Page 12 - Senior Times South Central Michigan April 2021 - 28-04

Page 12 Senior Times - April 2021 Serving Our
Providing services for Veterans and their families.
VETERANS
Aaron D. Edlefson, Special to Senior Times HOME ADAPTATION GRANTS
Service-connected disability com- pensation is a tax free, monthly mone- tary benefit paid to Veterans who have an injury or illness that was caused or made worse by their service. There are ancillary benefits that go along with service-connection. One benefit is that Veterans who are service-connected
are automatically eligible for health care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (though they still have to apply). Another benefit, provided
by the State of Michigan, is a property tax exemption for eligible Veterans. There are three ways that a Veteran (it’s important to note that certain surviving spouses are also eligible for the tax exemption) can be made eligible for
the property tax exemption. The first is that the Veteran has been rated 100% service-connected, permanent and total. The second is that the Veteran has
been rated individually unemployable. Lastly, is that the Veteran is receiving or has received assistance for specially adapted housing from the Department of Veterans Affairs. It is that last eligi- bility criteria that I’d like to focus on.
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers two grant programs that can adapt permanent housing to make it more accessible and better meet the daily needs of Veterans who have cer- tain service-connected disabilities. They are the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) and Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grants. For the SAH grant, the Veteran must own the home and have a qualifying service-connected disability, which includes the loss or loss of use of
Empowering Lives, Guiding Futures
Here to Help with life’s challenges
Federal Benefits and Programs Emergency Assistance Benefits County Burial Benefits
(269) 969-6735
190 East Michigan Avenue, Third Floor Battle Creek, Michigan calhouncountymi.gov/departments/veterans_affairs/index.php
more than one limb, loss or loss of use of a lower leg with effects of a natural disease or injury, blindness in both eyes (20/200 or less), certain severe burns, or loss or loss of use of one lower extremity after September 11, 2001, which requires braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair. The currently maxi- mum award for SAH is $100,896.00. For the SHA grant, the home can be owned by the Veteran or by a family member. Qualifying service-connected disabilities for SHA include loss or loss of use of both hands, certain severe burns, and certain respiratory or breath- ing injuries. The current maximum award for SHA is $20,215.00. Grant dollars do not have to be used all at once and can be used up to six differ- ent times. A third grant, the Temporary Residence Adaptation grant, is similar to SAH and SHA, but is meant for temporary housing with lower caps on award amounts.
In-Home Care for a Better Quality of Life
Light Housekeeping • Meal Prep • Dressing • Companionship Grocery Shopping • Laundry
Providing services to Kalamazoo, Calhoun, St Joseph, Branch, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Jackson Counties.
306 W. Washington Ave., Suite 104, Jackson, MI 49201
Phone: 517.768.0900 • Toll Free: 877.768.0901 • Fax: 517.768.0909
Email: rahofscm-info@sbcglobal.net • website: www.scentralmichigan.rightathome.net
2990 Business One Dr, Kalamazoo, MI 49048
Phone: 269.762.6110 • Toll Free: 877.406.4055 • Fax: 269.762.6109 Email: info@rahhelps.com • website: www.rahhelps.com
247 S. Main St., Adrian, MI 49221
Phone: 517.768.0900 • Toll Free: 877.768.0901 • Fax: 517.768.0909
Email: rahofscm-info@sbcglobal.net • website: www.scentralmichigan.rightathome.net
The Care That’s Right, at Home®
Call 24/7 For Service
www.rightathome.net
Guardian Finance and Advocacy Services (Guardian) has been a trusted service provider in Southwest Michigan since 1966. As a 501( c )3 nonprofit corporation, our professional and compassionate staff provides a complete network of public fiduciary services to improve the lives of more than 1,200 clients each year.
Our core business has historically been in the court-appointed services of guardian- ship and conservatorship, though we also serve as representative payee, by appoint- ment of the Social Security Administration, andVA fiduciary, by appointment of the Veterans Administration.
Money Management Trust Management VA Fiduciary Guardianship
We are seeking to grow our services for the general public.These include trust management, financial power of attorney agreements, and money management programs, preventive offerings that can help people remain independent, avoid financial crisis, and prevent the need for court intervention.
We are a social enterprise driven by our nonprofit mission, and simultaneously working to maintain our successful business. Our services are supported
by client fees that are necessary to cover service costs, and our fee schedule is adjusted to accommodate each client’s ability to pay.
• Financial Power of Attorney • Special Needs Trust
• Representative Payee
• Conservatorship
If you have questions related to adaptive housing grants, or any other benefits for Veterans or their families, please feel free to contact our office. Calhoun County Veterans Affairs can be reached at (269) 969-6735. If you would prefer to reach us by e-mail, you can do so at va@calhouncountymi.gov.
Call for Help with Income Tax Preparation
Visit our website for more information www.yourguardian.org
693 Capital Ave. SW, Unit #3 Battle Creek, MI 49015
269-963-3253