How does one protect their assets from nursing homes?

It sounds like you need to read up on the basic rules on how to pay for the nursing home, what are exempt assets and what are not, what the state can take after the nursing home resident on Medicaid passes away, and what are the planning options available to you. That is exactly what my book is about, and I encourage you to get a copy for yourself. It is called "How to Protect Your Family's Assets from Devastating Nursing Home Costs: Medicaid Secrets".

There is also good, free advice on this website, including a number of articles I have written. I encourage you to begin your reading!

As for whether you should use your own money to pay for the nursing home or avail yourself of Medicaid, that is a personal decision. As for me, I never want to pay voluntarily more tax than is legally required, so you probably do not want to pay more to the nursing home than legally required, either, but that is up to you.

Don't you pay today for your own house & healthcare? Why on earth wouldn't you continue to do that when you need nursing home care? As I tax payer - before I foot the bill for you - you need to pay what you can with the assets you have. if you don't like it - don't go into the nursing home.

glorygirl51 - Oh dear, I do hope there is no way to protect your Annuity. Didn't you save the money in that Annuity for your retirement and a rainy day? Well, when you go into a nursing home it means you're totally retired and it's pouring outside. Time to use that money...cause you're simply not entitled to use my tax money to pay for your nursing home so you can save your Annuity. Sorry if you thought otherwise.

I'm not sure what you mean by "take everything that you own". When you need care, you have to pay for it, and if you have assets, those assets are used to pay for your care. Once your assets are used up, then you can apply for Medicaid which is a program for the destitute that pays for long term care. Were you thinking nursing home care should be free?

Angel

as much as I hated to see my mothers savings go to the nursing home, I have to admit that they are taking much better care of her than we could have done.I always said that her money was there to provide for her if she needed care that the family could not deliver. The NH staff is wonderful to her; she has not been in a hospital in over 2 years because they are on top of what is happening to her and when her condition concerns them they call the doctor and get it taken care of. They cater to her food preferences; she is 97 (today) and they planned a little birthday celebration for her. They treat her with dignity and respect--even when she is forgetful or confused. She is confined to her wheelchair or bed and has no bedsores - her skin is perfect. They call me (her healthcare proxy) every time her meds are changed or a doctor or therapist has been in to see her. We were concerned about her blood pressure (it was up and down) and they called me with the readings daily until her medication kicked in and it normalized. They call me with her biweekly weight and we discuss supplements to her diet. I know not all nursing homes are good but this one really cares. She went on Medicaid in April and they normally move the patient to a semi private room. I met with the administrator about this and he told me that due to her age and her declining health he would keep her in a private room as the move would most likely be upsetting to her. I only wish every person in a nursing home could have this type of care.

One small correction to AmyGrace's post...when your assets run out MEDICAID takes over, not Medicare. Medicare does not pay for Long Term Care.

There is so much misinformation and; my experience is that people tell you a story that will make you sympathetic to their situation; not necessarily facts. Neither nursing homes or the government 'take' anything from you. If tax money paid for your nursing home/home care once you pass away the state has right of recovery. The estate sells the assets off and, repay the state for funds paid on your behalf. The state gets their money back before heirs get anything. It has the same net effect as if you sold the assets while they were alive and used the money for their care.

I must say I'm very taken with the idea of putting murderers and rapists in the old-fashioned type of nursing home. Crime rates would plummet!

Churchmouse, and perhaps the nursing home residents should go to a facility like Club Fed, with more amenities than most nursing homes have.

I care for my mother and I purchased a home under my name where she could live comfortably. I unknowingly one day was over to visit when I found a man sitting with my mother at the dining room. I stood there listening, "and you have had this house in the family for how long?" He asked. What he did not know is that I had purchased the house and it was in my name and he had mom answering questions and my mother already showed signs of dementia and Alzeimer's. I interrupted and told him that the house had never belonged to my mother and I, her daughter, had purchased it. He had already asked her numerous questions and he closed his tablet after I told him it had not been in the family. This worried me. I found out the same thing, that if a person has property under his/her name, the property is taken away after the person passes away, only if, the person has not transferred it or sold it within five years of being placed in a nursing home. I had no idea that this even happened. When I saw the man asking my mother, a person who could barely remember my name, questions about property ownership, that bothered me, but I understand too that they have to get paid somehow.