Helping Wartime Veterans and Surviving Spouses Apply For
VA Aid & Attendance Benefits
- Monthly Tax-Free Income -
ABOUT VAPS
Veterans Aid and Planning Services
VAPS For Wartime Veterans and Surviving Spouses
VAPS - Veteran Aid & Planning Services is dedicated to helping military wartime Veterans and their Surviving Spouses obtain VA Aid and Attendance benefits.
We are committed to providing support and guidance to Veterans and their families in navigating the complexities of obtaining the benefits they deserve.
Our team of experienced professionals is here to assist you every step of the way.
At VAPS, we understand the unique challenges that Veterans face, and we are passionate about making a positive impact on their lives.
Do You Qualify For Benefits?
Take this brief survey to see if a Veteran or Surviving Spouse may be eligible for VA Aid and Attendance Benefits!*
Click on the appropriate button below to begin!
* The questions on this form are used for preliminary screening purposes only. Completing this form does not mean that you are eligible for VA benefits, that benefits are guaranteed, or that an application has been submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
VAPS For Your Business:
Senior Living Communities
Home Health Companies
Senior Living Professionals
VAPS offers a comprehensive Resource Center designed for Veterans, Surviving Spouses, senior communities, home health organizations, and professionals serving older adults.
We address both legal and financial barriers to qualification. That means better approval rates — and better retention for you. You have a trusted ally who knows how the system works and manages the entire process without paperwork or compliance concerns for you and your Veteran clients.
Our goal is to provide clear, reliable, and up‑to‑date information that supports informed decision‑making. These resources are intended to educate, guide, and empower those navigating Veteran benefits and senior care planning.
MEET OUR TEAM
Purpose and Passion fuel the mission and leadership of Veteran Aid & Planning Services.
Behind the mission stand two women whose leadership is shaped by personal experience, professional excellence, and an unshakable sense of responsibility.
Together, they form a powerful alliance —
Where legal insight, community trust, and unwavering advocacy work in lockstep for Veterans and their families with confidence, compassion, and results.
Heidi Friedman, Esq.
Founder
VA Accredited Attorney
Heidi Friedman is the founder of Veteran Aid & Planning Service (VAPS) and a Board Certified Elder Law Attorney with extensive experience helping Veterans, seniors, and their families navigate complex benefit systems. A key strength of VAPS is Heidi is one a few professionals with direct VBMS access that allows her to review VA records, monitor claims, identify deficiencies, and address issues efficiently. Combined with her legal expertise, this ensures applications are accurate, complete, and positioned to avoid unnecessary delays—saving families time, stress, and financial strain. Through her elder law practice, Heidi has successfully guided hundreds of clients through VA and government benefit planning with precision and integrity. Heidi’s commitment is deeply personal. Her brother and uncle are military veterans, and her nephew is currently serving. Their service fuels her passion for ensuring Veterans and surviving spouses receive the benefits they have earned—honorably, compassionately, and with the utmost respect.
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Tiffany E. DiPanni, M.B.A., M.S.
Vice President
Collaboration & Community Impact
Tiffany DiPanni is the Vice President of Collaboration and Community Impact for Veteran Aid & Planning Service (VAPS), bringing nearly two decades of marketing leadership, relationship-building, and deep community engagement to the mission. Tiffany’s father, a U.S. Army Veteran, recently turned 90, and she proudly accompanied him on the 2025 Honor Flight “Justice” from Providence, Rhode Island. Her grandfather was a WWII fighter pilot, and her great-uncle was killed overseas in WWII—fueling a lifelong devotion to honoring Veterans with care, dignity, and purpose. As the founder of DiPanni Dynamix and Social Savvy Seniors, Tiffany works closely with senior living communities, care providers, and professionals serving older adults. Her extensive involvement across the senior care ecosystem—including nonprofit board service, monthly professional networking events, and hands-on collaboration with care partners—strengthens VAPS through trusted relationships, education, and community-centered outreach.
Our Services
How We Help Veterans and Surviving Spouses
Our experienced team helps Veterans and surviving spouses navigate the VA Aid and Attendance Benefits process, providing support from first steps of eligibility screening through long-term benefit oversight.
Eligibility Screening
VAPS provides a FREE eligibility screening for Veterans and Surviving Spouses to determine whether they may qualify to apply for VA Aid & Attendance Benefits. Our review helps families understand potential eligibility, requirements, and next steps at no cost and with no obligation.
Apply For Benefits
VAPS works in coordination with a qualified VA Accredited Attorney to help eligible Veterans and Surviving Spouses put together a complete VA Aid & Attendance Benefits application. Our team then assists with submitting the application directly to the VA's internal system to help ensure accuracy and completeness.
Management & Monitoring
VAPS continues supporting our Clients after submission by monitoring and managing the application through every stage. Our team provides real-time status updates, helps reduce delays and errors, and supports a smoother process while also monitoring our Clients' account for 12 months after their application is approved.
Why Should You Choose VAPS?
Born out of passion and purpose, VAPS was founded by and is led by two women whose careers, families, and convictions are deeply rooted in military service.
Our team understands the unique challenges that veterans and their families face, and we are here to create a steady, trusted path for veterans seeking clarity, respect, and meaningful support.
NO UPFRONT COSTS FOR ELIGIBILITY & APPLICATION
VAPS provides a FREE eligibility screening for Veterans and Surviving Spouses to determine whether they may qualify to apply for VA Aid & Attendance Benefits. Our review helps families understand potential eligibility, requirements, and next steps at no cost and with no obligation.
FASTER TIME TO RECEIVE NECESSARY CARE
In addition to faster filing through the VA’s VBMS system, VAPS works to reduce financial hesitation early, clearing common admission roadblocks so clients receive care sooner and service organizations can start support sooner.
DIRECT ACCESS TO VA'S ONLINE BENEFITS SYSTEM
We don’t mail claims and wait. With direct access to the VA's Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS), applications are uploaded through the VA’s internal system resulting in faster submissions, real-time status updates, and the ability to significantly avoid and immediately address any delays.
RELIEVE FINANCIAL BURDENS FOR FAMILIES
VAPS helps eligible Veterans and surviving spouses secure VA benefits that provide monthly financial support, reducing out-of-pocket care costs and easing financial strain and creating a more sustainable path for ongoing care and services.
PROFESSIONAL LEGAL OVERSIGHT
Our applications are prepared and filed under the oversight of a VA-accredited elder law attorney, ensuring compliance, credibility, and professionalism. Our team is qualified to address both legal and financial barriers to eligibility for better approval rates and continued client care.
RESPECT, COMPASSION AND INTEGRITY
VAPS is built on trust, compassion, and integrity, giving families and referring organizations confidence that each case is handled with professionalism, transparency, and genuine care through every step of the process.