• Our Promise to You During COVID-19/Coronavirus
    • Skip to primary navigation
    • Skip to main content
    • Skip to primary sidebar
    • Skip to footer
    • Home
    • Who We Are
      • About Our Firm
      • Attorney and Staff Profiles
      • Scott P. Schomer Certified As Specialist In Estate Planning, Trust And Probate Law
      • Trust and Probate Litigation: Verdicts and Settlements
    • Services
      • Legacy Planning
      • Probate
      • Asset Protection & Business Planning
      • Trust Administration
      • Trust, Probate and Estate Litigation
      • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
      • Family-Owned Businesses
      • IRA & Retirement Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Loss of a Loved One
      • Power of Attorney
      • SECURE Act
      • Special Needs Planning
      • Young Families
    • Probate
      • Is Probate Always Necessary In California?
      • Why Hire A Probate Attorney
      • Probate Administration
      • Probate & Estate Planning Savings Calculator
      • Probate Code 850 Petitions
      • Probate Disputes
      • Probate In California
      • Probate Laws
      • Probate Litigation
    • Elder Law
      • Conservatorship
      • Coping with Alzheimer’s
      • Estate Planning
    • Resources
      • Elder Law
        • Elder Law & Medicaid Definitions
        • Elder Law Reports
      • Estate Planning
        • Estate Planning Articles
        • Estate Planning Checkup
        • Estate Planning Definitions
        • Estate Planning Reports
          • Advanced Estate Planning
          • Basic Estate Planning
          • Estate Planning for Niches
          • Trust Administration
        • Incapacity Planning Definitions
        • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
        • Special Needs Planning Can Protect Benefits
        • Top 10 Estate and Legacy Planning Techniques
      • Free Estate Planning Worksheet
      • Free Seminars
        • Webinars
      • Frequently Asked Questions
        • Advance Health Care Directives
        • Asset Protection
        • California Adult Conservatorship
        • Estate Planning
        • Estate Planning & Remarriage
        • Frequently Asked Questions For Families Without An Estate Plan
        • Incapacity Planning
        • In-Home Elder Care
        • IRA Inheritance Planning
        • IRA & SECURE Act
        • Irrevocable Trust
        • Legacy Wealth Planning
        • LGBTQ Estate Planning
        • Living Trust
        • Probate
        • Social Security & Medicare
        • Special Needs Planning
        • Trust Administration
        • Wills
      • Newsletters
      • Pre Consultation Form
      • Presentation
      • Published Book
      • Trust Administration & Probate Resources
        • Bereavement Resources
        • How to Know if You Need Extra Help With Your Grieving
        • Loss of a Loved One
        • The Mourner’s Bill of Rights
        • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Trust
        • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Will
        • Trust Administration & Probate Definitions
    • Reviews
      • Our Reviews
      • Review Us
    • Communities We Serve
      • Los Angeles County
        • Bellflower
        • Cerritos
        • El Segundo
          • El Segundo Probate Resources
        • Hawthorne
        • Inglewood
        • Long Beach
          • Long Beach Elder Resources
          • Long Beach Probate Resources
        • Manhattan Beach
        • Playa del Rey
        • Santa Monica
        • Westchester
          • Westchester Elder Resources
          • Westchester Probate Resources
      • Orange County
        • Anaheim
        • Buena Park
        • Cypress
        • Fountain Valley
        • Garden Grove
        • Huntington Beach
          • Huntington Beach Elder Resources
          • Huntington Beach Probate Resources
        • Los Alamitos
          • Los Alamitos Probate Resources
        • Rossmoor
        • Stanton
        • Seal Beach
        • Westminster
    • Contact Us
    • BLOG
    • Videos

    Schomer Law Group, Los Angeles Estate Planning and Elder Law and Elder Law Attorneys

    Schomer Law Group, Los Angeles Estate Planning and Elder Law and Elder Law Attorneys

    Connect With Us Today (310) 337-7696

    Attend a Free Webinar
    Home » Elder Law » Medi-Cal Planning Can Preserve Your Legacy

    Medi-Cal Planning Can Preserve Your Legacy

    July 10, 2020Elder Law

    Medi-Cal planningWhen you are planning for retirement, you probably envision the good times that you will have when it is time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. You can enjoy leisure activities, travel, spend time with family members and friends, and bask in your newly found freedom.

    These golden years can be rewarding, but it is important to consider the twilight period that will inevitably follow. Many people do not consider a looming threat that could potentially consume a lot of the legacy that you would like to pass along to your loved ones.

    Living Assistance

    The United States Department of Health and Human Services maintains a very informative website called LongTermCare.gov. According to the site, seven out of every 10 seniors will someday need living assistance. About 35 percent of them will ultimately reside in nursing homes.

    If this sounds like an unusually high number, you have to understand the longevity statistics. Once you reach the age of full Social Security eligibility, your life expectancy is 85 years if you are a man, and 87 years if you are a woman. Life as an octogenarian is hard to envision, but many of us have this experience.

    Medicare and Nursing Home Costs

    Nursing homes are very expensive all around the country, and the prices here in the Los Angeles area are higher than the national averages. Clearly, there are a lot of different communities and the prices vary, but you are definitely looking at a rate that will reach the six-figure mark.

    The average length of stay is one year, and married couples have to consider the possibility of two different sets of bills. You may assume that Medicare would pick up the tab since it is intended for senior citizens and most elders will need some type of care.

    Many people would say that it is unfair and it makes no sense, but unfortunately, Medicare does not pay for living assistance. It will pay for convalescent care, but it does not cover the custodial care that nursing homes provide.

    Medi-Cal Planning

    Fortunately, there is a widely embraced solution in the form of Medi-Cal. This jointly administered federal/state government health insurance program will pay for living assistance if you can qualify.

    Since it is intended for people with limited resources, you cannot gain eligibility if you have more than $2000 in countable assets. That can seem like a dealbreaker, but some things that you may own do not count, including your home and your motor vehicle.

    Your first thought may be that you can give assets to your loved ones if you find out that you have to move into a nursing home. This make sense, and a lot of people do give gifts to family members. In a real sense, you would simply be giving them their inheritances in advance.

    The government does not want people to be able to “play the system” in this manner, so they have implemented a look back period. In other states, the look back period is five years, but it is 30 months in California.

    If you give gifts within 30 months of the day that you submit your application for Medi-Cal coverage, it will be denied. You could potentially become eligible in the future, but there would be a delay.

    To use a simple example, if you gave away enough to pay for 18 months of nursing home care, your eligibility would be delayed by 18 months.

    Schedule a Medi-Cal Planning Consultation Today!

    Because of this look back period, it takes careful advance planning to position your assets with future Medi-Cal eligibility in mind. While it is possible to give direct gifts, you could choose to establish and fund a Medi-Cal trust.

    We can explain the details if you would like to put a plan in place. You can schedule a remote consultation right now if you call us at 310-337-7696. If you would rather reach out electronically, you can send us a message and we will provide you with a quick response.

    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Scott Schomer, Estate Planning Attorney
    Scott Schomer, Estate Planning Attorney
    A graduate of Boston University School of Law, Scott P. Schomer is a frequent lecturer on estate planning and elder law issues, having discussed these important issues on local and national television. A seasoned courtroom advocate, Scott has obtained combined judgments and verdicts in excess of twenty-five million dollars for his clients. Scott has served as a member of the Los Angeles Superior Court Probate Volunteer Panel (PVP Attorney), Probate Settlement Panel and a Judge Pro Tempore. Scott's expertise has been recognized by his peers with such accolades as a life-time membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, the Five Star Wealth Manager designation, and repeated nominations as California Super Lawyer.
    Scott Schomer, Estate Planning Attorney
    Latest posts by Scott Schomer, Estate Planning Attorney (see all)
    • The Importance of Liquidity in Your Estate Plan - May 11, 2022
    • Why Would I Want to Make a Trust Irrevocable? - May 10, 2022
    • What Is a GRIT and Do I Need One? - May 7, 2022

    Other Articles You May Find Useful

    Los Angeles elder law attorneys
    5 Reasons You Might Need an Elder Law Attorney
    Abogados de la ley de ancianos de Los Ángeles
    5 Razones por las que Podría Necesitar un Abogado de la Ley de Ancianos
    Los Angeles elder law attorneys
    How to Choose the Best Nursing Home for a Parent
    Los Angeles elder law attorney
    Providing Care from Afar
    Medi-Cal planning
    What Are the Medi-Cal Rules for a Healthy Spouse?
    Medicare Part B premiums
    2022 Medi-Cal Part B Premium Has Been Determined

    Primary Sidebar

    Schomer Law Group, Los Angeles Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorneys

    Schomer Law Group

    FREE Estate Planning Worksheet

    There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.

    Testimonials

    Client Review
    July 29, 2020
        

    We need to update our Living Trust and attended Schomer Law Group’s seminar. Afterwards we made an appointment and were impressed by the attention Scott Schomer and Liran Aliav gave to our case answering all questions and making suggestions how to minimize the estate tax. All the office staff is very friendly and we highly recommend Schomer Law Group.

    Frank & Jutta R
    Client Review
    July 29, 2020
        

    Mr. Schomer does an amazing job at explaining all the intricacies of establishing a trust. He and his team help you every step of the way so you always know what to expect and what you are preparing for. Best education you can get and the best gift you can give your family.

    Paula M.
    Client Review
    July 29, 2020
        

    We put off getting a trust for years. After attending a seminar with Scott Schomer we realized that the time had come to get a trust. We were given very good reasons for why we should get a trust. No pressure, just the plain facts. We are very relieved and happy to finally get our trust. Scott and Cesar were very knowledgeable, helpful and listened to our ideas of what we had to say. Any questions that we have now and in the future they are available to assist us to solve them. I recommend the Schomer Law Group and I wish we knew about them years ago.

    Phillip G.
    Client Review
    July 29, 2020
        

    When you’re presented with an invitation to attend in a mailer, you may have reservations, this was a truly gift!! My wife and I were educated and guided through the process of creating a family trust.
    Both of our parents had attorney’s that “worked” with wills/trusts, but came up short. Fortunately, the Schomer Law Group was there! This is a group of attorney’s that only specialize in estate planning, law, and financial advice, so you know you’re getting expert and personalized advice. This is the best money we’ve ever spent!! Thank you!

    Bob L.
    Client Review
    July 29, 2020
        

    We knew we had to update our 10 year old ( 20 page ) trust. After several detailed meetings, Liran and Cesar produced a large ( 300 pages + ) highly detailed trust document that we have used to make sure our family estate is well managed and clearly understood.
    They were all very helpful in answering myriad questions and explaining all the various options…

    We would strongly recommend the Schomer Law Group to anyone with an estate of even modest means, to assure proper planning…

    Bob S.
    Client Review
    July 29, 2020
        

    We had contemplated updating our will and starting a trust for a number of years. After attending a talk by Scott Schomer we realized we were long overdue and the potential downside of not having our affairs in order was significant. Scott and his excellent team made the process simple and seamless. They were great listeners, addressed all our concerns and even pulled and processed all the paperwork from our financial institutions. If you are looking for assistance with estate planning, wills and trusts, we highly recommend Schomer Law Group.

    Robert F.
    Client Review
    July 29, 2020
        

    Very competent & informative – friendly atmosphere – ready to answer the most mundane questions – relaxed.

    Joan S.
    Client Review
    July 29, 2020
        

    Mr. Schomer was excellent in getting our family trust and estate affairs in order. My husband and I had put off doing this and Scott really made the process easy! He is very passionate in making sure his clients get all that they need and we really appreciated it. I would highly recommend him and look forward to the many years he will be available to assist our family.

    Kim

    Follow Us

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linkdin
    • Youtube
    • Instagram

    Blog Subscribe

    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    Office Address

    El Segundo
    222 North Pacific Coast Highway., Suite 130
    El Segundo, CA 90245
    Phone: (310) 337-7696
    Fax: 310-337-1277

    See Larger Map Get Directions

    Office Hours

    Monday9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
    Tuesday9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
    Wednesday9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
    Thursday9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
    Friday9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

    Footer

    • Advantages of Working With Our Firm
    • About The American Academy
    • Disclaimer
    • Privacy Policy
    • Sitemap
    • Contact Us

    Schomer Law Group

    Connect with Us

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linkdin
    • Youtube
    • Instagram

    footer-logo
    © 2022 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.

    Schomer Law Group

    Attorney Advertisement.

    © 2022 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.