The VetAssist program is sponsored by the American Veterans Institute, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to serving the needs of veterans and preserving their individual histories.  The information on this site, and the services of the VetAssist staff are free.  Please use this site as a tool for educating yourself on the Improved Pension program and your eligibility for it.  You should also contact your County Veterans Services Officer (VSO), the VA, or a VSO through one of the national Veterans organizations, such as the VFW, American Legion, etc. for help filing the appropriate forms.

 

The American Veterans Institute was founded in 2004 and has been supporting such local, regional and national projects as: the Operation Welcome Home celebrations for America’s Vietnam veterans and others; fundraising and promotional materials for establishing veterans’ memorials; award-winning video presentations honoring American veterans; programs spotlighting the availability of VA benefits; speaking presentations emphasizing the service and sacrifices of America’s veterans, and more.

 

How to use this web site:

 

In order to help as many people as possible, the American Veterans Institute asks you to please e-mail your questions, AFTER carefully reviewing this site.   We cannot accept phone calls or mail inquiries because we are a very small non-profit operation and we must direct our efforts to maintaining our website and responding to the hundreds of e-mail inquiries we receive. We try to answer each e-mail personally, even those that do not deal specifically with the Improved Pension. Please do not send us your pension application. We are not the VA and cannot process the forms.  You can also contact your local Veterans Services Officer for help filling out the forms or with questions not related to the Improved Pension. To find a VSO near you, please click on the following link: http://www.nacvso.org/cvso.asp.

 

 

If you wish to determine whether you or a loved one is eligible for one of the VA Improved Pensions (there are three levels), please go to the section marked Eligibility.

 

If you have determined that you or a loved one is eligible, then go to the section marked Next Step.

 

If you just need to download one of the forms needed for your package, go to: Forms.

 

Once you have completed your form, look for the VA regional office closest to you by pulling up the "list of regional offices" on the Forms page.  DO NOT send packages to the American Veterans Institute.  We are not part of the VA. 

 

If you have a question not covered on this web site, you can e-mail the VetAssist Q&A service at Q&A.

 

For detailed information on the VA's Aid & Attendance pension, we recommend you visit: www.veteranaid.org. This informational site is one woman's tribute to her parents -- and one woman's crusade to make certain that any veteran or surviving spouse who is eligible for a VA Improved Pension has the information and opportunity to apply for it. AVI salutes Debbie Burak for her service to America's veterans!

 

Project VetAssist is a program of the American Veterans Institute, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to veteran-oriented initiatives that educate, motivate, and inspire. The project is intended to help veterans and their families help themselves by providing  information and guidance on the VA benefit known as Improved Pension. AVI and Project VetAssist cannot guarantee an approval and we urge individuals to use all available resources, including the VA itself, your local Veterans Services Officers, other veterans organizations, information available on the internet, and, of course, Project VetAssist. AVI’s goal for Project VetAssist is that it will play a role in enhancing the efficiency with which our nation serves its veterans and their families. In so doing, we hope to live out the prophetic words of President George Washington: “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation.”

 

New Links to help you!

 

The VA has some great new links that can help individuals in search of information on the Improved Pension program.   Please click below to access some of these links. And a big thank you to the VA for being proactive in helping our veterans get the benefits they deserve!   To access a list of VA-approved Veterans Organizations that can provide a Veterans Services Officer to help fill out Improved Pension Forms, Click Here.   To download a copy of VA form 21-526 directly from the VA web site, Click Here. To download a copy of VA form 21-534, for a surviving spouse, directly from the VA web site, Click Here  -- and select 21-534 NOT 21-534a.   To fill out your Improved Pension form on-line, please Click Here. To find the VA Regional Office that has jurisdiction over your area, Click Here. For general Q&A about the VA Improved Pension benefit, you can Click Here.   To find a Veterans Services Officer near you, Click Here.

 

 

The American Veterans Institute asks that you DO NOT send your completed packages to our organization.  We are not affiliated with the VA and cannot process your forms.  We are a private non-profit organization that assists veteran and their surviving spouses with their questions regarding the VA Improved Pension program.   We urge you to follow the step-by-step instructions included in the Forms section of this site.  THEN, send your completed package to your regional VA office.  That information is also provided under the Forms section.   These claims packages often contain important original documents.  PLEASE make sure you are sending the materials to the proper VA location.   Your friends at the American Veterans Institute.   Thanks!