Hi! I have a question about VA programs

[happybird]

and would appreciate any information.

My oldest friend, my eternal BFF and brother from another mother, reached out to me last night. He’s a vet and I’m pretty sure he gets 100% disability. The issue is he needs a bathroom on the main floor of his home. It’s an older home, recently inherited from his Grandmother, so there is an upstairs bathroom and a tiny one down in the basement. He lives on the main floor and his mobility has declined to the point he’s often not able to get to either.

Is there any program through the VA that could add a bathroom, or even just a toilet, to the ground level? Money is an issue because unfortunately Nana was way behind on her mortgage and tax payments, so he’s been paying that off in order to keep the house.

I’m not a veteran and not sure of the programs offered. Tried googling but there is a ton of info and it looks like lots of guidelines/restrictions for what is covered. I would really appreciate a point in the right direction.

Thank you.

[MOMFUDSKI]

1. Call the local VA for an answer. If NO, then

call your congressman and ask for help.

[kozar]

2. Check out,

Veterans helping Veterans, or a fraternity such as AmVets or VFW.
These organizations helped me a ton when I was alone with LilBit.

Good Luck
Koz

[happybird]

5. Thank you

Will definitely check it out
❤️

[70sEraVet]

8. My American Legion post has helped veterans when they didn't qualify...

for help from VA.
Just adding to kozar's good advice.

[3Hotdogs]

3. The mortgage and tax problems need attention. Does he have a lawyer involved?

If not, call the county Bar Association and ask for referrals for an Elder Law attorney. He needs to make sure the "t"s are dotted and the "I'd are crossed. There was a case in my town where the person was making payments and thought things were under control. They weren't.

She ended up losing the house and in response, she set it on fire.

The tax lien is more important than the mortgage. If this looks like it is going to "go south," put it on the market as soon as possible, before foreclosure.

[happybird]

6. His uncle is executor of the estate

Last edited Mon May 20, 2024, 05:57 PM - Edit history (1)

Once they dug into the details, they discovered the house was set to be auctioned off. They had no idea Nana was so behind on payments and taxes. Lawyers were hired by the estate to renegotiate and my friend is basically paying 150% of the new mortgage amount every month for 18 months and then everything will be back on track (ends in Nov, thank goodness).

He’s been paying the back taxes off on a negotiated timetable, also. Another thing we need to look into is the fact that vets on disability are exempt from property tax, but since the debt is from his Grandmother, these back taxes aren't exempted. That smells fishy to me. Hoping to somehow get that money refunded. For now, he's just paying according to the arrangements out of fear of losing the house. It was close.

These financial issues are a big contributor to how bad his living situation has gotten. He's been overwhelmed. So grateful he had the courage to ask for help. And angry at myself for not realizing he was having such a rough time.

Thank you
❤️

[pwb]

4. V.A. helps with automatic stair lifts

if eligible. A physical test will decide no matter the disability rate.
Did it all with my Dad.

[happybird]

7. Thank you!

I didn't even think of a stair lift. Will definitely look into that.
❤️

[Easterncedar]

9. We got a stairlift and a ramp from the VA.

It may depend on whether your friend’s disability is service related, although an exception to that basic eligibility requirement may be made for what is called a “catastrophic diagnosis”, which is what my sweetheart had.

[slightlv]

10. You can also check in with the Community Center on Aging in your city.

Our Central Air went out last summer. We'd been suffering through 100+ degree days with high humidity, and after installing a used A/C in the family room for us, my friends contacted our Center on Aging and discovered there was a program through them that could help us. We had to avow we were going to stay in the house for at least the next year, verify our income level and ages. But the upshot is they got us a whole new HVAC (is that what it's called?) and we didn't have to pay anything... not for the unit, nor for the labor or installation. They even hauled the old one away for us. I think it was a state benefit for older people, administered through Council on Aging. But that could be an alternative for you to check, if the VA doesn't have anything that fits...

And let me tell you, that Stair Lift is a life saver! We had one at the house where we lived before buying our current home. I loved it! It made getting upstairs so much easier, especially when you had a basket of laundry, etc...

Good luck!

[happybird]

11. Thank you

❤️