My mother-in-law lives with us, but owns a home and land, free and clear. She has no other assets. Her home requires about 50K repairs before we could live in it. If we live there and provide services Medicaid would pay for over a period of 2 years the house will no longer be seen as an asset and would not be subject to a lien if she should need Medicaid. It has been suggested that my wife and I have our name added to the title so we can use the land to borrow money to repair the home. My concern is this will reset the "lookback" from 2 years to 5 years. Am I correct in my belief?
As sharynmaire advises, this isn't really a good do-it-yourself project. Consult an attorney specializing in Elder Law in your state.