Is My POA Valid If There Is Also Another, Earlier POA?
I have a power of attorney (POA) dated after another POA. Is mine the one that is valid because of it having the most recent date?
See the AnswerDownload one or more of our in-depth guides on elder law topics.
Get your GuideGet answers to your long-term care and estate planning issues.
Ask a QuestionI have a power of attorney (POA) dated after another POA. Is mine the one that is valid because of it having the most recent date?
See the AnswerMy sister asked me to be joint owner on her checking account. Will being a joint owner open me up to liability to pay any debts not covered by the joint account? Specifically, are my personal finances and property outside the joint account at risk?
See the AnswerMy elder mother has had two strokes but refuses to stop driving. Her doctors tested her cognitive ability, reflexes, vision, etc., and said she shouldn't drive. Can her adult children be held liable if she gets in an accident?
See the AnswerAre gift cards considered "gifts" that will create an issue with Medicaid eligibility? My elderly mother may need a nursing home in the next couple of years due to mild dementia/Alzheimer's. She likes to give her grandchildren cash gifts at Christmas and is upset because I told her she must stop due to the five-year lo...
See the AnswerIf the child of a parent who is moving into assisted living pays for the parent's first month's rent while also in the process of selling the parent's home for assisted living expenses, can that child be safely reimbursed for the amount of money paid once the home is sold and not affect Medicaid look-back when that par...
See the AnswerMy wife's mother has been judged to be in need of long-term memory care. She has been approved for it, to be paid by Medicaid, but doesn't want to go. She would prefer to stay in her apartment (which she can no longer afford) and have us pay the difference, or else move in with us. We can't take care of her. We are...
See the AnswerCan a power of attorney keep friends from seeing you when in a nursing home?
See the AnswerMy mother is 93 and is in a nursing home with dementia. As POA for my mother, am I allowed to make donations to her church, St. Jude, and other organizations she has given to in the past without penalties should she need to apply for Medicaid?
See the AnswerMy mother has been in a long-term care facility (for dementia) for two months. We cared for her at home as long as we could. The facility recently filed for Medicaid for her and found out she has CDs that we were unaware of (she put me on them as POD). What should we do now? Should we pay the nursing home out of th...
See the AnswerIf the will states for property to be sold and divided up between the kids, but one child lived with mom the whole time, took care of her for many years, and took care of the house, how do they go about keeping the house and also being paid for the health care they provided?
See the AnswerFind basic articles that clearly explain essential topics in the field of elder law, like Medicaid, Medicare, estate planning, and Social Security.
Learn More About EldercarePreparing and organizing your financial information for when you are no longer capable will bring peace of mind to you today. At the same time, it may relieve your loved ones' burden in the future.
Read moreMany Medicare recipients struggle to make ends meet. Special savings programs administered by each state can help cover certain Medicare costs, such as premiums and deductibles.
Read moreDownload one or more of our in-depth guides on elder law topics.
Get your GuideEvery state's Medicaid program is unique. We have collected the key eligibility rules for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Find Medicaid informationCongress established the Medicaid Money Follows the Person (MFP) Program to provide states with federal funding to help seniors who are receiving care in institutions but want to live at home.
Read moreThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the 2023 federal guidelines for how much money the spouses of institutionalized Medicaid recipients may keep, as well as related Medicaid figures.
Read moreIn addition to nursing home care, Medicaid may cover home care and some care in an assisted living facility. Coverage in your state may depend on waivers of federal rules.
READ MORETo be eligible for Medicaid long-term care, recipients must have limited incomes and no more than $2,000 (in most states). Special rules apply for the home and other assets.
READ MORESpouses of Medicaid nursing home residents have special protections to keep them from becoming impoverished.
READ MOREIn addition to nursing home care, Medicaid may cover home care and some care in an assisted living facility. Coverage in your state may depend on waivers of federal rules.
READ MORETo be eligible for Medicaid long-term care, recipients must have limited incomes and no more than $2,000 (in most states). Special rules apply for the home and other assets.
READ MORESpouses of Medicaid nursing home residents have special protections to keep them from becoming impoverished.
READ MORECareful planning for potentially devastating long-term care costs can help protect your estate, whether for your spouse or for your children.
READ MOREIf steps aren't taken to protect the Medicaid recipient's house from the state’s attempts to recover benefits paid, the house may need to be sold.
READ MOREThere are ways to handle excess income or assets and still qualify for Medicaid long-term care, and programs that deliver care at home rather than in a nursing home.
READ MORECareful planning for potentially devastating long-term care costs can help protect your estate, whether for your spouse or for your children.
READ MOREIf steps aren't taken to protect the Medicaid recipient's house from the state’s attempts to recover benefits paid, the house may need to be sold.
READ MOREThere are ways to handle excess income or assets and still qualify for Medicaid long-term care, and programs that deliver care at home rather than in a nursing home.
READ MOREMost states have laws on the books making adult children responsible if their parents can't afford to take care of themselves.
READ MOREApplying for Medicaid is a highly technical and complex process, and bad advice can actually make it more difficult to qualify for benefits.
READ MOREMedicare's coverage of nursing home care is quite limited. For those who can afford it and who can qualify for coverage, long-term care insurance is the best alternative to Medicaid.
READ MOREMost states have laws on the books making adult children responsible if their parents can't afford to take care of themselves.
READ MOREApplying for Medicaid is a highly technical and complex process, and bad advice can actually make it more difficult to qualify for benefits.
READ MOREMedicare's coverage of nursing home care is quite limited. For those who can afford it and who can qualify for coverage, long-term care insurance is the best alternative to Medicaid.
READ MOREDistinguish the key concepts in estate planning, including the will, the trust, probate, the power of attorney, and how to avoid estate taxes.
READ MORELearn about grandparents’ visitation rights and how to avoid tax and public benefit issues when making gifts to grandchildren.
READ MOREUnderstand when and how a court appoints a guardian or conservator for an adult who becomes incapacitated, and how to avoid guardianship.
READ MOREWe need to plan for the possibility that we will become unable to make our own medical decisions. This may take the form of a health care proxy, a medical directive, a living will, or a combination of these.
READ MOREDistinguish the key concepts in estate planning, including the will, the trust, probate, the power of attorney, and how to avoid estate taxes.
READ MORELearn about grandparents’ visitation rights and how to avoid tax and public benefit issues when making gifts to grandchildren.
READ MOREUnderstand when and how a court appoints a guardian or conservator for an adult who becomes incapacitated, and how to avoid guardianship.
READ MOREWe need to plan for the possibility that we will become unable to make our own medical decisions. This may take the form of a health care proxy, a medical directive, a living will, or a combination of these.
READ MOREUnderstand the ins and outs of insurance to cover the high cost of nursing home care, including when to buy it, how much to buy, and which spouse should get the coverage.
READ MORELearn who qualifies for Medicare, what the program covers, all about Medicare Advantage, and how to supplement Medicare’s coverage.
READ MOREWe explain the five phases of retirement planning, the difference between a 401(k) and an IRA, types of investments, asset diversification, the required minimum distribution rules, and more.
READ MOREFind out how to choose a nursing home or assisted living facility, when to fight a discharge, the rights of nursing home residents, all about reverse mortgages, and more.
READ MOREUnderstand the ins and outs of insurance to cover the high cost of nursing home care, including when to buy it, how much to buy, and which spouse should get the coverage.
READ MOREWe explain the five phases of retirement planning, the difference between a 401(k) and an IRA, types of investments, asset diversification, the required minimum distribution rules, and more.
READ MOREFind out how to choose a nursing home or assisted living facility, when to fight a discharge, the rights of nursing home residents, all about reverse mortgages, and more.
READ MOREGet a solid grounding in Social Security, including who is eligible, how to apply, spousal benefits, the taxation of benefits, how work affects payments, and SSDI and SSI.
READ MORELearn how a special needs trust can preserve assets for a person with disabilities without jeopardizing Medicaid and SSI, and how to plan for when caregivers are gone.
READ MOREExplore benefits for older veterans, including the VA’s disability pension benefit, aid and attendance, and long-term care coverage for veterans and surviving spouses.
READ MOREGet a solid grounding in Social Security, including who is eligible, how to apply, spousal benefits, the taxation of benefits, how work affects payments, and SSDI and SSI.
READ MORELearn how a special needs trust can preserve assets for a person with disabilities without jeopardizing Medicaid and SSI, and how to plan for when caregivers are gone.
READ MOREExplore benefits for older veterans, including the VA’s disability pension benefit, aid and attendance, and long-term care coverage for veterans and surviving spouses.
READ MORE