Western New York Veterans Over 60 Are Leaving Thousands on the Table — Check These 5 Benefits Now

Across Western New York, veterans who served this country are quietly going without benefits they've already earned and fully deserve. This isn't their fault — the VA's benefit landscape is genuinely complicated, and nobody sends you a letter when you turn 65 reminding you of what's available.

There are five benefits in particular that WNY veterans over 60 consistently fail to claim. Across Erie County, the unclaimed value is in the millions of dollars every year.

Here's what to know about each one — and exactly where to go to start a claim.

Benefit #1: Aid & Attendance Pension

This may be the single most valuable and least-known benefit in the VA's portfolio. If you know a veteran who is struggling with the cost of home care, assisted living, or a nursing home, read this section carefully.

What it is: The Aid & Attendance benefit is an enhanced pension payment for wartime-era veterans (or their surviving spouses) who need help with daily activities — bathing, dressing, medication management, moving around the home — or who are in a nursing home or assisted living facility.

What it pays (2025 rates):

• Veteran alone: up to $2,424/month ^[1][2]
• Veteran with dependent spouse: up to $2,874/month ^[1][2]
• Surviving spouse of a veteran: up to $1,558/month ^[1][2]

These are federal pension payments. They are not loans. They do not need to be repaid.

Who qualifies:

• Must be a wartime-era veteran (served during a recognized war period, including WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and Gulf War — does not have to have seen combat)
• Must have at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a wartime period
• Must have received an honorable discharge
• Must have income and assets within VA limits (asset limits were updated in 2018 — they are more flexible than many people assume)
• Must need help with daily activities OR be in a nursing home or assisted living

A critical note: There are many for-profit "veterans pension planners" who charge large fees to help families structure assets to qualify for Aid & Attendance. This is often unnecessary — and sometimes illegal. Get free, official help from the Erie County Veterans Services office before paying anyone for this assistance.

Benefit #2: VA Caregiver Support Program

Tens of thousands of WNY veterans are being cared for at home by a spouse, adult child, or other family member. Many of these caregivers don't know that the VA has a formal program to support them.

The VA Caregiver Support Program provides:

• Financial stipends for primary caregivers of eligible veterans (under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers — PCAFC)
• Health insurance for caregivers who don't have their own coverage
• Mental health services for caregivers
• Respite care — temporary relief for caregivers who need a break
• Caregiver training and skills education

Eligibility requirements for the full PCAFC program are specific — they primarily apply to veterans who incurred or aggravated a serious injury in the line of duty on or after May 7, 1975. A separate General Caregiver Support Services program provides some benefits to caregivers of veterans outside those criteria.

Contact the Buffalo VA Medical Center's Caregiver Support line at 716-834-9200 and ask to speak with the Caregiver Support Program coordinator. They can tell you within a single conversation what your family qualifies for.

Benefit #3: NYS Veterans Property Tax Exemption

New York State offers a property tax exemption specifically for veterans that many homeowners don't know is separate from — and can be combined with — the STAR program.

There are three tiers:

• Basic Alternative Veterans Exemption: For veterans who served during a recognized war period but not in a combat zone. Reduces assessed value by 15%.
• Combat Zone Exemption: For veterans who served in a combat zone. Reduces assessed value by an additional 10%.
• Disabled Veterans Exemption: Based on service-connected disability rating. Can reduce assessed value by up to 50% with a significant disability.

On a home assessed at $200,000 in Erie County: A combat-zone veteran with a disability rating could be exempt on $50,000 or more of assessed value — translating to hundreds of dollars per year in tax savings, permanently.

How to apply: Contact the Buffalo Assessment Office at 716-851-5733 (for City of Buffalo properties) or your local town assessor for suburban Erie County. You'll need a copy of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) and documentation of any service-connected disability rating.

If you've lost your DD-214, the VA can help you obtain a replacement — ask at the Erie County Veterans Services office.

Benefit #4: Erie County Veterans Services — Free Claims Help

Many veterans — and their families — are reluctant to navigate the VA system alone. The paperwork is dense, the regulations are complex, and it's easy to make errors that delay or reduce benefits.

This is exactly what the Erie County Veterans Services office exists for — and they do it for free.

Erie County Veterans Services

95 Franklin St., Buffalo, NY 14202

716-858-6333

The office is staffed by accredited Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) — people who have been trained and certified specifically to help veterans file VA claims, appeals, and benefit applications at no cost. ^[3] They can help with:

• Aid & Attendance pension applications
• Service-connected disability claims and ratings
• VA healthcare enrollment
• Pension and survivor benefit claims
• DD-214 replacement requests
• Property tax exemption paperwork

Walk-ins are welcomed. You don't need an appointment for an initial consultation. Bring your DD-214 if you have it — if you don't, they can help you request one. ^[4]

Benefit #5: Buffalo VA Medical Center Benefits Counselors

If you're already enrolled in VA healthcare at the Buffalo VA Medical Center (3495 Bailey Ave., 716-834-9200), you have direct access to benefits counselors on site.

Many veterans who receive healthcare at the Buffalo VA have never had a full benefits review. These counselors can:

• Review your VA disability rating and determine if it should be increased based on current conditions
• Identify pension benefits you may be eligible for but haven't claimed
• Connect you with Aid & Attendance eligibility review
• Refer you to appropriate specialty programs

Schedule an appointment through your VA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) or call the general number at 716-834-9200 and ask to speak with a benefits coordinator.

Important note about VA pension income and asset rules: VA pension eligibility includes net worth limits. As of 2025, the net worth limit is approximately $155,000 (excluding your home and vehicle). Veterans with significant assets above this threshold may not qualify for the pension. However, the rules are complex enough that it's worth having a VSO review your specific situation — do not self-screen yourself out without a professional evaluation.