usually is as follows: