Every figure below is a 2026 maximum. Nobody is handed the maximum — each of these is calculated against income, and most of them are gated on things the headline leaves out.
01
VA Aid & Attendance
A tax-free monthly payment added on top of a VA pension for wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily living, or who are in assisted living or a nursing home.
WhoWartime service. No combat injury or service-connected disability required. Surviving spouses qualify too, with no age requirement.
The catchThe headline figure is a CEILING, not a payment. VA pays the difference between the ceiling and your countable income after medical expenses. A veteran with $1,400 a month coming in does not receive the full amount. A VA pension must also be in place first — this is an add-on, not a standalone benefit.
WhereVA Form 21-2680, completed by a doctor, plus your DD-214. File through a VA-accredited representative. Free by law.
02
Medicare Extra Help
Also called the Part D Low-Income Subsidy. Cuts prescription drug costs to a few dollars a copay. Social Security estimates the value at around $5,700 a year.
WhoMedicare recipients under the income and resource limits. Millions who qualify have never applied.
The catchAlmost nobody realizes this is run by SOCIAL SECURITY, not Medicare. People call Medicare, get bounced, and give up.
WhereApply at ssa.gov, or at any Social Security office.
03
Medicare Savings Programs
Pays your Medicare Part B premium, and depending on which tier you land in, can cover deductibles and coinsurance as well.
WhoThree tiers — QMB, SLMB and QI — each with its own income limit. You do not pick; you are placed.
The catchApplied for through your STATE Medicaid office, not through Medicare. Different agency, different form, and a common dead end.
WhereCall SHIP first on 1-877-839-2675. Free, unbiased counseling that tells you which tier fits before you apply.
04
LIHEAP energy assistance
Help paying home heating and cooling bills, some energy-related repairs, and weatherization. It also covers emergency help if you are facing a shut-off.
WhoIncome-qualified households. Adults 60 and over are commonly prioritized. RENTERS qualify too, not just homeowners.
The catchFederally funded but STATE administered, so eligibility and process differ everywhere. Most states run a defined application window rather than taking applications all year — miss it and you wait twelve months.
WhereYour state energy assistance office. In Kansas it is LIEAP, through the Department for Children and Families.
05
USDA Section 504 home repair
A grant of up to $10,000 that never has to be repaid, for repairs that remove health and safety hazards. A separate 1% loan of up to $40,000 over 20 years is also available, and the two can be combined up to $50,000.
WhoFor the GRANT you must be 62 or older, own and live in the home, be under the very-low-income limit for your county, and be unable to repay a loan.
The catchFour gates the headline never mentions: age 62, income at or below 50% of area median, a home in a USDA-eligible rural area, and inability to repay a loan. Grant money covers health and safety hazards only — not cosmetic work — and the full grant must be repaid if you sell within three years. USDA also warns of high demand and long waits.
Whererd.usda.gov, then your state Rural Development office. Check the address on the USDA property eligibility tool first.
06
Property tax relief for seniors
Freezes or reduces the property tax bill on a primary residence once the owner reaches a set age, or refunds part of it.
WhoOlder homeowners, usually with an income cap. Many states add a separate, more generous exemption for disabled veterans.
The catchThis is NOT a federal benefit. It is state and county, the rules differ enormously, and some places have nothing at all. It also has to be claimed — nobody applies it for you, and most eligible homeowners never file.
WhereYour county assessor or state revenue department. In Kansas, the Homestead and SAFESR refund programs, with an annual filing deadline.