The new year is a great time to look toward the future and plan ahead regarding Medicaid and long-term care costs. Here’s what you need to know, and how a bit of foresight now can pay big dividends for your future.
The Importance of Planning for Long-Term CareUsing Trusts for Medicaid Planning in Massachusetts
Medicaid is a government program that provides health care coverage to people with limited income and resources. To qualify, you must meet strict eligibility criteria, which include limits on your income and assets. For many applicants, this means reducing their countable assets below specific thresholds. Without planning, this could require spending down...
Planning for Long-Term Care: How Estate Strategies Can Help Secure Your Future
Planning for retirement or vacations often takes center stage, but preparing for long-term care is just as important. Rising healthcare costs make it essential to consider how you will cover the expenses associated with aging or chronic illness. Long-term care insurance is one option to help protect your savings and provide peace...
Understanding Medicaid Spend-Down Rules in Massachusetts
Medicaid eligibility often requires reducing your assets to a certain level, a process known as spending down. Understanding how to manage this process is essential for those planning to apply for Medicaid in Massachusetts. By strategically spending down assets, you can meet the requirements without jeopardizing your financial stability. Whether you're preparing...
Can Turning 65 Impact MassHealth Eligibility?
Determining whether you’re eligible for the significant benefits of MassHealth can be puzzling, especially as you approach age 65. In this blog, the experienced elder law attorneys at Surprenant & Beneski, P.C., will clarify how reaching retirement age can affect your eligibility for MassHealth benefits in Southeastern Massachusetts. We will take a careful look...
When to Consider a MassHealth Qualified Income Trust
The answer may well be now. Life is unpredictable. That’s why working with an experienced, skilled estate planning attorney is so important. If you live in Southeastern Massachusetts, becoming a client of the legal team of Surprenant & Beneski, P.C. is a thoughtful way to manage the future. Our accomplished lawyers can...
How Can I Protect My Home from Medicaid?
One important reason for estate planning is to ensure that you are financially prepared not only for retirement but for the possibility that you or your spouse may require long-term care as you age. At Surprenant & Beneski, P.C., our Medicaid planning attorneys have the well-developed skills to help you...
Understanding the Pros and Cons of a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust
At Surprenant & Beneski, where we serve estate planning clients throughout Southeastern Massachusetts, we consider Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts (MAPTs) a valuable tool when it comes to long-term healthcare. Although not always right for everyone, a MAPT is often useful in preserving assets while maintaining Medicaid (MassHealth) eligibility.
How Can I Protect My Home from MassHealth (Medicaid)?
Because almost 70 percent of the population will require long-term nursing care at some point, understanding Medicaid’s role in long-term care is essential. Long-term nursing care costs much more than the average patient can afford, so most people look for ways to maintain eligibility for these government benefits without giving up...
What About Medicare?
Medicare is the federally funded and administered health insurance program primarily designed for individuals age 65 or older. There are limited long-term care benefits that are available under Medicare. In general, if you are enrolled in a...