Veterans

President Donald Trump signed into law March 9 a bill that would protect older, low-income veterans who require assisted care. The law directs the Department of Veteran Affairs to work with other federal agencies and states to develop and implement standards to protect veterans from predatory practices associated with the aid and assistance benefit.

The VA offers the benefit for VA pension qualifiers who need financial help with in-home care or assisted living.

Scam artists have targeted veterans and charged them to obtain these free benefits. They then take over veterans’ assets, sometimes moving them into an irrevocable trust or an annuity where they cannot be accessed for many years. This may result in disqualifying the veteran from other assistance such as Medicaid.