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would I be responsible for nursing home expenses?
Jon P. Beyrer, Dec 16, 2011
Jon P. Beyrer, CFP, EA, is a personal financial adviser, specializing in comprehensive financial planning and investment portfolio management. He is a partner of Blankinship & Foster, LLC, a fee-only wealth advisory firm in Solana Beach, California. He holds a Master of Science Degree in Financial and Tax Planning.
If you claim your mother as a dependent on your tax return, it won’t affect her Medicaid eligibility in future years. But you may run into problems claiming her as a dependent in the same year as she’s receiving Medicaid benefits. If the dollar value of Medicaid services exceeds half of your parent’s support, you can’t claim her as a dependent. Medicaid eligibility requirements are different from state to state, so you’ll want to talk to your state’s department of Human Services about it.
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K. Gabriel Heiser, Feb 22, 2012
K. Gabriel Heiser is an attorney with over 25 years experience in elder law and estate planning. Heiser is the author of "How to Protect Your Family's Assets from Devastating Nursing Home Costs: Medicaid Secrets," an annually updated practical guide for the layperson. Visit www.MedicaidSecrets.com for more info.
As Jon Beyrer indicated above, the mere claiming of a parent as a tax deduction will have no effect on the parent's eligibility for Medicaid or Medicare.
When a person applies for Medicaid, the state will tally up all of that person's assets and income, and if they are below a certain amount, then the individual may qualify for Medicaid. So if the child is paying ongoing expenses of the parent, such payments are being used up every month and won't accumulate to cause the parent to be disqualified from Medicaid.
Medicare, on the other hand, does not look at one's financial situation at all. Generally, you are eligible for Medicare if you or your spouse worked for at least 10 years in Medicare-covered employment and you are 65 years or older and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
mrbigchili
Give a Hug
Apr 13, 2010
Hi Sharon. Did you ever get an answer to your question? Perhaps elsewhere? I have a similar question. I was going to claim my mother on my taxes, but she expressed concern that medicare or medicaid benefits would not be available if we do that. Trying to find out.
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lindagabriel
Feb 23, 2012
My question is my Mother lives with me, not on medicaid, can I claim her on my taxes?
karieh
lindagabriel,
Check out this article for your question claiming parents on your taxes.
Tax Tips for Caregivers: Claiming a Parent as a Dependentwww.agingcare.com/Articles/Tax-Tips-for-Caregivers-Can-I-Claim-My-Elderly-Parent-as-a-Dependent-109238.htm
Hope this answers your question!
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