Fong Law Group

The Consequences of Not Paying Your Property Taxes

When Geraldine Tyler, age 94, relocated to a senior community, she stopped paying property taxes on her home.

After the property was foreclosed on, the county where Tyler’s home was located sold the property for $40,000 to recover about $15,000 in unpaid property taxes. Tyler received none of the remaining profits from the sale.

In a case now before the U.S. Supreme Court, justices are hearing arguments to decide whether Tyler’s local government violated the U.S. Constitution by keeping more money than it was owed and not returning surplus funds to her.

One of the key issues in this case is whether Minnesota’s Hennepin County violated the Fifth Amendment, which prohibits taking private property for public use without just compensation.

Tyler owed $2,300 in property taxes and approximately $12,700 in interest, penalties, and costs. Hennepin County foreclosed on her home and sold it for $40,000. After repaying itself, it kept the $25,000 remaining and left Ms. Tyler with nothing. Tyler contends this is a violation of the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the case by June.

Why This Case Is Important for Seniors

The Tyler case highlights an all-too-common issue many elderly homeowners experience after transitioning from their home to a nursing home, a senior community, or assisted living facility.

Many seniors do not sell their home because they wish to leave it to their heirs. However, this transition can often lead to seniors losing track of their finances and failing to pay certain obligations such as their property taxes.

The consequences of doing so can be severe. One is the loss of equity in your home. Another is the loss of the opportunity to transfer wealth from one generation to the next and minimize capital gains taxes paid by heirs. For many people, their home is their most valuable asset.

As people age and depend on a fixed income, many fall behind on their taxes. While this may be a stressful issue, it should not be ignored as it can lead to them losing all the equity they have in their homes.

If you or a loved one may be facing this situation, talk about it before it gets out of hand or unmanageable.

What You Should Do

What can you do if you or a loved one have questions about your property tax obligations as the transition to a different stage of life happens?

First, understand that as long as a person is a homeowner, they must pay property taxes. However, in many states, once a homeowner reaches a certain age or their income decreases, they may be entitled to a property tax exemption or discount. The homeowner should apply for this as soon as possible once they become eligible, as in some states, it can reduce the obligation amount significantly.

If your loved one is in a nursing home or elder care facility, speak with them about the issue and see if they are up to date. If you have a power of attorney for an elderly family member or friend, check in with the local tax assessor and verify where things stand.

Finally, if you are behind on property taxes, be proactive about resolving the delinquency. Many local governments have programs to help homeowners repay their debt and keep their property.

In the Tyler case, Tyler, by law, had the right to redeem her property and repay her unpaid taxes, interest, penalties, and fees over three years. Other states have similar programs. However, these generally must be entered into within a specific timeframe. This is why addressing the issue as soon as possible is crucial.

Helping Senior Homeowners

The bottom line is that a homeowner, regardless of their age, needs to pay their property taxes to preserve the ability to transfer generational wealth to their heirs in the form of equity from their home.

Children, trusted friends, or caretakers may need to be proactive in helping senior homeowners assess whether they may have a delinquency to avoid the severe consequences of not paying property taxes imposed by some states.

Consult with your elder law or attorney for further guidance. 

Editor's Note: In late May 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Geraldine Tyler. 

What Is a Health Savings Account? Will Medicare Affect Mine?

A health savings account may help you save money on medical expenses, depending on your insurance type. If you are eligible, you can use your health savings account (HSA) to cover certain medical costs, according to HealthCare.gov.

How Does an HSA Work?

If you have a high deductible health plan, you can contribute to an HSA and use the untaxed money to cover medical costs, decreasing your total medical expenses.

High deductible health plans typically have lower monthly premiums than other insurance plans. However, individuals may pay more for medical services before coverage starts, per HealthCare.gov.

What Do Health Savings Accounts Cover?

You can use an HSA to pay for deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance.

Examples of typical expenses for which you can use a health savings account include:

• Acupuncture
• Ambulance costs
• Doctor visits
• Hearing aids
• Medications
• Psychiatric care and psychological therapy
• Certain long-term care services

However, you generally cannot use money from an HSA for monthly insurance premiums, unless you receive Medicare, health care continuation coverage, or unemployment compensation.

For long-term care insurance, you may be able to pay your premiums through a health savings account.

The Benefits of Health Savings Accounts

The advantage of using a health savings account is that funds are not subject to federal taxes when you contribute or withdraw money to pay for qualified medical expenses. You can also earn tax-free interest.

Should you have money left over in your account at the end of the year, it rolls over. The funds stay active, remaining in your account until you need them. Even if you change jobs or retire, you can keep your HSA.

In some cases, you can use your health savings account to cover your spouse’s and dependents’ medical expenses, even if they are not on your plan.

Health Savings Account Rules

2023 Contribution Amounts

The Internal Revenue Service sets contribution limits on HSA’s.

• For 2023, individuals can contribute up to $3,850, and families can put up to $7,300 into a health savings account, Investopedia reports.
• People who are 55 and older by the end of the tax year can make an additional $1,000 catch-up contribution.

Other Insurance Types

Other insurance plans can disqualify you from contributing funds to an HSA.

• Individuals with dollar-first insurance plans – in which the insurer takes care of its share of an included service before the insured individual pays deductibles or copayments – cannot put funds into a health savings account for their outstanding health care fees.
• Those on Medicare cannot add money to health savings accounts, though they can withdraw capital from their accounts to pay medical expenses that Medicare does not cover. While people using health savings accounts typically cannot use the funds to cover monthly premiums, there is an exception for Medicare beneficiaries.

Penalties

Although health savings accounts have several advantages, they also impose restrictions on how you use your money.

Taking money from your account for nonmedical or unqualified expenses before you reach 65 results in a 20 percent tax penalty. The 20 percent tax penalty for ineligible withdrawals does not apply if you are 65 and older. Still, you must pay income tax.

Opening a Health Savings Account

There are several ways to open an HSA.

• Employers can offer them, with the employer and the employee jointly funding the account.
• Some health insurance companies provide health savings accounts with high deductible health plans.
• Banks and financial institutions offer accounts for individuals.

How Does Medicare Affect Your Health Savings Account?

When you enroll in Medicare, you can no longer contribute pre-tax dollars to your health savings account. To put untaxed money in an HSA, you must have high deductible health insurance without additional disqualifying coverage, such as Medicare. Once you have Medicare, you can no longer add tax-free funds to your account.

After you enroll in Medicare, however, you can still access your health savings account. One of the advantages of health savings accounts is that they are vested. As a Medicare beneficiary, you can continue using untaxed funds to cover the medical expenses your insurance does not bear, such as deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. You cannot, however, use tax-free money to pay for Medicare supplemental insurance.

While the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) prohibits people from using untaxed capital for high deductible health insurance plan premiums, the rule differs for Medicare. When you enroll, you can use your HSA to pay your Medicare premiums without taxes.

Withdrawing Money From Your HSA

People over 65 can withdraw funds from their health savings accounts for nonmedical expenses. Although these withdrawals are no longer tax-free, older adults do not incur the 20 percent tax penalty the IRS imposes on younger people taking funds HSA’s for ineligible expenses.

Since medical costs tend to increase with age, many prefer to keep their money in their health savings accounts to cover eligible medical expenses tax-free.

Delaying Medicare Enrollment

Some people with health savings accounts enroll in Medicare when they initially become eligible, forfeiting the ability to make HSA deposits for Medicare’s coverage. Others delay enrollment in order to continue making health savings account contributions.

• According to the Journal of Accountancy, only individuals with employer-sponsored high deductible health insurance as their primary coverage can continue adding to their health savings accounts past retirement age by delaying Medicare enrollment.
  
  Individuals with private insurance, continuation of health coverage (COBRA), or a health care exchange cannot fund their HSA’s after reaching retirement age.
   
• People who continue to work at small companies after becoming eligible for Medicare must enroll in the program immediately to have any health insurance coverage.
  
  Per MedicareInteractive.org, Medicare must be the primary insurance for those working at companies with fewer than 20 employees. Since the small employer’s health plan does not have to pay until after Medicare contributes, these individuals risk losing health coverage if they delay enrolling in Medicare. Deferment also results in a late penalty.
   
• Those with health insurance from businesses with 20 or more employees can put off Medicare enrollment and continue placing funds into their health savings accounts. Because the company insurance would remain the primary insurer when they join Medicare, they can continue receiving health insurance coverage without Medicare.

Individuals who wish to delay enrolling in Medicare should not accept Social Security payments. This is because Social Security automatically registers beneficiaries for Medicare Part A, rendering them unable to make HSA deposits.

Medicare and the IRS recommend that people who have delayed enrollment after becoming eligible should cease health savings account contributions six months before joining Medicare to avoid a tax penalty. A six-month lookback period applies, as Medicare’s coverage is retroactive.

If you have an HSA, whether you should delay Medicare enrollment depends on your situation. The decision could significantly impact your finances. Speak to your elder law attorney to learn more about your options for your health savings account as you approach retirement age.

What Type Of Debt Cannot Be Discharged Through Bankruptcy?

Bankruptcy is one of the ways to declare your financial hardships. This can help people to get an opportunity to start afresh from scratch as most debts are often discharged when you file bankruptcy. There are two different types of bankruptcy - Chapter 7 bankruptcy and Chapter 13 bankruptcy. While in both the cases, the court can discharge some of the debts, there are certain debts that cannot be discharged. Discharging your debts means you may not have to repay those debts off and the collectors cannot attempt to collect those debts from you.

With a proper bankruptcy case and an efficient lawyer, you can fight for discharging most of your debts. For that, our Fong Law Group attorneys can help you in the best possible way. If you are located in Monterey Park, California or in surrounding areas, then we can be really helpful to you.

Debts that cannot be discharged

While there are two types of bankruptcy that you can file to get rid of the debts and loans, there are certain debts that cannot be discharged. Regardless of whether you have filed for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, there are certain debts that you cannot put behind for moving on in your life, however these debts can be restructured. Some of the types of debt in bankruptcy that are not eligible for discharge are:

• The payment for supporting your child or payment of alimony
• The debts for any personal injury or death caused by the mistake of the debtor
• The payments or debts for intentionally causing harm or injuries to a property or a person
• Some of the types of taxes (unpaid)
• Any penalties or fines that you own to any of the government agencies
• Loans you have taken for studies (student loans)
• Debts for any cooperative or condo housing fees
• Unpaid fees of the attorneys for the support and custody of your child
• A house loan or car loan

 

Can the court revoke the discharges?

When it comes to taxes, the court can discharge some of the unpaid federal and state taxes if they are more than seven years old. At the same time, some of the discharges can also be revoked by the court under some circumstances. If a trustee or a creditor takes the matter to the court with some evidences or proofs to show why the discharge should be revoked, the court can take action and determine whether that should be done. For this, you need to have the best in class bankruptcy attorney or lawyer who can help you in building a stronger case with all the important documents provided to the court.

In such cases, it will not be easy to revoke any discharges. But you will have to take care of all the debts that are not included in the discharged list by the court through your bankruptcy filing. To ensure that you are getting the best support and guidance, you have to choose the best law firm; Fong Law Group in Monterey Park, California is here to help you.

Call Fong Law Group at (626) 289-8299 for a FREE consultation, and talk to an attorney today. We are here to help you get through this difficult time in your life, and help you with a Fresh Start.

You Can ‘Cure’ a Medicaid Penalty Period by Returning a Gift

Anyone who gifted assets within five years of applying for Medicaid may be subject to a penalty period, but that penalty can be reduced or eliminated if the assets are returned. 

In order to be eligible for Medicaid, you cannot have recently transferred assets. Congress does not want you to move into a nursing home on Monday, give all your money to your children (or whomever) on Tuesday, and qualify for Medicaid on Wednesday. So it has imposed a penalty on people who transfer assets without receiving fair value in return.

This penalty is a period of time during which the person transferring the assets will be ineligible for Medicaid. The penalty period is determined by dividing the amount transferred by what Medicaid determines to be the average private pay cost of a nursing home in your state.

However, Congress has created a very important escape hatch from the transfer penalty: the penalty will be "cured" if the transferred asset is returned in its entirety, or it will be reduced if the transferred asset is partially returned (although some states do not permit partial returns and only give credit for the full return of transferred assets). 

Partially curing a transfer can be a “half a loaf” planning strategy for Medicaid applicants who want to preserve some assets.  In this case, a nursing home resident transfers all of his or her funds to the resident’s children (or other family members) and applies for Medicaid, receiving a long ineligibility period. After the Medicaid application has been filed, the recipients return half the transferred funds, thus “curing” half of the ineligibility period and giving the nursing home resident the funds he or she needs to pay for care until the remaining penalty period expires.

The person who returns the money needs to be the same person who received the gift; otherwise, it is not really a return of the original gift. But many people will have spent the gifted assets and no longer have any money to return. If the person who received the transfer no longer has the funds to cure, other family members could give or loan that person the funds to do so. 

Returning the funds will likely mean the Medicaid applicant will have excess resources that will need to be spent down before the applicant will qualify for Medicaid. States vary on how they handle returns. Some states may consider payments made directly to the nursing home on behalf of the Medicaid applicant to be a return of funds; others require that the payments go directly to the applicant. 

Your attorney can help you navigate Medicaid’s complicated rules and application process. 

Better Than No Loaf: Medicaid Planning Using "Half a Loaf" Strategies

While it is preferable to conduct long-term care planning well in advance of needing care, if you haven’t planned ahead, there are some strategies available to avoid spending all your assets. Three so-called "half a loaf" approaches allow a Medicaid applicant to give away some assets while still qualifying for Medicaid. 

In order to be eligible for Medicaid benefits a nursing home resident may have no more than $2,000 in "countable" assets (the figure may be somewhat higher in some states) in addition to the home, and the resident cannot have recently transferred assets. (A spouse living at home may keep more.)

Congress has imposed a penalty on people who transfer assets without receiving fair value in return. This penalty is a period of time during which the person transferring the assets will be ineligible for Medicaid. The penalty period does not begin until the person making the transfer has (1) moved to a nursing home, (2) spent down to the asset limit for Medicaid eligibility, (3) applied for Medicaid coverage, and (4) been approved for coverage but for the transfer. 

If a Medicaid applicant has excess assets, he or she must spend down those assets in order to qualify for Medicaid. However, Medicaid applicants who want to preserve some assets have a few options: 

• Gift and cure. The nursing home resident transfers all of his or her funds to the resident’s children (or other family members) and applies for Medicaid, receiving a long ineligibility period. After the Medicaid application has been filed, the children return half the transferred funds, thus “curing” half of the ineligibility period and giving the nursing home resident the funds he or she needs to pay for care until the remaining penalty period expires.
• Promissory note. The nursing home resident gives half of his or her funds to the resident’s children (or other family members) and lends them the other half under a promissory note that meets certain requirements in the Medicaid law. The resident uses monthly repayments of the loan, along with his or her income, to pay nursing home costs during the penalty period.
• Annuity. The nursing home resident gives half of his or her funds to the resident’s children (or other family members) and uses the remaining assets to buy an immediate annuity. In most states the purchase of an annuity is not considered a transfer that would make the purchaser ineligible for Medicaid. Income from the annuity can be used to help pay for long-term care during the Medicaid penalty period that results from the transfer. In such cases, the annuity is usually short-term, just long enough to cover the penalty period.

These strategies may not work in every state and none of them should be attempted without the help of an attorney whose practice includes Medicaid planning. 

How Much and How Soon Credit Scores Can Rise After Bankruptcy

After bankruptcy, you should be able to concentrate on improving your credit score for the next 12 to 18 months. When they take the correct actions, most people will experience some improvements within a year. You won't be able to get a bankruptcy removed from the credit record unless it was added in error. Bankruptcy has a greater impact on high credit scores as compared to low credit scores.

The higher the FICO score is for filing for bankruptcy, the greater the impact on the credit rating:

 

Credit Score Ranges

• (850-800) Excellent  200 points
• (740-799) Very Good  200 points
• (670-739) Good  200 points
• (580-669)  Fair 130-150 points
• (300-579) Poor

Regardless of your starting credit score before bankruptcy, you will most certainly not drop a significant drop after bankruptcy. Although your bankruptcy filing will be on your credit report, credit bureaus would like to make sure you take steps to repair your bad credit prior to taking on further debt and new credit. This will handle credit scores and bankruptcy.

This sliding scale system would deduct as many points as it takes to demonstrate that you have bad credit. If you also have poor credit, the score might barely improve (less than 579). Even post a bankruptcy filing; credit ratings of less than 500 are uncommon.

What Impact Will Bankruptcy Have on Your Credit Score?

When you file bankruptcy, as well as businesses, see the unfavorable information on the credit report, you might well be concerned about:

• Obtaining a vehicle loan
• Purchasing a home or renting an apartment are both viable options.
• Financing with high-interest rates
• Unsecured credit cards have low credit limits.
• Repayment schedules for student loans
• Late fees are subject to penalties.
• Credit should not be used for anything other than basics.
• Obtaining substantial cash deposits
• Obtaining loans without the assistance of a competent co-signer
• Some credit cards can have authorized users added to them.
• Deposits and refunds of security deposits

Whether you have credit or debt problems, you have solutions for all of these situations. Each issue can be addressed on your own or with professional assistance. It is possible to start over, particularly after filing for bankruptcy.

Post a bankruptcy, how do you rebuild your credit?

You can rebuild your credit with the following aspects:

• Post the bankruptcy stay prevents creditors from taking action against you, you can begin restoring your credit score. Bankruptcy stays on your record for seven to ten years, but the more you try to rebuild your credit each year, the less it will affect you as well as the financing you seek.
• After receiving the final discharge, you should wait 30 days. This implies that most (if not all) of the accounts will have zero balances, and creditors will no longer be able to contact you regarding obligations.
• If you still have credit cards, make a plan to pay off at least 70% of the balance each month. Every 6 months, doesn't open more than a new credit card (and solely when you can make the payments).
• To gradually establish a diverse mix of affordable debts, work towards that car loan or similar major loan.

Conclusion

If you try to restore your credit over 12-18 months, your FICO credit report could go from bad credit (often less than 579) to acceptable credit (580-669). This will take significantly longer to get a very good (740-799), decent (670-739), or exceptional (800-850) credit score.

Call Fong Law Group at (626) 289-8299 for a free consolidation, and talk to an attorney today. We are here to help you get through this difficult time in your life, and help you with a Fresh Start.

Repossessions and Bankruptcy

Repossessions and Bankruptcy

Repossession occurs when a lender takes back property that was used as collateral or leased in a transaction.  If you are behind on a car payment, the lender that financed your vehicle can repossess it at any time. California law does not require any special notice of repossession.  This is a unique area of the law, and one of the more aggressive collection actions in California.

When you purchased your vehicle, you probably signed a purchase contract or credit contract to finance the car.  In these contracts, the buyer agrees that the seller, also known as the “lien holder,” may repossess the property if the buyer falls behind on payments at any time.  Most lenders allow for a small grace period, but some jump at the chance to repossess your vehicle.  These contracts may also include fines and penalties the buyer must pay to cover the costs of the repossession, as well as the depreciated value of the vehicle, and most of the time they also can get awarded court costs associated with the repossession.

Repossession Process

When your lender chooses to repossess the vehicle, they will usually work with a repossession agent.  Most repossession agencies focus on auto repossession.  The agent typically uses a tow truck to repossess the vehicle, although some agencies will notify the owner and try to facilitate an amicable return without any surprises.

Many of our clients have lost their vehicles through the repossession process.  Some of them were only late by a few days. Small lenders and banks are typically very aggressive and will exercise their repossession rights in a timely fashion.

Bankruptcy Can Save Your Vehicle

Once your car is repossessed, your options are extremely limited.  You can try to pay the balance owed at that point (which is probably not an option) or you can file an emergency Chapter 13 bankruptcy.  Unfortunately, time is not on your side once they repossess your car.

You have ONLY 10 DAYS usually after the repossession to file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy and save the vehicle.  After this window expires, the vehicle will be sold at auction.  If the lender fails to recoup the amount owed on the vehicle at auction, you may be responsible for the balance owed.

To maintain possession of your vehicle and avoid repossession, please contact Fong Law Group today for a free consultation at (626) 289-8299.

Can an IRA Affect Medicaid Eligibility?

For many Medicaid applicants, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are one of their biggest assets. If you do not plan properly, IRAs can count as an available asset and affect Medicaid eligibility.

Medicaid applicants can have only a small amount of assets in order to be eligible to receive benefits ($2,000 in most states). Certain assets -- i.e., a house, car, and burial plot -- are exempt from eligibility determinations. Whether your IRA counts as an exempt asset depends on whether it is in "payout status" or not.

At age 72 (or if you turned 70 ½ in 2019 or before), individuals must begin taking required minimum distributions from their IRAs, which means the IRA is in payout status. You may also be able to choose to put your IRA in payout status as young as age 59 ½ if you elect to take regular, periodic distributions based on life expectancy tables. If an IRA is in payout status, depending on your state, it may not count as an available asset for the purposes of Medicaid eligibility, but the payments you receive will count as income. Medicaid recipients are allowed to keep a tiny amount of income for personal use and the rest will go to the nursing home. 

If the IRA is not in payout status, the IRA is a non-exempt asset, which means the total amount in the IRA will probably be counted as an asset, affecting your Medicaid eligibility. In order to qualify for Medicaid, you will need to cash out your IRA and spend down the assets. Alternatively, you could transfer the money to your spouse or someone else, although there will likely be an income tax penalty for doing this. (Roth IRAs have no required minimum distributions and cannot be put in payout status, but they are usually counted as assets.)

The rules for a 401(k) are similar to an IRA. If the 401(k) is not in payout status, Medicaid may count as an asset any funds you are eligible to withdraw from the 401(k)--even if you have to pay a tax penalty to withdraw the funds. 

Note that the rules for a Roth IRA may be different. If you have a Roth IRA, depending on the rules in your state, it may not be exempt at all because Roth IRAs do not require minimum distributions.

The rules regarding IRAs and Medicaid are complicated and vary from state to state. You should talk to your attorney about your IRA to determine the best course of action for you.

Ability to Withdraw Money Early from Retirement Plan Without Penalty Expires at the End of the Year

If you are experiencing financial hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic, you may want to consider withdrawing money from your retirement account while you still can. The special exemption allowing early withdrawals without a penalty ends soon. 

Passed in March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act allows individuals adversely affected by the pandemic to make hardship withdrawals of up to $100,000 from retirement plans this year without paying the 10 percent penalty that individuals under age 59 ½ are usually required to pay. This exemption is only for withdrawals made by December 30, 2020.

If you decide to withdraw money from your retirement account, you will still have to pay income taxes on the withdrawals, although the tax burden can be spread out over three years. If you repay some or all of the funds within three years, you can file amended tax returns to get back the taxes that you paid. 

To qualify for the exemption, you must meet one of the following criteria:

• You or a spouse or dependent have been diagnosed with COVID-19
• You or your spouse have suffered financial hardship due to the pandemic, such as a lost job, a job offer rescinded, reduced pay, business closed, or inability to work due to lack of childcare. 

This step should not be taken lightly. Withdrawing money now means your retirement funds will be reduced and limits the retirement plan’s ability to grow. But for some people, it may be the best option to pay bills and avoid running up high-interest credit card debt. 

For information from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on how the withdrawal exemption works, click here.

Transferring Assets to Qualify for Medicaid

Transferring assets to qualify for Medicaid can make you ineligible for benefits for a period of time. Before making any transfers, you need to be aware of the consequences. 

Congress has established a period of ineligibility for Medicaid for those who transfer assets. The so-called "look-back" period for all transfers is 60 months, which means state Medicaid officials look at transfers made within the 60 months prior to the Medicaid application. 

While the look-back period determines what transfers will be penalized, the length of the penalty depends on the amount transferred. The penalty period is determined by dividing the amount transferred by the average monthly cost of nursing home care in the state. For instance, if the nursing home resident transferred $100,000 in a state where the average monthly cost of care was $5,000, the penalty period would be 20 months ($100,000/$5,000 = 20). The 20-month period will not begin until (1) the transferor has moved to a nursing home, (2) he has spent down to the asset limit for Medicaid eligibility, (3) has applied for Medicaid coverage, and (4) has been approved for coverage but for the transfer. Therefore, if an individual transfers $100,000 on April 1, 2017, moves to a nursing home on April 1, 2018 and spends down to Medicaid eligibility on April 1, 2019, that is when the 20-month penalty period will begin, and it will not end until December 1, 2020.

Transfers should be made carefully, with an understanding of all the consequences. People who make transfers must be careful not to apply for Medicaid before the five-year look-back period elapses without first consulting with an elder law attorney. This is because the penalty could ultimately extend even longer than five years, depending on the size of the transfer.

Be very, very careful before making transfers. Any transfer strategy must take into account the nursing home resident's income and all of his or her expenses, including the cost of the nursing home. Bear in mind that if you give money to your children, it belongs to them and you should not rely on them to hold the money for your benefit. However well-intentioned they may be, your children could lose the funds due to bankruptcy, divorce, or lawsuit. Any of these occurrences would jeopardize the savings you spent a lifetime accumulating. Do not give away your savings unless you are ready for these risks.

In addition, be aware that the fact that your children are holding your funds in their names could jeopardize your grandchildren's eligibility for financial aid in college. Transfers can also have bad tax consequences for your children. This is especially true of assets that have appreciated in value, such as real estate and stocks. If you give these to your children, they will not get the tax advantages they would get if they were to receive them through your estate. The result is that when they sell the property they will have to pay a much higher tax on capital gains than they would have if they had inherited it.

As a rule, never transfer assets for Medicaid planning unless you keep enough funds in your name to (1) pay for any care needs you may have during the resulting period of ineligibility for Medicaid and (2) feel comfortable and have sufficient resources to maintain your present lifestyle.

Remember: You do not have to save your estate for your children. The bumper sticker that reads "I'm spending my children's inheritance" is a perfectly appropriate approach to estate and Medicaid planning.

Even though a nursing home resident may receive Medicaid while owning a home, if the resident is married he or she should transfer the home to the community spouse (assuming the nursing home resident is both willing and competent). This gives the community spouse control over the asset and allows the spouse to sell it after the nursing home spouse becomes eligible for Medicaid. In addition, the community spouse should change his or her will to bypass the nursing home spouse. Otherwise, at the community spouse's death, the home and other assets of the community spouse will go to the nursing home spouse and have to be spent down.

Permitted transfers

While most transfers are penalized with a period of Medicaid ineligibility of up to five years, certain transfers are exempt from this penalty. Even after entering a nursing home, you may transfer any asset to the following individuals without having to wait out a period of Medicaid ineligibility:

• Your spouse (but this may not help you become eligible since the same limit on both spouse's assets will apply)
• A trust for the sole benefit of your child who is blind or permanently disabled.
• Into trust for the sole benefit of anyone under age 65 and permanently disabled.

In addition, you may transfer your home to the following individuals (as well as to those listed above):

• A child who is under age 21
• A child who is blind or disabled (the house does not have to be in a trust)
• A sibling who has lived in the home during the year preceding the applicant's institutionalization and who already holds an equity interest in the home

A "caretaker child," who is defined as a child of the applicant who lived in the house for at least two years prior to the applicant's institutionalization and who during that period provided care that allowed the applicant to avoid a nursing home stay.