Getting the medical care you need is essential, but it isn’t always easy. For those who don’t have private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid are two government-run programs that are designed to help people to be able to afford most types of medical care throughout their lives. While they have similar names, these two programs are quite different and are available to different—though sometimes overlapping—groups. Read More
The Eye-Opening Truth About Florida Long-Term Care: 8 Stunning Statistics
When we’re young and healthy, long-term care is usually the furthest thing from our minds. We aren’t planning for, or even thinking about, how much it costs to have around the clock care. The fact of the matter is that not only will many of us need long-term care once we are elderly, but debilitating accidents can also happen at any given age, requiring a premature need for care. There are many facets to long-term Read More
Understanding Medicaid’s Protections Against Spousal Impoverishment
Providing for the long-term care of yourself or a loved one can be a difficult reality. Requiring long-term care marks the end of a person’s independence and their ability to adequately care for themselves which can be a harsh reality, no matter what the cause. And of course anything that brings about the need for long-term care, whether it be age, accident, or disease, will have accompanying problems associated with Read More
Medicaid Eligibility: A Brief Overview of the Income Criteria
Obtaining Medicaid benefits is a complex and delicate process. Medicaid is available for individuals who are in need of financial assistance. Many elderly individuals seek Medicaid to make up for a lack of finances in their retirement years, so that they can afford the long-term care they need without spending themselves into poverty. Medicaid eligibility in the state of Florida requires that applicants fulfill Read More
3 Common Crisis Medicaid Planning Mistakes to Avoid
Once you reach a certain age, you begin to need extra help in your everyday life. Oftentimes, it sneaks up on you quite suddenly and unexpectedly. One minute you are fine, and the next minute you are heading to a nursing home. When it comes to preparing for and being able to afford our Long-Term Care needs, Long-Term Medicaid Planning is certainly ideal. However, when you are faced with a Crisis Medicaid Planning Read More
Dealing With Alzheimer’s from a Legal Perspective
The CDC currently estimates that more than 5 million Americans currently have the dreaded Alzheimer’s disease, and that number could double by 2050 due to the aging trends in the US population. Receiving an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is both heartbreaking and terrifying for most families. It is important to take steps to prepare for and effectively deal with the emotional turmoil of losing one’s memory, but it is also Read More
The Dangers of Do-It-Yourself Estate and Medicaid Planning
We are living in the midst of a do-it-yourself (DIY) revolution. There is unprecedented access to instructions and information on how to do things you never thought you would be able to do on your own. Under certain circumstances, like when it comes to finding recipes on the internet or getting tips on garden care from HGTV, this is a positive development. Additionally, as we age many of us become ever more Read More
Estate Planning: Not Just for the Rich and Elderly
There are numerous misconceptions surrounding estate plans. Far too many people believe that they are a tool only for the wealthy and only for the elderly. However, this could not be further from the truth. The fact is, if you own possessions and you have loved ones, an estate plan is incredibly beneficial—no matter your age and amount of wealth. Below we have detailed some of the biggest reasons why an Read More
6 Non Countable Assets for the Medicaid Asset Test
In order to qualify for Medicaid in the State of Florida, applicants must qualify medically and they must undergo a rigorous examination of their finances. They must fulfill specific criteria in the form of two tests known as the Income Test and the Asset Test. We will provide more details on the Income Test in future blogs, but today we are going to provide some important information about the Asset Test In Read More
Medicaid Planning Has No Age Requirement: 4 Ways to Prepare for Your Long-Term Care Needs Right Now
Medicaid is one of the least understood and most often overlooked programs when it comes to long-term care. The program is designed to help those with financial need to qualify for health care coverage, but the reality is that even those who wouldn’t normally consider themselves poor may qualify for this program when they become senior citizens and begin needing long-term care assistance. If you don’t plan for Read More
