U.S. veterans targeted by 'pension poachers,' GAO says

[white cloud]

DANA FERGUSON, Salt Lake Tribune

Veterans at senior centers, nursing homes and assisted-living facilities are being approached by companies or agents looking to take advantage of their pension benefits.

Terry Schow, executive director of the Utah Department of Veteran Affairs, collected the stories of seven exploited veterans and submitted them at a Wednesday hearing of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging.

"There are some people who have taken the business of helping veterans into profit-making," he said before the hearing.
http://www.independentmail.com/news/2012/jun/08/us-veterans-targeted-pension-poachers-gao-says/

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

1. Who's being targeted?

If a company is helping well-off veterans hide assets to take advantage of a benefit, I wouldn't call the veteran a victim. Maybe a co-conspirator or accomplice. Any fee paid to the company is just giving them their share of the loot. This is not taking advantage of a veteran, it's taking advantage of a loop-hole.

If a veteran truly qualifies for the pension, including having few assets, where can that veteran get help in applying for the pension? If someone's in that financial predicament, I'd guess he might be ill-equippd to navigate the labyrinthine V.A. procedures. A modest fee for assistance might be understandable.

I'm starting to help one veteran apply for the pension, and it is a challenge (maybe a "blind leading the blind" situation). I'm not charging anything, but I can understand how someone might make a business of it. Sort of like helping someone do their taxes.

There are tons of Vietnam-era vets turning 65 now, and for the next few years. Some will lose benefits because they don't know they're qualified for a pension, or don't know how to apply. In these cases, who's the victim and who's the villain?