Many individuals are forced to consider applying for Medicaid for a host of reasons, all mainly to help alleviate the cost of medical care. Medicaid is a joint federal and state public health insurance program for people with low income. The program covers 1 in 5 Americans, many with intricate and expensive needs for medical care. Medicaid is the principal source of long-term care coverage for many Americans. The majority of Medicaid enrollees lack access to other affordable health insurance. Medicaid covers a broad array of health services and helps limit out-of-pocket costs.

There are many factors to consider when applying for Medicaid, and this is widely due to the eligibility requirements that Medicaid has. If an individual has too many assets, they won’t be able to qualify for Medicaid. However, there are many legal ways to move your assets, which can allow you or a loved one to be eligible for Medicaid.

1) What qualifications do you need to have to become eligible for Medicaid? 

To be eligible for New York Medicaid, you have to be a resident of New York State, a U.S. national, citizen, permanent resident, or legal alien, in need of health care/insurance assistance, whose financial situation would be characterized as low income or very low income. You must also be one of the following:

• Pregnant, or
• Be responsible for a child 18 years of age or younger, or
• Blind, or
• Have a disability or a family member in your household with a disability, or
• Be 65 years of age or older.

But the primary concern regarding Medicaid qualifications for many Americans is what is considered low income.  

2) How does Medicaid know what assets you have?

When you are determining if you are eligible for Medicaid, the Department of Social Services (“DSS”) will evaluate the Medicaid applicant or recipient’s income and assets that actually or will potentially exist. However, only such income and/or assets that are actually found to be readily available to the applicant may be considered in determining eligibility for Medicaid. In 2021, an individual can have no more than $17,131 in income to be eligible for Medicaid. 

Can I Give My Assets Away As A “Gift” To Qualify for Medicaid?

In general, while determining the Medicaid eligibility, any gifting of assets made by the applicant within the look-back period will render the person ineligible for Medicaid for a period of time. Currently, the look-back period is five (5) years prior to the date of application.

Everyday common gifts can be considered by this vague word, “gift.” For example, paying for your grandchildren’s college education or contributing to your local church can all be considered gifts for purposes of determining Medicaid. A common myth is that you are allowed to gift $17,131 each year without incurring a penalty for Medicaid eligibility purposes. But as the word myth suggests, this is incorrect. In 2021, the annual gift tax exclusion for federal gift tax purposes is $15,000. That means that you can open the phone book and give everyone in the phone book $15,000 this year without filing a gift tax return. However, federal tax law has nothing to do with Medicaid eligibility rules. If you are gifting $15,000 each year, those gifts will still be evaluated for Medicaid eligibility purposes.

When is a gift not a gift (or in Medicaid terms a “transfer”) for Medicaid eligibility purposes? New York State law states that a person will not be ineligible for Medicaid if they transferred assets unless it was transferred exclusively for a purpose other than Medicaid eligibility. Ok, that seems easy enough. For example, you obviously didn’t pay for your grandchildren’s college education because you were specifically trying to qualify for Medicaid. However, as a matter of policy, DSS has historically been reluctant to accept this argument from applicants who have made significant gifts of assets like paying thousands of dollars for college. The result is that many individuals are denied Medicaid eligibility despite making regular (and necessary) gifts during the look-back period. However, there have been instances where applicants successfully argued that gifts made during the lookback period were for purposes other than to qualify for Medicaid and therefore, eligible for Medicaid. While determining the applicant’s intention, the DSS will consider things such as the applicant’s physical and mental condition at the time of the gift, the applicant’s use of the gifted funds, and the applicant’s financial security. The DSS may also evaluate whether the applicant gifted their own funds or if they received the funds through inheritance or windfall. To add, the DSS may check to make sure how much time passed between the gifting and the applicant’s institutionalization and whether this applicant lived alone when they made the gifts. Finally, the DSS may review whether the applicant had considered institutionalized care when the gifts were made.

3) Do assets disqualify you from having Medicaid?

No, not necessarily. Having assets won’t automatically disqualify you from having Medicaid. For example, in New York, a single applicant who is blind, disabled, or 65 and older is allowed to retain $15,900 in liquid assets. And for married couples, asset limits vary by the state, the Medicaid program, and if one or both spouses are applying for Medicaid.

However, just because a senior’s assets exceed the general limits listed above it does not mean they are automatically ineligible for Medicaid. States implement different rules and resource limits, and an elder can create a personalized asset spend-down plan to meet their state’s eligibility criteria. States also have varying laws regarding trusts and how they are counted, or not counted, when determining Medicaid eligibility. 

There are also many other guidelines for calculating income and figuring out one’s medical need for care and assistance. Also, different financial rules apply to married couples. It is recommended to familiarize yourself with these eligibility requirements early on in case you ever need to help an aging loved one apply for Medicaid (or file an application yourself).

4) How can an Elder Law Attorney help?

Given the economic environment, it is common for lawyers to encounter situations where applicants gift their children or grandchildren during the look-back period which makes the Medicaid application process more complicated. And in most cases, handling the application process without any professional assistance can result in a determination of ineligibility and even a costly Medicaid penalty period. The assistance of competent counsel practicing in the area of elder law is imperative. It is important to work with an experienced elder law attorney with Medicaid planning experience. 

For further Medicaid planning, please contact the Law Office of Inna Fershteyn at (718) 333-2395 to receive the most highly qualified legal advice.

Today we are going to learn about what a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust is and how it works. We also going to discuss when it should be used, it’s benefits and how an elder law attorney can help you through the process.

What is a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust?

A Medicaid Asset Protection Trust, sometimes called Pooled Income Trust, is a tool to protect your assets and allow people to qualify for Medicaid long-term care.

When should a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust be used?

To protect your assets, the trust has to be created 2.5 years before home care Medicaid is needed or 5 years before nursing home care is needed. This is because Medicaid inputs a “look-back” period when someone applies for Medicaid. The reason a certain period of time has to pass before your assets are protected is that the transfer of assets into a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust is considered a “gift.” Medicaid also enforces strict income and asset guidelines. In order to qualify for Medicaid, you cannot have more than $2,000 of liquid assets. Liquid assets are assets that can be easily converted to cash in a short amount of time. Examples include cash, checking accounts, and saving accounts. Once you meet the guidelines, Medicaid looks into what happened to your assets which is why you need to prepare years beforehand. The applicant still has to report the existence of the Medicaid Asset Protection Trust – it is not hidden from the government in any way.

How Does a Medicaid Trust Work?

A Medicaid Asset Protection Trust is an irrevocable trust which means once it has been made, it cannot be changed or terminated without the permission of the grantor’s beneficiary. Assets placed in the trust are considered gifts to the beneficiaries, which protects the assets from Medicaid. In New York, an irrevocable trust can be revoked as long as the beneficiaries and the grantor consent to it. But, beware that once a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust is revoked, the assets are no longer protected by this trust. 

The Grantor of a Medicaid Trust has to name someone other than themselves or their spouse as the Trustee. This means that the Grantor is giving up control. However, the Grantor still has the power to remove and change any trustee as well as the power to change the beneficiaries of the Trust. If the Grantor owns a home, they can maintain the right to live in that home rent-free for their entire life, and their spouse can do so too. This “life estate” lets the grantor continue to obtain any property tax exemptions.

The Grantor is not entitled to the principal of any assets placed in an Irrevocable Trust which means that they are not entitled to any of the property that can generate ordinary income.
However, they can receive all income (interest, dividends, rental income, etc.) that the Trust assets may generate. The Trustee’s role is to invest the assets held by the Trust. However, because the Grantor maintains some control over assets in the Medicaid Trust, it is considered a grantor trust, and they are still taxed on any income.

When an Irrevocable Trust is created, assets that the Grantor wants to protect will be retitled in the name of the Trust, which is known as “funding the trust.” Assets can include anything from a checking or brokerage account to property. However, Individual Retirement Accounts do not get retitled into the name of the Trust because they are already protected for Medicaid purposes by law – as long as the required minimum distribution is taken. 

Usually, Grantors will place their home and some liquid assets in the trust and name a child as trustee then not think about it for years. Most trusts provide that after the death of one of the spouses, the income interest continues for the surviving spouse. Then, after the death of the remaining spouse, the assets are distributed to beneficiaries as they would be in a will. 

What are the benefits?

The main benefit of a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust is the ability to receive Medicaid. In general, with trusts, you can protect your and your family’s assets and pass on any valuable assets, like property. Some other specific benefits have been mentioned above such as property tax exemptions, uninterrupted income, and the ability to still use the assets after the grantor’s death. Some other benefits include:
● Avoidance of probate court
● Maintenance of privacy
● Avoids the hassle of multi-state probate proceedings- in case trustees do not reside in the state that the grantor did
● Provides planning for mental disability- should the grantor ever not be sound of mind, they cannot amend the trust
● Keeps assets in the immediate family
● Keeps assets out of surviving children’s divorces
● Keeps money out of creditors’ reach

How can an elder law attorney help?

An elder law attorney can help you decide whether a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust is right for you. A host of factors goes into the decision, such as the client’s available funds, relationship with intended beneficiaries, and timing. It is important to meet with a knowledgeable and experienced elder law attorney to assess which plan best achieves your goals and relieves any of your concerns.

For further Medicaid planning, please contact the Law Office of Inna Fershteyn at (718) 333-2395 to receive the most highly qualified legal advice.