For Veterans & Their Families
If you served — there is help built for you.
The VA has caregiver programs that most families have never heard of — including a monthly stipend, free health insurance, respite care, and mental health counseling. If a veteran's spouse, child, or parent is providing daily care, this may be the most consequential single resource on the entire site. All information verified against VA.gov in May 2026.
The fastest way to get answers: Call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Eastern. They will tell you which programs the veteran in your life qualifies for, walk you through the application, and connect you with your nearest VA Caregiver Support Team.
The two main VA caregiver programs.
The VA runs two parallel programs. They have different eligibility, different benefits, and most families qualify for one or the other but not both. The bigger program (PCAFC) pays a monthly stipend; the broader one (PGCSS) is open to almost anyone caring for a VA-enrolled veteran.
PCAFC — Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers
Monthly stipend, free health insurance, mental health counseling, 30 days/year respite. For veterans with 70%+ service-connected disability rating.
PCAFC is the larger benefit. It exists to recognize that family caregivers — usually a spouse, sometimes an adult child or parent — are providing the kind of care that would otherwise require a paid aide. The benefits are real and substantial.
Who qualifies (May 2026 rules):
- The veteran must have a VA disability rating (individual or combined) of 70% or higher, must have a serious injury or illness incurred or aggravated in the line of duty on or after May 7, 1975 (which now includes most Vietnam-era and later veterans), and must need at least 6 months of in-person personal-care services.
- The caregiver must be at least 18, and either a spouse, son, daughter, parent, stepfamily member, or extended family member — or willing to live full-time with the veteran.
- Each veteran can have one Primary Family Caregiver and up to two Secondary Family Caregivers.
What the Primary Family Caregiver receives:
- Monthly stipend paid directly to the caregiver. Amount is based on the federal pay scale for the veteran's locality, ranging roughly from $1,000 to $3,800/month depending on tier.
- CHAMPVA health insurance if the caregiver doesn't already have coverage.
- At least 30 days of respite care per year — someone else cares for the veteran so you can take a real break.
- Mental health counseling through the VA, including telehealth psychotherapy designed specifically for caregivers.
- Free legal and financial planning assistance related to the veteran's care needs.
- Travel benefits when traveling with the veteran to VA appointments.
How to apply: Veteran and caregiver fill out VA Form 10-10CG together. Apply online at va.gov/family-and-caregiver-benefits, by mail, or in person at a VA medical center. The VA usually takes about 90 days to review, including an in-home assessment of the veteran's care needs.
Important May 2026 update: The VA published a final rule extending the transition period for "legacy" participants and applicants through September 30, 2028. If you were already in the program before recent rule changes, your stipend will not decrease for the duration of the transition period (some exceptions apply). Call the Caregiver Support Line for specifics.
Source: VA.gov — Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers ↗
PGCSS — Program of General Caregiver Support Services
Open to caregivers of any veteran enrolled in VA health care. No stipend, but skills training, peer support, mental health resources, online programs.
If the veteran doesn't meet the 70%-disability threshold for PCAFC, this is the program for you. PGCSS is open to any caregiver of a veteran enrolled in VA health care. There's no monthly stipend, but the support is real and free.
What's included:
- Skills training and one-on-one coaching
- Group support and online programs
- Peer support mentoring
- Telephone support
- Self-care resources
- Referrals to VA and community resources
How to enroll: Contact your local VA Caregiver Support Team or call the Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274.
Source: VA Caregiver Support Program ↗
Aid & Attendance — pension boost for veterans & surviving spouses
Monthly pension increase for wartime veterans (and their surviving spouses) who need help with daily living. Separate from PCAFC.
Aid & Attendance is a monthly increase to the VA pension for wartime veterans (and their surviving spouses) who meet financial eligibility requirements and need help with activities of daily living, are bedridden, or live in a nursing home. It does not require a service-connected disability — just wartime service.
2026 benefit (verified): Eligible surviving spouses receive approximately $1,558 per month as of 2026. Veterans and married couples receive higher amounts depending on circumstances.
How to apply: File VA Form 21-2680 along with the underlying pension application. Apply at va.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound or call the VA at 1-800-827-1000.
Source: VA.gov — Aid & Attendance and Housebound Allowance ↗
VA burial & survivor benefits
Burial allowance, plot allowance, headstone or marker, military funeral honors, and survivor pensions. Check eligibility before paying out of pocket.
If a veteran in your family has passed away, the VA provides burial and memorial benefits — and most families don't realize the full extent of what's available until after they've already paid for things they could have gotten free or reimbursed.
What may be available:
- Burial allowance — toward funeral and burial expenses
- Plot allowance — toward the cost of a burial plot
- Free government headstone or grave marker
- Burial in a national cemetery at no cost (for eligible veterans and dependents)
- Military funeral honors — folded flag, Taps, color guard
- Survivor benefits — Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for eligible spouses, children, and parents
Source: VA.gov — Burial & Memorial Benefits ↗ · For DIC: va.gov/disability/dependency-indemnity-compensation ↗
All program details verified against VA.gov in May 2026. Programs change; the Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274 always has the most current information.