Blog
Trusts and Medicaid Planning
Trusts can be a powerful tool in estate planning, but only certain trusts can protect assets while ensuring eligibility for Medicaid nursing home coverage. Before starting any Medicaid planning, it is important to meet with an experienced, local elder law attorney to...
COVID-19 Vaccination Plan
The administration of COVID-19 vaccines has started across the United States and in Missouri. However, due to limited supplies, vaccinations will be done in phases. For the vaccinations to be maximally effective, individuals need to receive two doses of the vaccine...
Exempt Transfers and Medicaid Eligibility
When applying for Medicaid nursing home coverage, an applicant’s income and assets have to be under a restrictive cap to be eligible for the benefit. As part of the eligibility determination, the state Medicaid agency also looks back at any below market transfers that...
St. Louis County Relaxes Nursing Home Visitation Guidelines
Following guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, St. Louis County has issued new guidelines that relax the rules restricting visits to nursing home residents due to the COVID-19...
Power of Attorney for Property
A power of attorney for property is a valuable tool to protect a person’s financial wellbeing in case of incapacity. However, not all powers of attorney for property are equally effective. A form downloaded off the internet may claim to be a valid power of attorney,...
Perpetrators of Elder Financial Exploitation
The elderly often face mental and physical declines that make them increasingly vulnerable to financial exploitation. Exploitation can include fraudulent investment schemes, scams, identity fraud, and outright theft. Forms of theft can include forged signatures on...
Disabled Children and Medicaid Planning
When individuals with disabled children consider how to pay for a potential nursing home stay for themselves, they not only have to worry about their own financial situation, but their disabled child(ren)’s as well. Due to the high cost of nursing home care, Medicaid...
Medicare and Nursing Home Coverage
The vast majority of nursing home stays are paid for either through Medicaid or through private means that may include long term care insurance or paying directly out of pocket. A distant third in paying for nursing home coverage is Medicare. Medicare pays for nursing...
Collectibles, Antiques, and Medicaid Planning
A stay in a nursing home can potentially wipe out the life savings of all but the wealthiest families. Medicaid does cover nursing home stays, but since Medicaid is a needs based program, individuals must be below relatively strict financial limits to qualify for...
Estate Planning for the Medicaid Community Spouse
When planning Medicaid eligibility for someone who may need a nursing home stay, the focus is typically on making the spouse who needs care eligible for Medicaid nursing home coverage through shifting assets to the spouse who does not need nursing home care. In this...
