One of the biggest questions attorneys have when starting to work with us is “what information is needed to begin a Medicaid Compliant Annuity (MCA) case?” Some attorneys aren’t sure where to start, so we’ve broken down the most common information we need to help your client secure an MCA. What Are the Basics? … Continued
When it comes to crisis Medicaid planning, we all know that time is of the essence. If you think your client could be a good fit for a Medicaid Compliant Annuity (MCA), we understand you want to hit the ground running. But, if you haven’t worked with us before, it can be daunting to … Continued
Did you know there’s more than one way to structure a Medicaid Compliant Annuity (MCA)? The most beneficial MCA plan is one that’s tailored to your client’s specific needs and circumstances. Keep reading to learn our top five MCA strategies you need to keep in mind. 1. Traditional Community Spouse Plan This is the … Continued
If you’re new to crisis Medicaid planning or simply new to using a Medicaid Compliant Annuity (MCA), it can be tough to recognize when a client is the right fit for an MCA. In some cases, the client is not yet in a facility. In others, they are utilizing LTCI benefits to pay for … Continued
A special needs trust (SNT) can be a helpful tool for individuals seeking to find a way to support the future expenses of a disabled family member without jeopardizing their eligibility for government benefits. This type of trust allows the family member(s) to plan in advance for their loved one’s special care needs while … Continued
A recent case before the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare resulted in a favorable decision for the elder law community. The issue at hand was whether the brokerage fee that was paid by the Medicaid applicant to purchase a Medicaid Compliant Annuity (MCA) could be considered an asset transfer for less than fair … Continued
For many lawyers, elder law is a practice area that isn’t often learned about until they happen to stumble upon it either by accident or out of necessity. This was the case for Attorney Samantha Shepherd, the founder of Shepherd Elder Law, who first discovered elder law during her time at UMKC pursuing her … Continued
In January of 2015, the VA released their proposed rule change. Over three years later, in September 2018, the VA officially published their new rule which made a number of changes to the original proposed rule. The main goal of the original rule was to create new requirements for net worth, asset transfers for … Continued
With the number of comments and changes made in the published VA regulations, we are breaking down a few more of those changes. In this post, we will specifically be covering changes and specifics in regards to residential lot size, income exclusions and what constitutes a medical expense. Residential Lot Size The residential lot … Continued
The VA has made changes to their non-service connected pension benefit eligibility rules, which will take effect October 18, 2018. The focus for this post will be changes made to net worth limit, transfers to annuities in an effort to spend down and divestment penalty rules as it pertains to annuity planning going forward. … Continued