From the category archives:

Technical

FAQ: What is estate recovery?

by Jerrold Bartholomew September 1, 2008

Estate recovery is a state program created to recoup the costs of providing care to Medicaid long-term care recipients. Once a Medicaid recipient passes away, the state uses a variety of legal processes to take the remaining assets of that Medicaid recipient to the extent of Medicaid benefits provided. The state’s ability to take assets [...]

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New changes to Medicaid eligibility rules

by Jerrold Bartholomew July 27, 2008

The Michigan Department of Human Services has enacted several changes to the Medicaid eligibility rules recently that impact qualification for long-term care Medicaid.
Perhaps the most important change relates to divested assets (gifts) and the calculation of penalty periods. Generally speaking, the gifting of assets results in a period of ineligibility for Medicaid long-term care. Under [...]

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Choosing the Right Time to Receive Social Security

by Jerrold Bartholomew May 6, 2008

One very important matter for retiring seniors is the decision of when to begin receiving social security benefits. This helpful calculator from AARP can help in the decision-making process. But be forewarned: there is a lot of information on the internet suggesting that you should delay receiving benefits as long possible. And this is not [...]

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Retirement Assets and Medicaid Planning

by Jerrold Bartholomew April 7, 2008

Retirement assets (401ks, IRAs, etc) are considered available assets for purposes of Medicaid qualification in Michigan. In simple terms, that means that those funds have to be spent down until the threshold for asset eligibility is met. In the case of a single person, asset eligibility is generally about $2,000.00, with some additional allowances for [...]

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Estate Planning and Michigan Real Property Taxes

by Jerrold Bartholomew April 4, 2008

Estate Planning often involves transfer of real property. Care must be taken to avoid incurring unnecessary property taxes as an asset protection plan is carried out.
One of the biggest obstacles to overcome is the so-called uncapping of property taxes. In Michigan, property taxes can only increase by a fixed percentage each year, regardless of the [...]

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