Follow
Share
This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
You don't, Medicaid will tell you what will happen. There is a look back period, most states it is 5 years, California is 2.5 years.

She can live in the house until she dies, then Medicaid will take it to repay their output of $$ for her in home care.

Medicaid has ever right to recover the taxpayers money.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
worriedinCali Oct 2019
Medicaid doesn’t take houses. And even if they did, the OPs mother is not sole owner so Medicaid wouldn’t be able to take the house. The house is an exempt asset if it’s her primary residence so Medicaid won’t put a lien on her share of the house.
(0)
Report
The house won't be considered concerning income. Do you or siblings live with her? If so, then its your/their primary residence. Will just need to keep it up. Once she passes, a lean will be put on her fourth, I think. As long as someone resided with her before Medicaid and is still planning on living there after her death there should be no problem. My Moms recovery read "at time resident dies or sells the house, the lean will need to be satisfied".

Medicaid can give u more info determining on the state u live in.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

As others have posted, mom needs to have a homestead exemption & or be able to show home is her primary residence. If so, it’s an exempt asset for LTC nh Medicaid eligibility. Most places send an annual post card for homestead exemption, Medicaid may ask for this from mom.

4 owners is unusual. I bet it red flags her medicaid application so that the caseworker is going to need mom to provide the chain on property records. I’d be concerned that if this has been all within the family type of property transfers done over several years, that the paperwork filed has issues and there isn’t document(s) recorded that clearly reads what % each person has in the property. Please please check ASAP to make sure that the 4 way ownership is properly recorded at the courthouse. If there are 4 distinct owners - & like none are spouses- each of them should be listed in their full legal name as equal in the paperwork filed on the house. If you all don’t actually have the originals on each time an owner was removed or added, I’d suggest mom pays for a copy of all filings from the CH. Most CH have stuff like this available as a download for a nominal fee, like $ 8.00 for a Release of a Deed of Trust.

Probably the easiest item to look for & find will be the tax assessor/ collector bill. For most places the bill goes out about now - Oct/Nov - as taxes are due in some way by end of Jan., 2020. The tax bill won’t say as to if ownership is equal or 25% each, but will just be by name. If all 4 are NOT listed each on the bill, the ownership recorded isn’t showing as 4 owners. Horrors!

perchance was property split due to dad dying & in his will his share or ownership % was to be evenly divided to his kids? If so, there should have been an action in probate court on the status of property. Could be a distribution of assets document filed in probate court & then judges orders allowing this. Or a small estates affidavit or Muniment of title filed. You should get a copy of this as well.

If caseworker should have concerns with mom’s application, you or whomever is Dpoa needs to be beyond ready to get documents over to the caseworker within a couple of days of their request. Also you’ll need all this to deal with MERP (estate recovery) after mom dies, so best to just have on hand.

Has decisions been agreed to & made as to how the costs on the property are to be done from day 1 of Medicaid application till beyond death? Mom will not have the income to pay on her % of property costs as basically almost all her income must be paid to the NN as her Medicaid copay. Family will need to pay taxes, insurance, maintenance, etc. till beyond her death. What seems to happen is initially everyone is all Kum-ba-ya on chipping in time & $. But after a while, siblings (or their spouses) who don’t live in the home will not contribute $ or time or oversight on the place. So whomever lives there must have the ability to pay all property costs. But as everyone is an owner, should it get sold, everyone shares equally in the sale $ AND everyone is affected by Medicaid lien or claim on the property should MERP file one. Like If you’re the 1 that pays taxes & insurance, your siblings don’t have to reimburse you. It sets up a possible contentious situation unless you all come to an agreement now & have it drawn up to be legally binding.

it’s something to clearly discuss with all the siblings before you all get too too in the weeds on the house & the $ needed to keep it.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter