Applying for Medicaid may be a daunting task, at best, for most people. However, do you really need a lawyer to help with the Medicaid Long-Term Care application process?
In this Elder Law Minute video, Wes Coulson, Illinois Elder Law attorney, begins a new series on the Medicaid Application Process and discusses whether or not you need an attorney’s help when applying for Medicaid long-term care. The answer may just surprise you.
Do you need a lawyer to help with the Medicaid Long-Term Care application process?
Transcript:
Hi, I’m Wes Coulson and this is you Elder Law Minute. This is part of our series on the Medicaid Application Process and today I want to address the question of whether you need a lawyer to help you with the Medicaid application process.
Now, my answer may surprise you a little bit. I guess you’re expecting me to say, “Well, yes, of course you do.” But, really it depends and here’s what it depends on. It depends on whether you’ve done any sort of planning to protect your life savings.
Let me give you a little analogy here to something you’re probably familiar with and that’s tax returns. If you’re filing a short form, attaching a W-2, not itemizing deductions, you don’t need to hire an accountant to prepare that tax return for you. Now, if you’re paying $20,000 less in taxes than you would have because of things that an accountant pointed out to you as being available, you’re certainly going to want that accountant to file that tax return to make sure that you claim those properly. Same thing here, if you’ve had a lawyer assist you with planning toward protecting your life savings, you’ll definitely want the lawyer to help with the application process.
Of course, a little I hope inherent hint here, you’re better off protecting your life saving than not. Thanks. Have a great day.
For more about Medicaid long-Term Care, visit these articles:
- Medicaid Transfer Penalties and the Look-Back Rule
- Long Term Care Costs: The Biggest Threat to your Financial Future
- 4 Myths about Medicare & Medicaid Long-Term Care Coverage
Dent-Coulson Elder Law is dedicated to providing families in the St. Louis area with their Elder Law needs. Our practice areas include Asset Preservation Planning, Veterans Benefits, Medicaid Eligibility, Alzheimer’s Planning, Special Needs Planning, Estate Planning and more. We understand the financial challenges you may face as you and your loved ones grow older. At Dent-Coulson Elder Law, our clients’ well-being is our number one priority. For immediate help, call (877)995-6876 or Contact Us and we will get in touch as soon as possible.
