Instructions for Completing the Application
General Information:
If you are a Veteran, Check the block for “Veteran”.
If you are a Surviving Spouse of a qualified Veteran, check the block “Surviving Spouse”.
If the Veteran was living during the last review period, but is now deceased, the Surviving
Spouse must contact their local County Director of Veterans Affairs and complete a new
application to transfer the benefit.
Section A: All information in this Section is REQUIRED.
Section B: All information in this Section is REQUIRED.
Section C: Eligibility Criteria: Check all blocks that apply.
Section D: Exemptions and Dependent Data: Members of Your Immediate Family Residing in the
Household - List the names of all dependents, their relationship to the Veteran, and their date of
birth. Children may be counted as dependents only until they are 18 years old unless they are in
school on a full-time basis and under the age of 24, or they are unable to care for themselves.
Section E: Property Information: Check appropriate block(s). Does any portion of the property
generate income?
Section F: Income: List gross annual income for the previous tax year. If the applicant is a
Veteran with a Spouse, indicate the individual’s income in the appropriate columns. Yearly
interest and/or dividend income earned from savings accounts, stocks, bonds, annuities, trust
funds or other securities are also required. No adjustments to, or deductions from, income will be
authorized in determining applicability of the rebuttable presumption. Attach the required
income verification documentation listed in the Required Documents column.
Income defined in 43 Pa Code § 5.22 is as follows: salaries, wages, bonuses, commissions, income
from self-employment, support money, cash public assistance and relief; the gross amount of
pensions or annuities, including railroad retirement benefits; benefits received under the Social
Security Act except Medicare benefits; benefits received under state unemployment insurance laws
and Veterans’ disability payments; interest received from the federal or state government or an
instrumentality or political subdivision thereof; realized capital gains; rentals; workmen's
compensation and the gross amount of loss-of-time insurance benefits and proceeds except the first
$5,000 of the total of death benefit payments; and gifts of cash or property other than transfers by
gift between members of a household in excess of a total of $300. This term does not include
surplus food or other relief in kind supplied by a governmental agency. Income from savings
accounts and bonds shall be included as well as interest received from investments.
Section G: Expenditure Documentation - If the applicant’s annual income exceeds $ 92,594,
this section must be completed. All financial entries on the application require documentation
in the form of a copy of a bill, receipt, or invoice for expenses incurred within the tax period
being evaluated. Only one recent bill is necessary for those expenses that recur each month, e.g.
mortgage. Receipts and bills should be organized by category.
Section H: Affidavit: This section must be Dated, Signed by the Claimant and the
County Director of Veterans’ Affairs or Designated County VSO.
VA Form 3288 – Veteran need only complete the highlighted areas. VA Form 3288
must be submitted with the Application for Determination of Financial Need.