When applying for Medicaid, the nursing home spouse (called the Institutionalized Spouse) is often a joint owner (or sole owner) on checking, savings and other acounts. Should those resource be taken out of the name of the Institutionalized Spouse? The answer is generally “yes,” but it requires some context and some qualifications. The context and […]
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In the Matter of the Medical Assistance Pooled Special Needs Trust of Scott Hewitt (Iowa 2023), the State Medicaid agency had a contigent interest in the trust remainder due to the payback requirement in 42 U.S.C. § 1396p(d)(4)(C). However, after the beneficiary died, the master trust informed the Department that it would retain the remainder, […]
IRS Notice 2023-30 set forth the safe harbor language for extinguishment and boundary line adjustment clauses required by y § 605(d)(1) of the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0 Act). It addresses only amendments to extinguishment and boundary line adjustment clauses in accordance with § 605(d) of the SECURE 2.0 Act. This safe harbor […]
Gregory Hall created a trust for his children. He also made gifts to his children prior to his death, including a $500,000 house to his son, Kenneth. Gregory’s trust provided that, following his death, the trust remainder would be divided equally among his three children. But Kenneth argued that the $500,000 should not be included […]
On April 25, 2023, the VA issued the following announcement: The Caregiver Support Program (CSP) is introducing a new nationwide service offering comprehensive legal and financial planning services to Primary Family Caregivers enrolled in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC). A network of licensed attorneys and certified financial counselors are readily accessible […]
Ms. Humprey was a hospital patient and the University of Tennessee Medical Center filed a petition for Conservatorship. The petition alleged she was unable to make appropriate decisions regarding her treatment and medical care. Petitioner attached the report of Dr. Taylor Wright in support of its petition. The Court appointed a guardian ad litem and […]
On March 24, 2023, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida ruled in Securities and Exchange Commission v. Synergy Settlement Services, Inc., et al., Case No. 6:22-cv-820-WWB-DCI. The motion before the Court was to dismiss the action. The motion was denied with the Court indicating it should at least move tot […]
In Walsh v. Bowen (Ga. App. 2023), the Court considered whether an inter vivos gift to a 529 account was a completed gift. Rick Walsh made transfers during his lifetime to a 529 account his wife, Alice Walsh, owned for the benefit of her grandchildren. Although there was evidence Mr. Walsh contemplated the gift earlier, […]
An easy way to think about trusts is to consider the example of a delivery truck. A delivery truck driver has no control over how a package is addressed by the sender. The truck driver has no control (other than his delivery schedule) over who receives the package. The driver transports the package as directed. […]
One of the most fundamental, but often overlooked issues when planning for – or evaluating – Medicaid eligibility is this: Medicaid does not alter property rights, contract rights or other legal rights with value. Medicaid simply measures those rights to determine whether they cause an applicant to be eligible or ineligible. In other words, if […]