Mom's on Medicaid. Can She Use Home Equity Loan to Buy Car?
My mother would like to use a home equity loan to purchase a car. Will this affect her Medicaid status?
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Ask a QuestionMy mother would like to use a home equity loan to purchase a car. Will this affect her Medicaid status?
See the AnswerDoes spend-down of assets have to be completed before applying for Medicaid services?
See the AnswerIf property was gifted from a Medicaid applicant within the five-year lookback period, who is responsible for paying during the penalty/denial period? My dad is in a nursing home now, but gifted me 5 acres of land last year. My sister is power of attorney, but I know my dad has limited funds until he will have to apply...
See the AnswerWhat happens if my elderly mother insists on staying in her own home by herself, against the doctor's advice? If I am her agent with health care power of attorney and I allow her to do as she wishes, can I be held responsible for anything that may happen to her as a result?
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 mother and stepfather originally formed a trust together, and the assets were to be divided evenly between my two stepbrothers and myself. My stepbrothers have died. My stepfather changed the trust, apparently without informing me or my mother of what he changed. When I was in town to help her, she didn't remember a...
See the AnswerI'm interested in buying a property at a foreclosure. I'm told the owner of the home is in a nursing home. There is currently no lien on the house. Would I be in danger of an estate recovery office seeking to recover funds anytime after a potential purchase? If so, is there any time limit on these actions?
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 AnswerCan Mom fire her durable power of attorney?
See the AnswerMy mother resides in Florida in a nursing home, and I want to move her to a nursing home in Indiana. I cannot care for her at home and there is no other family to help. How do I transfer my mother's Medicaid without interrupting her nursing home coverage?
See the AnswerFind basic articles that clearly explain essential topics in the field of elder law, like Medicaid, Medicare, estate planning, and Social Security.
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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 informationEach year, the feds issue updated guidelines outlining how much of a couple's assets a healthy spouse can keep while their Medicaid spouse gets the long-term care support they need.
Read moreMedicaid 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 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