Successful Planning

Elder law attorneys assist individuals and families in developing estate plans to avoid depleting their assets should they become ill and need long term care. For those individuals who are already in a nursing home, elder law attorneys help them qualify for Medicaid benefits while maximizing the amount of money they are able keep. Here are just a few examples: John met with his Elder Law attorney regarding his father, Dan. John had been living with his father for several years, as his father was […]

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The Importance of Medicaid Planning From a Nursing Home’s Perspective

Many people share a common misconception that Medicaid Planning is not in the best interest of nursing homes. At the same time, many nursing homes are now recognizing that without proper Medicaid planning, some residents who have spent down all of their assets are not automatically qualified for Medicaid, leaving the nursing home with a very large, uncollectible bill. And, as many of you are aware, non-spouse family members are not responsible to pay the nursing home bill for their relative. If the resident is […]

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When is the Right Time to do Medicaid Planning?

Our office receives many calls from concerned loved ones and family members wondering if or when they should start Medicaid planning. The answer: It is never too early or too late to discuss the planning options available. Below are just two examples of the many types of calls we get where we advise clients that Medicaid planning is an option right now. Mrs. Brown is an 81-year-old widow experiencing short-term memory loss. She is still able to live alone in her own home. Her monthly […]

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Are Married Couples Required to Spend Down One-Half of Their Assets in Order to Qualify for Medicaid?

The simple answer: No. In fact, there are couples who together have over $100,000 in assets (not including their home) and qualify for Medicaid without any spend down. How can this be? What about the “division of assets” and “spend down” people are always talking about? Medicaid law is quite complex and everyone’s situation is different. The following example is just one of the many ways in which some of our clients are able to qualify their spouse for Medicaid without spending a penny: Carol’s […]

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