VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance) is a clinician-completed report used to claim a higher monthly rate — Aid and Attendance (A&A) or Housebound — on top of your regular VA payment. These are forms of Special Monthly Compensation (SMC).
What A&A and Housebound mean
- •Aid and Attendance — you need help with everyday activities (bathing, dressing, eating, managing medications), are bedridden, or have severe vision loss.
- •Housebound — you're substantially confined to your home because of permanent disability.
Both pay more than the standard compensation or pension rate.
Who completes it
A physician or other qualified clinician fills out 21-2680, documenting your need for aid and attendance or your housebound status. Your medical evidence supports it.
How it's used
- •Veterans can claim SMC A&A/Housebound on top of disability compensation.
- •It's also commonly used by survivors and pensioners seeking the A&A/Housebound rate on a pension.
Tip
The strength of a 21-2680 claim is in the clinical detail — how, specifically, your condition requires daily assistance or confines you. Vague forms get weaker results; specific, well-documented ones support the higher rate.
VA forms mentioned in this guide
Put this to work
See your monthly compensation at your rating level — the base that Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits add on top of.
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This guide is educational information about the VA claims system — it is not legal or medical advice, and it does not predict or promise any claim outcome. Regulations and procedures change; always verify current requirements at VA.gov. VA Claim Commander is a self-service documentation tool, not a VSO, law firm, or VA-accredited representative.