A caregiver is kneeling next to his elderly patient outside a nursing home. For longer than I have been practicing law - over 30 years now - the countable asset limit for a single individual seeking Medicaid nursing home benefits or MI Choice Waiver benefits was $2000.00. Last year, to the surprise of many (including me), the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services increased the $2000.00 asset limit to $9660.00. Because this asset limit is adjusted annually for infla

Protecting assets from nursing home expenses is an issue that I am frequently asked about. Sometimes it may arise after a heart attack, stroke or other concern. Other times it may arise after a loved one moves into an assisted living facility or nursing home due to Alzheimer's disease. Whatever the motivation, it is a topic that is full of misunderstanding and misinformation. After over 30 years of practicing law, I have heard numerous clients repeat things they were told or

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) ordinarily releases updated figures for Medicaid qualification. These updates are released in late summer and most importantly, they reflect the cost of living increases that we all experience. For Medicaid recipients, the increases allow additional amounts to be used to pay for funerals or to allow a community spouse to retain additional amounts of their spouses's income.

In the 1990 comedy movie Home Alone, Macaulay Culkin plays the role of a young boy mistakenly left behind while his family flies to Paris

One of the more challenging situations when an elderly parent is declining is having to take over their

Alzheimer's is a devastating disease. Few things are more heart-wrenching than to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's or to watch a loved one

As the founder of the Elder and Estate Planning Law Firm, I specialize in helping Michigan families protect their

Benjamin Franklin said there were only two things certain in life: death and taxes. Yet in spite of everyone having

Probate is the legal process by which the estate of a deceased person is settled. The word probate is a Latin term which means

Estate recovery is the process by which a state recoups expenses paid for long term care following the death of a Medicaid recipient. Since 2011, Michigan has been enforcing its estate recovery law often with devastating consequences – particularly for those who are unprepared. Far too often, families of Medicaid recipients are blindsided by the notice that their loved one’s estate will be wiped out by the State’s estate recovery claim. To protect your loved ones, there are s