Should I Spend Down My Assets Before Applying for Medicaid?
Does spend-down of assets have to be completed before applying for Medicaid services?
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Ask a QuestionDoes spend-down of assets have to be completed before applying for Medicaid services?
See the AnswerWhere do I even start with being a caregiver for my widowed mother? How can I get paid by the state to take care of her full time?
See the AnswerCan estate recovery be stopped very late in the process (i.e., after the writ of entry has passed)?
See the AnswerMy mother would like to use a home equity loan to purchase a car. Will this affect her Medicaid status?
See the AnswerI have been living with and caretaking for my elderly mother for the past five years. She now needs long-term care and has recently qualified for Medicaid. The house is exempt from a Medicaid lien because I am on the deed. She has $17,000 in credit card debt. Can they still come after her house even though it's her deb...
See the AnswerMy father-in-law is currently in the hospital after some major heart issues. We've been told he needs to live in a skilled nursing facility. We were in the process of getting him Medicaid when this all happened, so now we have to wait for the approval before he can move somewhere permanently. Will Medicaid cover these...
See the AnswerCan Mom fire her durable power of attorney?
See the AnswerMy sister is 64 years old and is going to a nursing home because she has dementia. She receives Medicaid for health insurance, and she gets Social Security. She has a 20-year-old daughter living with her at her home. Will the nursing home take the whole Social Security check and leave her daughter homeless?
See the AnswerMy mother's nursing home has redirected Social Security payments to them. If a resident of the nursing home leaves to return home, can the nursing home continue to take her Social Security, which is needed to pay mortgage and remain at home? She has been in the nursing home about 10 months.
See the AnswerMy mother is 93 years old, and we are selling her home. She is on Medicare and Medicaid. She will not be in a nursing home; I will care for her in my own home. Can I invest the proceeds from the sale of her home? Will she lose her Medicaid and Medicare benefits? Her home is valued less than $50,000.
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 EldercareThe Older Americans Act seeks to promote the well-being, dignity, and independence of older Americans. By providing billions of dollars in funding for essential services, the OAA helps seniors live in their homes and communities for as long as possible.
Read moreThe Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released its tax inflation adjustment figures for tax year 2025.
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 informationMedicaid can provide seniors with financial assistance for home care services. However, since the federal government and the individual states run Medicaid jointly, benefits coverage is different in each state.
Read moreThough Medicaid exists to help those who need it, navigating the specifics of what it covers and does not cover can be daunting. Here are highlights on the basics of Medicaid coverage.
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