K. Gabriel Heiser, J.D., is an attorney with over 25 years of experience in elder law and estate planning. He is the author of "How to Protect Your Family's Assets from Devastating Nursing Home Costs: Medicaid Secrets," an annually updated practical guide for the layperson.

Articles

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Medicaid considers a senior’s primary residence an exempt asset in most cases, but owning a home comes with hefty ongoing costs. If an elder has limited...

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Hiding assets by not reporting them to Medicaid is illegal and considered fraud against the state. However, there are a number of legal techniques for...


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Find out how annuities play into Medicaid planning for your elderly parents. It may seem hard to believe that annuities can help the elderly qualify for Medicaid - yes, Medicaid. This is sometimes called the "Half-A-Loaf" approach, and in certain cases, it can be a lifesaver for those who need the help the...

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If an elder's Medicaid long-term health care benefits run out, assisted living facilities and nursing homes are legally allowed to ask elders who can no longer...

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Members of the military and their families are entitled to many different medical and monetary benefits in exchange for their service, but divorce can have...

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Many people, like your elderly aunt, are afraid to deal with wills, powers of attorney, etc. because they think it makes it more likely that something bad will...

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If your mother is no longer able to provide care for your father and he is not competent to sign a durable power of attorney, petition the court to appoint a...

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For seniors who are living with hearing loss, devices like hearing aids can facilitate communication, boost their confidence and desire to socialize, and...


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Medicaid isn’t in the business of “taking” seniors’ homes. But when a nursing home resident on Medicaid dies, the state may seek repayment by filing a...

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The goal of the Medicaid estate recovery program (MERP) is to recoup all the money that Medicaid spent on a senior’s care. Learn how MERP works and...

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Seniors are pitched the benefits of a reverse mortgage as a way to "unlock" the equity in their home. However, what happens when they need a higher...

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Sometimes couples are willing to take the big step of obtaining a divorce in order to protect their assets, so that the ill spouse can qualify for Medicaid...

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The likelihood that a spouse will need nursing home care increases in later years. In some cases, the healthy spouse is legally responsible for paying nursing...

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Annuities allow investors to receive a steady income stream in retirement. It is one strategy to consider when the time comes that a senior parent must...

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Seniors with limited income and assets must often use a spend-down strategy to qualify for Medicaid, but gifting can trigger a penalty period of ineligibility...

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It might not be a good idea for a senior to live on their own as they age. A better solution may be to move in with an adult child who owns their own home...

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This path of inheritance is the normal distribution under many states' "intestacy statute" (the law setting forth the distribution of the property of a decedent...

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Power of attorney forms are widely available online, but these forms aren’t meant to be one-size-fits-all. There are a few key points to consider before...

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