If the Community Spouse Dies Before the Medicaid Recipient, Can Medicaid Collect from the Spouse's Estate?
My father-in-law lives at home, while his wife is in a nursing home and has been approved for Medicaid (in Medicaid jargon, m...
Read moreWhen two or more individuals own property - whether it's a condominium, a home, or a piece of land - the relationship between the owners is very important.
The form of ownership of the property affects how property is transferred to someone else. It is important to make sure you have the right form of ownership for your property.
Tenancy in common allows an owner the greatest flexibility to transfer the property as he or she wants. Each co-tenant in a tenancy in common has an interest in the property and is free to transfer this interest during life or through a will.
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The co-tenants can have different ownership interests; for example, three owners could own 5 percent, 35 percent and 60 percent of the property, respectively, as tenants in common. Each tenant can sever their relationship with the other tenants by conveying their interest to another party. This third party then becomes a tenant in common with the other owners.
Joint tenants, on the other hand, must have equal ownership interests in the property. So, three owners would each have a one-third interest in the property. If one of the joint tenants dies, his or her interest immediately ceases to exist and the remaining joint tenants own the entire property. The advantage to joint tenancy is that it avoids having an owner's interest probated upon his death.
A disadvantage to both joint tenancy and tenancy in common, however, is that creditors can attach the tenant's property to satisfy a debt. So, for example, if a co-tenant defaults on debts, his creditors can sue in a "partition proceeding" to have the property interests divided and the property sold, even over the other owners' objections.
A third form of tenancy that is allowed in several states, tenancy by the entirety, avoids this problem, but it is available only to married or, where applicable, civilly united couples.
Tenancy by the entirety is based on the societal value of protecting the family. One tenant cannot convey her interest on her own, unlike with the other tenancies. Upon the death of one spouse, his interest automatically passes to the other spouse, as with joint tenancy, and the creditors of one spouse cannot attach the property or force its sale to recover debts unless both spouses consent.
Creditors may place a lien on property held in tenancy by the entirety, but they are out of luck if the debtor dies before the other spouse, who will take ownership of the property free and clear of the debt.
This is why both husband and wife are required to sign the mortgage on their property for the mortgage to be valid. Unmarried couples who buy property and subsequently marry each other should re-title the deed as tenants by the entirety to avail themselves of the greater protections this form of tenancy offers.
In most states, if the form of tenancy that the tenants intended is ambiguous, the tenancy will be assumed to be a tenancy in common.
Contact your attorney to find out which form of ownership is the right one for your circumstances. Find an attorney near you.
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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.
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