Michael C. Murphy
Elder Law P.C.
I can't afford to pay for nursing home care for my loved one but can't care for him or her myself.
How do I get and pay for the care that is needed?
There are number of ways. A limited source of payment (maximum of 100 days) is Medicare and Medicare supplement insurance. Care at home can be provided by Medicaid Waiver services, Programs Of All-Inclusive Care For The Elderly (PACE), and Veterans benefits. Finally, nursing home care can be paid by Medicaid.
Am I going to lose the home or family farm?
Not if you, your spouse, or a dependent or disabled child is living in the house. There are other exceptions too. If you are single and not living at home, then Medicaid will require it to be put up for sale or rent. As long as you are trying to sell or rent, you can still get Medicaid benefits. Once sold, the proceeds will cause you to temporarily lose Medicaid benefits. But there are legal ways to save roughly half of the proceeds even then.
If I have to pay for nursing home care for my spouse, will there be anything left for me?
You want your longtime spouse to have the best care possible. But you have to worry about yourself too. How are you going to live now? How are you going to live when he or she dies and you lose a big portion of your combined income? You have to be realistic about how long your money is going to last. WHAT A HORRIBLE CHOICE TO HAVE TO MAKE – MY SPOUSE OR ME! Fortunately, it doesn't have to be this way. With proper planning, almost all of your combined assets can be saved.
How can I keep the Government from getting all my money?
Your loved one worked hard all his or her life, raised a family (possibly paying for their education and weddings), saved and did without for a lifetime, and faithfully paid his or her taxes. He or she should not now have to use a lifetime of assets to get help for unexpected long term care costs. There are effective and legal ways to save his or her hard-earned assets. Proper planning is the key; and it is never too late to start.
How can I make sure my family gets an inheritance?
Leaving your family something when you die is every parent’s goal. You worked hard to save the assets for your family. Unexpected long term care costs should not wipe you (them) out. There are effective and legal ways to ensure your family legacy. Proper planning is the key, and it is never too late to start.