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Selling such items as bedroom furniture, dining room furniture and other miscellaneous pieces. Does medicaid include stuff like this during the 5 year look back?

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I was never asked by Medicaid in NY to list any valuables in my mother’s house.
So I’m not sure unless you did that, how would Medicaid know what is owned.
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Reply to Hothouseflower
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Patathome01 Aug 4, 2025
Valued items, including furniture, are not counted by Medicaid until sold for Cash prior to Medicaid’s look-back period. When sold for cash during the look back period, they become non-exempt and then must be listed as income or gifts. The cash goes toward mother’s care and not used anywhere else if transactions happen during Medicaid’s Look-back Period.

That’s why concise to the penny retain all receipts and bookkeeping at the bank accounts must be recorded and requires time to do. Beats federal jail time!

Look-back periods vary for each state. For example in CA, it goes back 30 months prior to Medicaid use for care.

No one can look athrough a crystal
ball to determine when assisted care happens.
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Lew1956,

It’s a good idea to keep a bill of sale for each sold item, and here’s why:

Medicaid (especially for long term care) has strict rules around asset limits and transfers. Selling your parents’ personal property, like furniture, may be seen as conversion of assets, and Medicaid may ask for documentation to prove that the items were sold at fair market value—not gifted or sold under value. If your parents are applying for or receiving Medicaid, any financial transactions may be scrutinized under the look back period. Avoid penalties: If Medicaid finds transfers were made for less than fair market value, it could trigger a penalty period, delaying eligibility.

Bottom line: Keep a simple bill of sale for each sold item—just a short note with the item, date, price, buyer’s name and seller’s name/signature. It doesn’t need to be fancy, but it could save a lot of trouble later.

Beyond Medicaid:
Disputes: If someone questions the legitimacy or fairness of the sale later—whether a sibling, caregiver or someone else—having a bill of sale will protect you. Transparency: Keeping records shows good faith, which is helpful in case of future legal or financial reviews.

Better to have records and not need them than the other way around.
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Reply to HaveYourBack
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Lew1956: Do retain receipts for said items for Medicaid purposes.
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Reply to Llamalover47
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I really can't see any harm in making up a bill of sale for anything you are selling on your parent's behalf, whether or not Medicaid will "need" them in the future.

It certainly might save you some heartache later on, however, if parents/other family members start to believe you got more money for the items than you actually did.

A simple "On (such-and-such date) I (your name) sold (buyer's name) the following item(s) for ($XXX amount of money), on behalf of (parent's name(s)). Items were sold "as is", with no warranties expressed or implied."

Then you sign/date it, and the buyer signs/dates it. This protects both buyer, seller and parents.
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Reply to notgoodenough
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Isthisrealyreal Aug 3, 2025
This!
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Yes, you do. Retain all receipts from sold items for each penny to report to Medicaid. Not doing so is breaking federal law. You may also ask a Medicaid expert and elder attorney.
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Reply to Patathome01
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Medicaid never asked me for an inventory of Moms house. Unless she has antiques and paintings worth thousands, I don't think they care. Most of my Moms stuff was given away. Brother took what he wanted. We did have to sell the house at market value. Any money you receive should be spent on Mom. No gifting.

It would not hurt to consult with an elder lawyer.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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Patathome01 Aug 3, 2025
Yes, consult with an elder attorney before selling any inventory from Medicaid recipients’ property.
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Please consult an attorney. If you are not POA and are not putting funds from sale in accounts of the owner of said sales then this is elder abuse. And yes, you must account for every penny of profit and have receipts for everything.
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