Articles

Protecting Your House from Medicaid Estate Recovery

After a Medicaid recipient dies, the state must attempt to recoup from his or her estate whatever benefits it paid for the recipient's care. This is called "estate recovery." For most Medicaid recipients, their house is the only asset available, but there are steps you can take to protect your home. Life estates For

Medicare’s Different Treatment of the Two Main Post-Hospital Care Options

Hospital patients who need additional care after being discharged from the hospital are usually sent to either an inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) or a skilled nursing facility (SNF). Although these facilities may look similar from the outside, Medicare offers very different coverage for each. While you may not have complete say in where you go

May a Medicaid Applicant Freely Transfer Assets to a Disabled Child of Any Age?

Q: I have read that a Medicaid applicant won't be penalized for making transfers to a disabled child during the look-back period, but I would like to know if there is an age limit for the child. My mother has Alzheimer's disease, and I am her agent under a power of attorney. I am considered

Can I Loan My Dad Money to Pay for His Nursing Home Until He Qualifies for Medicaid?

Q: My dad currently lives in an adult family home. We spent down his retirement and savings to pay for the facility, and then he applied for Medicaid. The State of Pennsylvania denied him Medicaid benefits for being over the asset limit because he owns an old motorhome. The state is valuing the motorhome well

Maximizing Social Security Survivor’s Benefits

Social Security survivor's benefits provide a safety net to widows and widowers. But to get the most out of the benefit, you need to know the right time to claim. While you can claim survivor's benefits as early as age 60, if you claim benefits before your full retirement age, your benefits will be permanently

Is My Will Still Valid If I Move to Another State?

Among all the changes you must make when you move to a new state -- driver's license, voter registration -- don't forget your will. While your will should still be valid in the new state, there may be differences in the new state's laws that may make certain provisions of the will invalid. In addition,

A Tax Break for Day Care for Elderly Dependents

Did you know that caregivers of dependents like children or the elderly may be eligible for a tax credit? Paying for day care is one of the biggest expenses faced by working adults with young children, a dependent parent, or a child with a disability, but there is a tax credit available to help working