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Corrine, If her bank accounts are all POD or TOD aka “pay/transfer on death”, then they move from her SS# to your SSA# bank account for ownership after mom passes. Ideally you would have a bank account where she does and have your account tagged for this to happen, so it’s simple keystrokes for a bank officer to do. Being POD means it moves outside of probate, so outside of any recovery attempts. Community or more local banks are better about this than big national banks. Bank of America seems to kinda awful on stuff like this, so YMMV.

Also - again! - if you get a EOY type of form from NYS Medicaid asking how her up to 31K in exempt assets & her monthly personal needs allowance were spent, can you do a fresh post as to that. Appreciate it!
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Thank you so much for your help. I'm trying so hard to navigate the system myself. 🙏😊👍
It's so hard.

Correne
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Yes if you are her POA and have access to or are a signature on her bank account. So Fortunate for her ! And you as her POA as well. So you in NY or CA?

whichever it is, if she is on LTC Medicaid, the $ allowed as exempt assets and the $ they get to keep as their Personal Needs Allowance each month, is “restricted spending” under Medicaid rules. For most States it is a mere 2K so being in a State that allows for bigger exempt assets is pretty wonderful. Now the $ is obstensibly to only be used for her care and her needs. If she retained her home, it is not supposed to be used to pay any house costs as she lives in the NH; not supposed to be gifted to others, as gifting is a transfer of assets which is not allowed under LTC Medicaid. I don’t know if CA or NY require an accounting on this. It may be an annual statement that is filed attesting that $ was spent properly and within guidelines. If you find there are forms or a questionnaire would you mind? doing a post on it…. We do learn from each other.

So the $ can be used for more regular replacement of clothing & shoes; weekly beauty shoppe visits; better toiletries and cosmetics if she likes all that; in room cable & perhaps land line phone as neither of those are usually covered by the NH as a standard cost. If she could use a better wheelchair or walker than that provided by Medciaid, she can buy these or any other DME (durable medical equipment). If she could benefit from a review of her legal & perhaps new legal done, that too is ok. If her State does no dental coverage under LTC, then spending on dental work can be done. New eyeglasses and multiple pairs (I think Medicaid is only 1 pr every 2 years).

Entertainment stuff: an iPad & gaming or streaming services if she would actually do this. (Fwiw Apple will engrave an iPad with her name and the front part of the me.com email address). Books on tape. Large print magazine subscriptions. Reading lamp or two for her space in her shared room. If where she is has better laundry system, you could buy 2 sets of twin comforters and blankets for her to have. Fwiw for my mom, her side of the room had a huge window, I on my own did fresh drapes that matched comforter, etc and her roomie got a set too, it looked more “dorm” like; the NH was like on your dime it’s your design.

If she does not already have a funeral and burial preneed done and fully paid for, that would be something I’d do as a first spend cause it will be a chunk of that 25K.

and last, if she has not placed her bank account to be POD or TOD to you, please pls try to get that done. If this has not happened, if she is at all competent & cognitive in appearance take her to the bank to do this. Banks are somewhat loathe to allow this done on-line. Being POD will allow the $ left upon her death to pass to you outside of probate so outside of any Medicaid Estate Recovery issues. There will be after death costs, that this $ will come in handy for….. like funeral floral costs as they are not usually included in a preneed. Costs for copies of death certificates. If probate opened, $ to pay atty retainer.

Enjoy shopping!
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Corrine46 Jan 25, 2025
Thank you. My mother, who resides in New York and is 94 years old, is experiencing dementia and has declining health. My sister and I hold power of attorney. Should she pass away, what will happen to her savings? Will the nursing facility retain them?

Mom owns nothing all bills paid up. But she does need some personal items.

Thank you so much for helping me.
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Daughterof1930 has this. She's absolutely correct.
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Corrine46 Jan 25, 2025
Thank you so much.
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You can buy mom anything you choose with your money. With her money, if you’re her POA for finances, you can use her money for her needs. Keep records of how you use her money
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