I am concerned that because I have a pension of $1650.00 and SS of $1400.00. Will I never qualify?

Laura, please see an attorney who knows how to set up trust accounts for disabled adult children. You can start saving for that trust. As far as current income goes, if/when you go on Medicaid (if it still exists when you get there as Jeannegibbs said) you'll at least have a start. Likely your income would go toward your care, though. An attorney can sort it out best. Good luck. Your adult disabled child needs some backup so I hope that something can get started.
Carol

You are wise to begin planning now. You're managing for three generations, and an elder law attorney can help you keep apples with apples and oranges with oranges.

Your question about income and Medicaid eligibility requires more information. Nursing home residents can keep only a small amount of their income if Medicaid is paying the bill.

Establishing a Third Party Special Needs Trust for your child now provides a way for you to fund an inheritance for him that will not disrupt his income eligibility in the future.

An elder law attorney can also explain how establishing a (d)(4)(A) Trust for your child now will give him a place to deposit assets of his own, if that becomes necessary in the future.

See an attorney. My sister lives in a group home and any inheritance she would get, the state would take away. Work around that.
Also ask about a special needs Trust for yourself, one that is Medicaid compliant.

Whatever age your child is, contact Social Security as he should be receiving disability from them. I don't know your age, but when you die, your child will receive your social security benefit and your pension needs to make him the beneficiary. What does your mother's situation have to do with you? Keep yourself healthy and maybe you will not have to go anywhere but at home with your son. More seniors stay in their homes than go to nursing homes. Also, make sure you have someone who is appointed to care for your disabled son should you die.

To help find an Elder Law Attorney, scroll down to the bottom of the place to the blue section, on your left you will see ELDER LAW ATTORNEYS. Click on that, and within the articles there will be a search mode where you type in your zip code.

I found my Elder Law Attorney that way, and she has been outstanding. Elder Law Attorneys are able to work through the maze of Medicaid, if needed. Know how to set up Trusts... and even do Wills and Power of Attorneys.

A little knowledge can be dangerous! A Miller's Trust is not available in all states. It's complicated; get an Elder Care Atty. The cost is well worth it.

Laura, by the time you might need Medicaid who knows if it will even exist, or what the requirements will be? But all any of us can do is plan based on the current situation.

It would be very worth the cost to consult an attorney specializing in Elder Law. The lawyer can help you determine the best way to provide for your child.

You go on o an attorney and set up a Miller trust. Everything dollar above the Medicaid max is placed into that trust. So, you income gets below the limit.

At the end...Medicaid get the distribution from that trust.

That is how it is done.

Each state administers the federal Medicaid program, so things may vary by state. My mom qualifies, but because her gross monthly income is about 3k, she has a large copay to the home health care agency, like about $1200 a month. She had already put her house in some kind of a trust back in 2002, so they can't touch that.

I am in the same boat as you. I am currently trying to find a senior lawyer who can help me. Mom who is 96 was just admitted to a rehab nursing facility. She has been uncooperative and caused a terrible disturbance yesterday. They told me they may have to Baker Act her and confine her to a full time nursing facility. This takes any rights Mom might have, away from her. I will have no say in the matter. Her insurance will pay for the first twenty days in rehab, but that's it. From there on it's a $150 a day co-pay. I will end up homeless, if I can't find some loophole in the law. I never separated her finances from mine, and theres not that much.