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States with Most Affordable Long-Term Care?

Seven in 10 people 65 and older will require some type of long-term care during their lifetime. This expense will vary based on the patient’s required level of care, care setting and geographic location, says Think Advisor’s recent article entitled “15 Cheapest States for Long-Term Care: 2020.”

A recent study by Genworth found that the cost for facility and in-home care services increased on average from 1.9% to 3.8% per year from 2004 to 2020. That amounts to $797 annually for home care and as much as $2,542 annually for a private room in a nursing home.

At the current rate, some care costs are more than the 1.8% U.S. inflation rate, Genworth said.

These findings were taken from 14,326 surveys completed this summer by long-term care providers at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult day health facilities and home care providers. The survey encompassed 435 regions based on the 384 U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas, as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

In a follow-up study, Genworth also found that these factors are contributing to rate increases for long-term care:

  • Labor shortages
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE) costs
  • Regulatory changes, such as updated CDC guidelines
  • Employee recruitment and retention issues
  • Wages demands; and
  • Supply and demand.

Here are the 15 cheapest states for long-term care, according to Genworth with their average annual cost:

15. Utah: $59,704

14. Kansas: $57,766

13. Iowa: $57,735

12. Kentucky: $57,540

11. South Carolina: $57,413

10. Tennessee: $56,664

9. North Carolina: $56,512

8. Georgia: $53,708

7. Mississippi: $52,461

6. Arkansas: $50,835

5. Oklahoma: $50,641

4. Texas: $48,987

3. Missouri: $48,753

2. Alabama: $48,240

1. Louisiana: $44,811

Reference: Think Advisor (Dec. 14, 2020) “15 Cheapest States for Long-Term Care: 2020”

What Did the Supreme Court Say about Medicaid Work Requirements?

The Trump administration had asked the Supreme Court in July to reinstate its historic approvals of state work requirements waivers. It contends that these rules may assist certain beneficiaries in transitioning to private policies and may result in improved health and to help states conserve financial resources to provide coverage to others in need.

MSN’s article entitled “Supreme Court agrees to consider Medicaid work requirements” reports that lower courts have struck down the Department of Health and Human Services’ approvals, holding that Medicaid’s primary purpose is to provide health care coverage.

The National Health Law Program, one of the consumer advocacy groups that brought the original lawsuits, said it thinks it will win at the Supreme Court.

“HHS’s action was properly vacated because Secretary [Alex] Azar failed to account for the significant loss in health coverage that these approvals would produce,” said Jane Perkins, legal director at the National Health Law Program. “Tens of thousands of people would lose their Medicaid coverage and become uninsured.”

The Supreme Court’s decision to take up the cases follows a panel of federal appellate judges that struck down the Trump administration’s approval of work requirements in Arkansas in February. The unanimous decision, written by Judge David Sentelle, a Reagan appointee, affirmed a district court ruling that found the administration had failed to analyze whether these programs would “promote the primary objective of Medicaid — to furnish medical assistance.”

New Hampshire stopped its roll-out of work requirements last year after the same district judge, James Boasberg in DC, set aside the administration’s approval in that state.

In an unprecedented step two years ago, the Trump administration started granting state requests to mandate that certain Medicaid beneficiaries work to receive benefits. Republicans have long wanted to have that requirement with Medicaid, which insures more than 75 million low-income Americans.

There were 12 states that received waivers, although four were set aside in court, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Another seven state requests are awaiting federal approval. Work requirements are not in effect anywhere, after states stopped their efforts because of the legal rulings and the pandemic.

In Arkansas, more than 18,000 people lost coverage in 2018, before the court intervened. Judge Boasberg had also canceled Kentucky’s approval. That move blocked work requirements from being implemented in the state. However, Kentucky withdrew its waiver request after a Democratic governor won election in 2019 and dismissed its appeal.

The judge blocked work requirements in Michigan earlier this year.

Reference: MSN (Dec. 5, 2020) “Supreme Court agrees to consider Medicaid work requirements”

transfer a house

Is Transferring House to Children a Good Idea?

Transferring your house to your children while you’re alive may avoid probate. However, gifting a home also can mean a rather large and unnecessary tax bill. It also may place your house at risk, if your children get sued or file for bankruptcy.

You also could be making a mistake, if you hope it will help keep the house from being consumed by nursing home bills.

There are better ways to transfer a house to your children, as well as a little-known potential fix that may help even if the giver has since died, says Considerable’s recent article entitled “Should you transfer your house to your adult kids?”

If a parent signs a quitclaim to give her son the house and then dies, it can potentially mean a tax bill of thousands of dollars for the son.

Families who see this error in time can undo the damage, by gifting the house back to the parent.

People will also transfer a home to try to qualify for Medicaid, but any gifts or transfers made within five years of applying for Medicaid can result in a penalty period when seniors are disqualified from receiving benefits.

In addition, transferring your home to another person can expose you to their financial problems because their creditors could file liens on your home and, depending on state law, take some or most of its value. If the child divorces, the house could become an asset that must be divided as part of the marital estate.

Section 2036 of the Internal Revenue Code says that if the parent were to retain a “life interest” in the property, which includes the right to continue living there, the home would remain in her estate rather than be considered a completed gift. However, there are rules for what constitutes a life interest, including the power to determine what happens to the property and liability for its bills.

There are other ways to avoid probate. Many states and DC permit “transfer on death” deeds that let homeowners transfer their homes at death without probate.

Another option is a living trust, which can ensure that all assets avoid probate.

Many states also have simplified probate procedures for smaller estates.

Reference: Considerable (Sep. 18) “Should you transfer your house to your adult kids?”

save money for retirement

What’s the Key to Saving Money in Retirement?

Of the many expenses for retirees, healthcare can be one of the biggest. There are Medicare premiums and prescription drugs. These healthcare expenses can take up a large part of your retirement savings. Some projections say that the average 65-year-old man today will spend $189,687 on healthcare expenses in retirement, and a typical 65-year-old woman will spend $214,565. These figures don’t include long-term care, such as nursing home expenses.

Motley Fool’s recent entitled “How to Save Money on Healthcare in Retirement” explains that there are steps you can take to decrease your healthcare costs in retirement. Let’s look at a few ways to save money, when you’re limited to a fixed income.

  1. Use Medicare’s free preventive services. Medicare eligibility starts at age 65. Once enrolled, you have access to many no-cost benefits aimed at helping you stay healthy. However, many seniors don’t take advantage of these services and lose an opportunity to get ahead of health issues. Medicare enrollees get a free wellness visit with a doctor every year, and scheduling that could help avoid a separate bill later. Many critical health screenings are also free under Medicare, including mammograms and certain cancer screenings, diabetes testing and depression screenings. Taking advantage of these free services is a great way to keep your health in the best possible shape, which will lower your overall healthcare costs.
  2. Nip health issues in the bud. Small health issues can become big ones, if left unattended. An easy way to save money on healthcare in retirement, is to address medical issues before they get worse.
  3. Look at a Medicare Advantage Plan. One reason why healthcare is so expensive in retirement, is that many essential services aren’t covered under traditional Medicare, like dental care, vision services and hearing aids. If you opt for a Medicare Advantage plan, however, you might save money on these and other critical services. Medicare Advantage typically provides a wider range of benefits, and in some cases, you could wind up paying less for Medicare Advantage than traditional Medicare—with that improved coverage. Medicare Advantage can also save you money, by decreasing your out-of-pocket spending. Most of these plans put a cap on that figure, but traditional Medicare has no limits on your yearly costs.
  4. Compare the Best Prescription Drug Plan. If you take prescription drugs, you need to find a cost-effective plan. If you’re enrolled in traditional Medicare, you’ll need a separate Part D plan to cover your drug costs. However, not all plans are the same. Do some comparison shopping to see which plans offer the best deals, based on the medications you’re taking.
  5. Purchase Long-Term Care Insurance. At least 70% of seniors age 65 and over will require some type of long-term care in their lifetime. That’s why long-term care insurance is needed. The younger you are when you apply, the more likely you’re going to get approved and get the best rates.

Saving money on healthcare in retirement will let your nest egg last longer and buy you more freedom to enjoy your golden years. Learn about healthcare costs, so you’re ready to lower your expenses and avoid the financial stress that so many of today’s seniors face.

Reference: Motley Fool (May 19, 2020) “How to Save Money on Healthcare in Retirement”

 

keep assets

How Do I Keep My Assets from the Nursing Home?

If you don’t have a plan for your assets when it comes time for nursing home care, they can be at risk. Begin planning now for the expenses of senior living. The first step is to consider the role of Medicaid in paying for nursing home services.

WRCB’s recent article entitled “How to Protect Your Assets from Nursing Homes” describes the way in which Medicaid helps pay for nursing homes and what you can do to shield your assets.

One issue is confusing nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities. Medicare does cover a stay in a skilled nursing facility for convalescence. However, it doesn’t pay for full-time residence in a nursing home. For people who can’t afford to pay and don’t have long-term care insurance, they can apply for Medicaid. That’s a government program that can pay nursing home costs for those with a low income. People who don’t have the savings to pay for nursing home care and then require that level of care, may be able to use Medicaid.

For those who don’t qualify for Medicaid when they need nursing home care, they may become eligible when their savings are depleted. With less money in the bank and minimal income, Medicaid can pay for nursing home care. It is also important to remember that when a Medicaid recipient dies, the government may recoup the benefits provided for nursing home care from the estate. Family members may discover that this will impact their inheritance. To avoid this, look at these ways to protect assets from nursing home expenses.

Give Away Assets. Giving loved ones your assets as gifts can help keep them from being taken by the government when you die. However, there may be tax consequences and could render you Medicaid ineligible.

Create an Irrevocable Trust. When assets are placed in an irrevocable trust, they can no longer belong to you because you name an independent trustee. The only exception is that Medicaid can take assets that were yours five years before you died. Therefore, you need to do this as soon as you know you’re going into a nursing home.

Contact an experienced estate planning, elder law, or Medicaid planning attorney to help you protect your assets. The more you delay, the less likely you’ll be able to protect them.

Reference: WRCB (Dayton) (Sep. 4, 2020) “How to Protect Your Assets from Nursing Homes”

medicare

Will Medicare Cover Everything?

Actually, far from covering all your healthcare needs, Medicare may leave you with thousands of dollars in expenses for which you’ll be responsible.

The recent article in The Mooresville Tribune entitled “3 Reasons Medicare Coverage Isn’t as Comprehensive as You Think” provides three reasons why:

  1. Medicare has expensive deductibles and coinsurance. There are different parts to Medicare. Part A covers hospital care. Part B pays for outpatient care. Each one has deductibles and some coinsurance expenses. Let’s look at these examples:
  • Medicare Part A has a $1,408 deductible per benefit period this year. If you are in the hospital more than 60 days during a benefit period, you’ll owe coinsurance costs starting at $352 per day, based on how long you remain in care.
  • Part B has a $198 deductible in 2020, and you’ll pay coinsurance costs of 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for medical services after you meet the deductible. You’ll also owe monthly premiums.
  • Part C (Medicare Advantage) takes the place of traditional Medicare (Parts A and B) with private insurance. Coinsurance, copay and premium costs vary by plan.
  • Part D (prescription drug coverage) has several plans with varying premiums and coverage rules.

As a result, with only Parts A and B, you could wind up paying thousands of dollars out of pocket. That’s especially true, if you’re hospitalized for a long time during the year or if you need extensive outpatient care.

  1. Coverage exclusions. In addition, there are some items of care that Medicare doesn’t cover at all. For example, Medicare doesn’t cover routine dental care, eye exams, contacts, hearing aids or glasses.
  2. Medicare doesn’t cover long-term care in most circumstances. A major Medicare exclusion is long-term care insurance. Medicare covers care in a skilled nursing facility under a few circumstances, such as after a long hospital stay when you need assistance from a medical professional to recover. However, the program doesn’t pay for “custodial care,” either at home or in a nursing home. Thus, if you require someone to help you with routine aspects of daily living, like getting dressed, eating, or using the bathroom, you’ll have out-of-pocket costs.

It’s important to know that long-term care can be very costly. The median monthly costs of home health aides are roughly $4,300, and a semi-private room in a nursing home costs about $7,500 in 2019, according to Genworth. Since Medicare won’t pay for any of this in most circumstances, you’ll need another way to pay for it.

Don’t assume that Medicare will cover all your needs as a retiree. So, prior to retirement, examine what Medicare will actually cover. That will help you determine the amount you’ll need to save for healthcare costs. You can also consider Medigap or Medicare Advantage Plans or look into long-term care insurance.

Reference: Mooresville Tribune (Aug. 10, 2020) “3 Reasons Medicare Coverage Isn’t as Comprehensive as You Think”

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