Home modification help for seniors: grants, loans and tax rules

Original Medicare generally does not pay for a wheelchair ramp or a grab bar, so help comes from a patchwork of government and nonprofit programs, plus a tax rule. This page lists each source, who it is for, and the dollar figures the agency itself publishes.

Last verified October 22, 2026 against the official pages and regulations listed in the cite box. We do not recommend a lender, contractor or company.

What Original Medicare does not list

Medicare Part B covers medically necessary durable medical equipment, and Medicare.gov defines it as equipment that is durable, used for a medical reason, typically only useful to someone who is sick or injured, used in your home and expected to last at least 3 years. The covered examples Medicare.gov names include canes, commode chairs, crutches, hospital beds, walkers, and wheelchairs and scooters. The page does not list ramps, grab bars, widened doorways or other changes to the building itself. After the Part B deductible you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for covered equipment. See also our Medicare cost calculator.

Veterans: HISA, SAH, SHA and TRA

HISA. Federal regulation 38 CFR 17.3105 sets a lifetime HISA limit of $6,800 for a service-connected disability, for certain disabilities treated as service-connected, or for a veteran rated at least 50% service-connected, when the veteran first applied on or after May 5, 2010. For other eligible disabilities the limit is $2,000. Unused benefit stays available for later projects. VA's HISA page says an application needs a prescription from a VA physician, VA Form 10-0103, an itemized estimate and a photo of the area, and that exclusions include exterior decking, hot tubs, home security systems, removable items such as portable ramps, porch lifts and stair glides, and routine repairs such as replacing roofs, furnaces or air conditioners.

SAH, SHA and TRA. VA.gov says Specially Adapted Housing grants can go up to $126,526 and Special Home Adaptation grants up to $25,350 for FY 2026, for Veterans and service members with certain service-connected disabilities who use the money to buy, build or change a permanent home. The grant can be used up to 6 times over a lifetime. A Temporary Residence Adaptation grant, for changing a family member's home while you live there, can go up to $50,961 (SAH) or $9,100 (SHA) for FY 2026. VA may adjust the maximums each year.

USDA Section 504 Home Repair loans and grants

The federal rules for the Section 504 program (7 CFR part 3550) say applicants must own and occupy the dwelling, have income no higher than the very-low-income limit, and be unable to get affordable credit elsewhere. Grants are available only if you are 62 years of age or older at the time of application. Loans carry a 1 percent interest rate and a 20-year term. The total outstanding loans may not exceed an amount set by the agency, no greater than 20% of the national average area loan limit, and lifetime grants may not exceed 10% of that limit. Loans are made only in rural areas that USDA designates. The regulation states the limits as percentages, so the current dollar figures come from USDA; ask your state Rural Development office.

Local help, Medicaid and nonprofits

• Area Agency on Aging. LongTermCare.gov (ACL) says there may be state and local programs offering low-interest loans or grants for home modifications or repairs, and that if you are 60 or older you should check with your local Area Agency on Aging about Older Americans Act Title III funds. Use our guide to find your Area Agency on Aging.
• Medicaid waivers. Under 42 CFR 440.180, a state's home and community-based waiver can include services listed in the rule plus other services the state requests and CMS approves as cost effective and necessary to avoid institutionalization. Home modification is not named in that federal list, so what is covered depends on your state's approved waiver. For how Medicaid eligibility works for long-term care, see Medicaid spend-down.
• Habitat for Humanity. Habitat says its Aging in Place program helps older adults age at home through local affiliates that provide home repairs, modifications and community services. Availability depends on the local affiliate.
• Renters. LongTermCare.gov says landlords are required to allow you to make reasonable modifications to accommodate your needs, and that you should talk to your landlord about who pays.

The tax rule for medical home improvements

IRS Publication 502 says you can include in medical expenses the cost of special equipment installed in a home, or improvements, if the main purpose is medical care for you, your spouse or your dependent. If the improvement raises the value of your property, only the cost above the increase in value counts (Worksheet A in the publication). The IRS says certain improvements for a disabled condition do not usually raise the home's value and can be included in full, including, but not limited to:

• Constructing entrance or exit ramps
• Widening doorways at entrances or exits
• Widening or otherwise modifying hallways and interior doorways
• Installing railings, support bars, or other modifications to bathrooms
• Lowering or modifying kitchen cabinets and equipment
• Moving or modifying electrical outlets and fixtures
• Installing porch lifts and other forms of lifts (elevators generally add value to the house)
• Modifying fire alarms, smoke detectors, and other warning systems
• Modifying stairways
• Adding handrails or grab bars anywhere (whether or not in bathrooms)
• Modifying hardware on doors
• Modifying areas in front of entrance and exit doorways
• Grading the ground to provide access to the residence

Only reasonable costs to accommodate the disabled condition count; extra cost for architectural or aesthetic reasons does not. You can deduct on Schedule A only the part of total medical and dental expenses that is more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. Whether you benefit depends on your itemizing and your total medical costs; check with a tax professional or the IRS.

All programs side by side

Method

Dollar figures were copied from VA.gov, the eCFR and IRS Publication 502 on October 22, 2026; the VA grant figures were read on two separate fetches and matched. We could not load the USDA Rural Development program page (it blocked automated access), so USDA amounts are not shown in dollars and the rules come from the eCFR text of 7 CFR part 3550 (current as of October 22, 2026). The ACL page we cite was last modified in February 2020; programs and rules change, so confirm with the agency before you apply.

Cite this page

The Retirement Literacy Foundation is a nonprofit and sells nothing here. Programs and rules change; confirm details with the agency named on the linked page. It does not endorse any lender, contractor, carrier or agent. General education, not individualized legal, tax or benefits advice.