I often have clients (or client’s children) who ask me – “can’t I just give my property to my child?” Or who say “My mom wants us to inherit her house, isn’t the easiest way to just have her sign a life estate deed?” Sometimes it’s “I’m allowed to give away $10,000.00 per year, right?” [...]
Estate planning, elder law, special needs, probate, guardianship. Leanna Hamill, Hingham
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Leanna Hamill, Attorney at Law, P.C. provides estate planning and related legal services to clients of all ages, with a focus on the needs of older individuals and their families.
Category Archives: Medicaid
Your Help Needed to Support New Legislation to Maintain Finanical Security for Seniors
I am a member of the Public Policy Committee of the Massachusetts Chapter of The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Below is some information about recent bills that have been filed by our chapter to help seniors and their families. You can click on the name of the person sponsoring the bill to [...]
Will You Be Responsible to Pay for Your Parent’s Care?
If a parent needs long term care – either at home or in a nursing facility, children may watch as their parent's savings dwindle to pay for the care, which can cost upwards of $5,000 – 10,000.00 per month. If the parent ends up meeting the eligibility criteria for Medicaid (called MassHealth in Massachusetts), then [...]
Online MassHealth (Medicaid) Application & Eligibility Regulations
Wondering where to find the MassHealth (Medicaid) Application online? The Massachusetts Office of Health and Human Services has downloadable copies of the application on their site. There are several applications and booklets, so make sure you are choosing the correct one for your situation.
The MassHealth eligibility regulations can be found by clicking here.
If [...]
Setting Up A Burial Account In Massachusetts
Under Medicaid, or MassHealth, regulations, the applicant is allowed to have $1500.00 in a "Burial Account." However, if you go down to your bank and ask to open a "Burial Account", they may look at your strangely and not know what you mean. When this happens to my clients, I tell them to go back [...]
Misconceptions about Medicaid
The Patriot Ledger has a blog written by Sue Scheible called A Good Age. Sue writes about various issues affecting the elderly, including caring for her aging father. She recently had a post about some misconceptions about Medicaid/MassHealth. I commented on the post, and then we spoke by phone. The result of that conversation is [...]
Information Needed for MassHealth (Medicaid) Application
If you or a loved one find yourselves needing to apply for Medicaid (also called MassHealth) coverage for a nursing home stay, or think you might have to in the future, you must be prepared for the extensive amount of information required by MassHealth. The following is a list of documentation you will be asked [...]
Medicaid (MassHealth) Eligibility Rules
I have set out below some of the Long Term Care MassHealth Eligibility requirements in Massachusetts. These guidelines apply to people who are over 65 and who are in a nursing home, or will be when they are receiving MassHealth coverage.
Asset Limits
The applicant may have $2000.00 in countable assets.
If married, the applicant's spouse, [...]
Medicaid Changes – Part 2
Elder law is not just about Medicaid (MassHealth) planning; very few people actually end up needing long term nursing home care. However, for those who need it, and their spouse left behind in the community, the changes to the Medicaid rules make a big difference in the different strategies used. I posted about changes to [...]
Changes to Medicaid Law
In the 80’s and 90’s the myth of the “welfare queen” led to punitive and sometimes harmful changes to the welfare rules. Well, the so-called “welfare queen” has aged, and is now apparently a “millionaire on Medicaid,” leading Congress to pass the Debt Reduction Act which will have potentially devastating effects on middle income elders [...]
Leanna@HamillLawOffice.com | 160 Old Derby St., Suite 456 | Hingham, Ma 02043 | Phone: 781.749.2284 | Fax: 866.573.6429
Advertising. In accordance with rules established by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, this web site must be labeled "advertising." It is designed to provide general information for clients and friends of the firm and should not be construed as legal advice, or legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. By using this site you understand that there is no attorney client relationship between you and the attorney. The website should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state. Leanna Hamill is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts only.
Advertising. In accordance with rules established by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, this web site must be labeled "advertising." It is designed to provide general information for clients and friends of the firm and should not be construed as legal advice, or legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. By using this site you understand that there is no attorney client relationship between you and the attorney. The website should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state. Leanna Hamill is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts only.