How Scrutinizing is Medicaid Really? Part 1
I had a conversation with a client recently about avoiding potential Medicaid penalties if and when she is ready to file a Medicaid application. She asked me a question I get often. “Is there an amount I can gift that is small enough that would not trigger a Medicaid penalty, say for
Alternatives to 1st Party SNTs – Part 2
In my blog post last week I wrote about 1st party special needs trusts, which are helpful in maintaining Medicaid benefits for someone who may receive an unexpected inheritance or the proceeds of a personal injury settlement. 1st party SNTs, however, can only be funded when the beneficiary is under age
Don’t Forget About the Elective Share – Part 2
Last week I wrote about Jim’s call to our office. His dad died leaving everything to Jim, including the task of taking care of his mom who had been living at home needing nursing home level care. Jim had found a nursing facility who would take her in. It would cost him $100,000
Another Word About QITs – Part 4
In my February 22 post I wrote about QITs and specifically about a case involving an application being denied because the QIT was improperly funded. In that case my client established the QIT just before the pandemic and funded the QIT correctly in the first month but not in the several
Some Words About the Latest Stimulus Payment (Part 1)
This month Congress passed and President Biden signed into law a $1.9 trillion COVID 19 stimulus package. This new law includes, among other things, another immediate payment to millions of Americans in need. Like the first 2 stimulus payments (which were $1200 last year and $600 in January, 2021 for eligible persons),
Another Word about QITs – Part 3
The past 2 weeks my blog posts have covered QITs. Last week I told you about a case in which the trustee initially transferred the correct amount to the QIT, the Medicaid recipient’s entire monthly Social Security, however, when that amount increased because of the cost of living adjustment, the trustee
Another Word About QITs – Part 2
In my post last week I revisited a Medicaid topic that I am frequently asked about - qualified income trusts. An applicant’s income that exceeds Medicaid’s strict monthly income cap ($2382 in 2021) must deposit some of that income into a QIT before then sending it where it must go according
Another Word about QITs
I last wrote about qualified income trusts (QITs)last September but I want to revisit the topic because of 2 recent applications in our office in which the trustee failed to follow the very specific requirements that the State of New Jersey has imposed. It has often happened that people call our
Divorce and Medicaid – Part 2
Last week I wrote about the recent calls we’ve received regarding couples in unhappy marriages where one spouse now needs care. Even though they may have kept their finances separate for many years, under Medicaid rules the healthy spouse’s assets will be counted as well as the ill spouse’s assets when
2nd Stimulus Checks – Same as the 1st?
Last month Congress and President Trump finally agreed to additional stimulus checks to be sent to Americans in need during the current pandemic. This is the second such round of payments since the COVID crisis hit. There are some differences, however between this second payment and the first. The most important change is