Qualification Basics In order to be eligible for Medicaid benefits a nursing home resident may have no more than $4,000 in "countable" assets. The spouse of a nursing home resident — called the ‘community spouse’ — is limited to assets up to $99,540 (in 2006) in "countable" assets.  This figure changes each year to reflect […]

Nursing home residents do not have to sell their homes in order to qualify for Medicaid, as long as the nursing home resident intends to return home. Additionally, the house may be kept if the Medicaid applicant’s spouse or another dependent relative lives there.  However, after a Medicaid recipient dies, the state must attempt to […]

Congress has established a period of ineligibility for Medicaid for those who transfer assets. This period of ineligibility is determined by dividing the amount transferred by what Medicaid determines to be the average private pay cost of a nursing home in your state. However, state Medicaid officials will look only at transfers made within the […]

A Tennessee appeals court rules that the state may not recover Medicaid payments from the estate of a community spouse who received assets from an institutionalized spouse who predeceased him, leaving no estate.In Re: The Estate of James Clifford Smith (Tenn. Ct. App.)

For the first time since its creation in 1965, Medicaid spending actually declined in 2006, a recent USA Today article recently reported.  The drop in spending on the health care program for the poor is due in large part to aggressive program changes implemented by states, including the recently enacted Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.

This article examines the appeal of the McCord decision, in which the Fifth Circuit reversed the Tax Court decision and allowed formula value clauses. The decision allows you to tie the amount of the gift to the value of the underlying asset, such as an FLP interest. So, it could say, I give $1 million […]

The article examines the IRS’ recent issuance of proposed regulations cracking down on Private Annuity Trusts used for income tax avoidance. The article looks at why PATs are still a viable tool in estate planning.

When people think about estate planning, they typically think of who will get   their possessions. Upon further thought, they recognize that the most important   decisions they make will be the identity of trusted decision makers like guardians,   executors, trustees, and agents. If the individual has a Will, an executor or personal representative […]

If you are a Medicare beneficiary, it is time to review your Medicare prescription drug plan options. The Medicare Part D open enrolment period began November 15, 2006, and ends December 31, 2006. During this period you can sign up for a prescription drug plan if you don’t have one or you can switch to […]

If you have thought about creating an ethical will but didn’t know where or how to begin, this guide can serve as a great starting point. An ethical will is not a legal document — it is a letter to your descendants that enables you to pass along information. You can use it for many […]