My dad is 67 years old and has been a gardener his entire life. My mom used to have a home daycare business, but she died unexpectedly when she was 52 of a massive heart attack, and he obviously could not continue the business alone without her. It has been 12 years since her death and he has been able to live solely off of his gardening work during that time, and has no means to retire. He began taking social security at 62, and he plans on working until he passes, unfortunately. We somehow got him eligible for Medicaid even though he owns two vehicles, one of those vehicles is his work truck with gardening equipment. That truck is now giving him a lot of problems, and we will have to decide to put thousands of dollars into it for a new motor, or purchase a used truck. Of course, I will be helping him with either of these options since he does not have the funds. In an ideal world, I would like to buy him a good truck valued more than his old truck, but I don't want to jeopardize his Medicaid-Cal eligibility. I'm not sure what to do. Is our only option fixing up his old truck since it will not hit the books as a sale and subsequent purchase of a new truck? Can I buy a truck in my name that he drives everyday? We don't live together. Or do I need to put the truck in his name, and would that cause issues? He just had triple bypass surgery in May, and he will be having a pacemaker and defibrillator placed in a couple months. He really needs Medicaid more than anything. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks so much!
You could probably buy a truck for yourself--you own it--and lease it to your dad for whatever amount he could pay. You would need to specify in the lease about who carries insurance. If he buys the insurance, it needs to name you as an additional insured.
You will have lease income and depreciation on the truck, so you will report that to IRS. Dad's payments to you will be an expense to him, so his income need not go over the Medicaid allowable amount. An additional tax benefit to this arrangement is that his lease payments are deductible against his self-employment income, which is used to compute SE taxes; however, the lease payments you receive from him are not self-employment income, so you don't have to pay SE taxes on that. And, if you charge him so small an amount that his payments don't even cover your depreciation expense and insurance, then you might have a net loss for tax purposes.
Perhaps open your minds to the chance that individuals of my age bracket are very well educated in what not only ours, but our elders taxes have paid for, and have paid into for many, many years. And one of the small-ways in which our tax dollars are spent (yes-you read correctly "small ways") just happen to be the very programs that are assisting them now. Meaning they have more than paid their right to use them.
The very programs that run under "Medicaid have been funded by many, many of the very persons who are using the program now.
I'm sorry you felt disrespected.
And just know, Vegaslady is a very knowledgeable and respected poster on this site. Not all of us hate our government.
I fear that either buying him a truck or even providing him a truck of yours to use might be considered income to him that might disqualify him for Medicaid. Seems unfair, but Medicaid is not all about fairness.
Tired1of4, if he is driving the truck he is insured regardless of who owns it, BUT my insurance specifically outlaws any driving for a "business" - driving to and from, which I suppose a gardener does would be fine, but if it is filled with tools etc., it may disqualify it from your home auto insurance, legally it is insured, but if there is an accident, they could rightly withhold payment in that it is being used for a business.
Vegaslady, I would think MOW would cover the older person who can not afford to get out to eat as well as though who are homebound. Realistically "homebound" is a condition often created by lack of resources.
As far as making a trust, that sounds ideal, however, probably too much money.
Personal advice; if his mind is strong and his body is capable to do as his mind directs, then his activities and zest for life/living come from his right to live as he wishes. Let him live as he sees fit unless his status causes actual concern for his safety is proving otherwise (it already sounds you would tactfully handle that if need be) ... Medicaid is not a life coach, to call on every thought as some may suggest, I believe as little known the better and only use as needed. Keep in mind they are there to do one thing, and that is to offer/(sell)services to perpetuate the governmental insurance, and they will push to get your father deeper into the system as fast as they can...so they begin to ask questions and they begin to suggest "programs and assistance's" .. what that means is the deeper he plunges into the system all of his assets will be stripped and become theirs, and his choices become their choices .. his 'freedom will no longer be his to control as it is now.... they then own him through the bait of "but Medicade is free"... . To a prideful man such as your fathers sounds, It is not 'free, I assure you. Let "absolute final necessity" be your/his decisions regarding Medicade.
I think that by keeping busy your dad is staying active and alive. If he stops being active I suspect he will lose the will to live.
Disgustedtoo brings up a good point, which in all honesty I did not even think of at the time and may be something to consider.
Its a personal choice. He was cleared to drive, AND I had his driving skills retested by a licensed instructor. I wanted him to maintain as much independence as possible for as long as possible. It was good for him to keep busy.
His gardening business, in addition to giving him something to do, apparently supplements his SS just enough for him to get by, even though it is at a poverty level. If he didn't have that extra income, how could he get by? Food stamps? Meals on wheels? Other programs that help the impoverished? I say good for him for wanting to be as self-sufficient as possible. But you might want to start looking into other options, in case a time comes when his health does not allow him to continue to work.
Sooner or later Medi-Cal will find out that he has a business vehicle and his benefits will screech to a halt. One vehicle rule is federal law.