Clearwater Medicaid Planning Lawyer
With astute legal counsel, you can preserve all or most family assets and still receive Medicaid assistance for nursing home care. However, there are many myths and pitfalls that can result in disqualification or needlessly "giving away the farm" if you try to do this on your own.
Susan M. Charles is an experienced Medicaid planning attorney in Largo, Florida. She has advised thousands of people in Pinellas County and the Greater Tampa Bay area on the legal issues related to aging, incapacity, and death. Arrange a free consultation today.
AV Preeminent* rated, Master of Laws in Elder Law, member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), member of the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys (AFELA)
Medicaid Planning
The Charles Law Offices is available for both advance planning and crisis intervention relating to Medicaid eligibility for long-term care:
- We advise couples or individuals of any age on annual gifting, Trusts, and other strategies in anticipation of nursing home care. Because of the government's five-year "look back" on transfers of wealth, the earlier you address this issue, the better.
- We represent elders or their caregivers, helping spouses or adult children fix Medicaid messes so that a person who is about to enter a nursing home (or already has) can qualify for or regain Medicaid eligibility. Through bad advice from others, many people have retitled assets, sold their homes or made other mistakes that delay or negate Medicaid coverage.
Asset Protection
We will sit down and look at the size of your estate, how assets are titled, and how to most fully protect those assets. If income from pensions and/or other sources is too high to qualify for Medicaid, a qualified income Trust is a useful Medicaid planning tool. Likewise, pooled Trusts provide protection for your money while you receive Medicaid assistance. You can also spend down excess assets on personal service contracts, home improvements, and other Medicaid-exempt categories. It is critical that these strategies be executed by a qualified attorney to avoid compromising eligibility. If assets have already been given away, The Charles Law Offices may be able to limit the penalties or reduce the period of disqualification.
If your elderly parent no longer has the capacity to manage his or her own affairs and has been disqualified for Medicaid, it may be necessary to have your parent declared incapacitated by a court through guardianship proceedings before we can take legal measures on his or her behalf.
Susan M. Charles holds an LL.M. (Master of Laws, an advanced law degree) in Elder Law, and she is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. She coordinates Medicaid planning with comprehensive estate planning — Wills and Trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, and Living Wills.
Contact a Tampa Elder Law attorney at our Largo office at 866.607.6531 or e-mail The Charles Law Offices to arrange a free initial consultation.
*AV Preeminent and BV Distinguished are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell ratings fall into two categories: legal ability and general ethical standards.
