Elder Law: Long-term Care Planning

 

Elder Law is an interdisciplinary, constantly evolving and complex area of law involving federal and state laws impacting the lives of older people. Long-term care planning is the process of planning for present and future health care needs, either home services, assisted living services or skilled nursing services.

We appreciate the complex and financial and social decisions faced by clients and we make specific planning recommendations on a case-by-case basis. There is no one-size fits all approach to long-term care planning.

Our Elder Law Attorneys, Randy F. Boggio and Peter M. Hendricks, are experienced in working with single and married individuals to review eligibility for government programs, including Medicare, Medical Assistance (or Medicaid) or Minnesota Veterans Home benefits. We can assist in finding appropriate long-term care placement.

We consult with families with the goal of preserving family assets, avoiding spousal hardship when one spouse enters a nursing home, estate planning and post-death estate recovery issues. In 2006, federal laws related to the transfer of assets significantly changed and there is now a five (5) year look-back period to report uncompensated transfers and any period of ineligibility caused by these transfers does not begin until the client has properly reduced assets to become eligible for benefits.

Your first step is a personalized consultation with one of our Elder Law Attorneys to discuss your financial situation and to determine strategies for your long-term care plan.

Randy F. Boggio and Peter M. Hendricks have represented clients in Medical Assistance appeals and estate recovery claim disputes with the county. They are frequent contributors to Continuing Legal Education (CLE) materials on estate recovery and Medical Assistance issues.