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Can I Remove a Beneficiary from an Irrevocable Trust?

I have funds in an irrevocable trust for my two daughters, but one has been estranged for eight years. I want to give everything to the daughter I‘ve always relied on. And what happens if she predeceases me?...

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  • Categories:
  • estate planning
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  • irrevocable trusts
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  • beneficiaries

What If I Can't Be a Caregiver and Mom Refuses a Facility?

I’ve been taking care of my mom for 10 years and am no longer physically capable of taking care of her. She can't walk, feed herself, or use the toilet. It’s not safe at home but she refuses to leave. What...

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  • Categories:
  • Health care decisions
  • |
  • senior living
  • |
  • Medicaid

Does Someone with Early-Stage Alzheimer's Need Memory Care?

My mother has mild Alzheimer's disease. She is self-sufficient and requires no assistance with her daily activities, yet. Her sister put her in a memory care facility. Does she need this level of care now?...

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  • Categories:
  • health care decisions
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  • applying for Medicaid
  • |
  • long-term care planning
  • |
  • Alzheimer’s
  • |
  • dementia
  • |
  • continuing care retirement communities

What If I Can't Care for Mom and She Refuses a Facility?

I’ve been taking care of my mom for 10 years and am no longer physically capable of taking care of her. She can't walk, feed herself, or use the toilet. It’s not safe at home but she refuses to leave. What...

Read more
  • Categories:
  • Health care decisions
  • |
  • senior living
  • |
  • Medicaid

Will Home Equity Loans for Repairs Affect Medicaid Benefits?

My father is currently receiving Medicaid home care benefits. The house needs repair and has a rat problem. If he uses a home equity loan to fix the house and rid it of rats, is it counted as income toward his benefits?...

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  • Categories:
  • Health care decisions
  • |
  • Medicaid
  • |
  • eligibility
  • |
  • equity loans

Do Life Insurance Proceeds Affect Medicaid Approval?

I cashed in my dad’s whole life insurance policy, which is valued at $10,877, to get him approved for Medicaid. The funds are in his savings account. Who would I speak with regarding the spend down stipulations?...

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  • Categories:
  • medicaid
  • |
  • eligibility
  • |
  • life insurance

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Medicaid 101
What Medicaid Covers

In 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.

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How to Qualify for Medicaid

To 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.

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Medicaid’s Protections for Spouses

Spouses of Medicaid nursing home residents have special protections to keep them from becoming impoverished.

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What Medicaid Covers

In 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.

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How to Qualify for Medicaid

To 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.

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Medicaid’s Protections for Spouses

Spouses of Medicaid nursing home residents have special protections to keep them from becoming impoverished.

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Medicaid Planning Strategies

Careful planning for potentially devastating long-term care costs can help protect your estate, whether for your spouse or for your children.

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Estate Recovery: Can Medicaid Take My House After I’m Gone?

If 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.

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Help Qualifying and Paying for Medicaid, Or Avoiding Nursing Home Care

There 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.

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Are Adult Children Responsible for Their Parents’ Care?

Most states have laws on the books making adult children responsible if their parents can't afford to take care of themselves.

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Applying for Medicaid

Applying for Medicaid is a highly technical and complex process, and bad advice can actually make it more difficult to qualify for benefits.

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Alternatives to Medicaid

Medicare'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.

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SEE MORE

Most Recent Medicaid Articles

2024 Survey Shows Long-Term Care Costs Continue to Rise
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An Elder Care Lawyer Can Help You Get Medicaid Home Care
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ElderLaw 101
Estate Planning

Distinguish the key concepts in estate planning, including the will, the trust, probate, the power of attorney, and how to avoid estate taxes.

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Grandchildren

Learn about grandparents’ visitation rights and how to avoid tax and public benefit issues when making gifts to grandchildren.

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Guardianship/Conservatorship

Understand when and how a court appoints a guardian or conservator for an adult who becomes incapacitated, and how to avoid guardianship.

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Health Care Decisions

We 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.

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Estate Planning

Distinguish the key concepts in estate planning, including the will, the trust, probate, the power of attorney, and how to avoid estate taxes.

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Grandchildren

Learn about grandparents’ visitation rights and how to avoid tax and public benefit issues when making gifts to grandchildren.

READ MORE
Guardianship/Conservatorship

Understand when and how a court appoints a guardian or conservator for an adult who becomes incapacitated, and how to avoid guardianship.

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Health Care Decisions

We 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.

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Long-Term Care Insurance

Understand 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.

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Medicare

Learn who qualifies for Medicare, what the program covers, all about Medicare Advantage, and how to supplement Medicare’s coverage.

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Retirement Planning

We 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.

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Senior Living

Find 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.

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Social Security

Get 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.

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Special Needs Planning

Learn 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.

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Veterans Benefits

Explore benefits for older veterans, including the VA’s disability pension benefit, aid and attendance, and long-term care coverage for veterans and surviving spouses.

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SEE MORE

Most Recent ElderLaw Articles

Pairing Medicare Coverage With Your Current Health Insurance
Older Adults Struggle to Meet the Dual Burden of Housing and Care
How a Proposed Medicare Part E Could Benefit Americans
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