Think of it this way; you are living rent free in exchange for maintaining the home. While it is still your mothers asset you have a home with whatever expenses there are because your mothers income has to go toward her living expenses. The home is in a holding pattern until your mothers death at which time you may inherit it even if the state puts a lien on it for Medicaid expenses. They will recover those at the time the home is actually sold in most cases that I know of and sometimes they don’t even do that. You may or may not get back whatever upkeep you put into it but you do get a home to live in as long as you want…as long as you can pay the expenses of course. Everyone below is rite though, states do this differently and consulting a local attorney who does estates and or elder Medicaid preparation is a very good idea.
Bridget, have you no income of your own? If not, I don't see how you can. I guess the simple answer is to get a job with 1,000s of jobs out there begging for help, but I cannot know what your own circumstances are. Are there reasons/things that preclude your getting a job. You Mom's income will now be going to pay for her nursing home. If she is on medicaid there will be clawback on her home when it becomes a part of her estate upon death. Meanwhile it is crucial that all taxes and fees and upkeep keep going.
Is mom on Medicaid? Is that how her nursing home is being paid? Or is she paying privately with her assets?
If you have lived in the home long enough, or if the home is in a trust, you can continue to live there. However, the answer to the question of how you maintain the home is that you need to have your own income. Just like anyone else needs their own income to support themselves. If you do not have sufficient income to afford living there, you will need to either find a job (or a better job) or move somewhere else that you can afford on your own.
bridgetorelief, welcome to the forum. I assume there is no mortgage on Mom's house, correct? Or does Mom have a reverse mortgage? If there is a reverse mortgage, it becomes very complicated.
You probably can't. It's her asset and if she runs out of money or has Medicaid, sooner or later the government will come knocking to get their piece of the pie.
Medicaid does not come knocking to get a piece of the home. They place a lien on it that is satisfied upon sale. If it is sold before she dies then the proceeds must be used to pay for her care and any liens that have been placed on the home.
How is Mom's Nursing Home being paid for? Is she paying for it privately or is Medicaid.
If on Medicaid Moms house is exempt for now. If you can prove you lived with her 2 years and cared for her, Medicaid may allow you to stay in the house. Also, a disabled child can live there, But in both instances, you need to be able to keep the house up. That means utilities, taxes and upkeep. If you can't do this, then the house needs to be sold at Market Value. Once sold, Medicaid stops and the proceeds from the sale gets spent down and then Medicaid applied for again. If you sell, I would say you can live there till the sale.
I so hope you are not helping to pay for her care out of your pocket. If she doesn't have the money then Medicaid can be applied for. If she can pay privately, Mass will not ask for her SS and pension. While my Mom was in an AL, her SS was used to maintain her house. Not until she was on Medicaid did I need to give it to her NH. I stopped paying taxes and my nephew who lived there paid the utilities.
Heres the rest of the question, or, the entirety of it:
About Me:
I live in the house that i grew up in, and my mother is now in long term nursing care. I don't have the extra financial needs after mass health takes her whole income to pay for her nursing home care. I will most likely have to sell her home. I need time to do that. How can I stay in the home and pay for the nursing home at the same time with no extra money ? Will the nursing home allow me to do that before they get paid ?
I believe I remember this one being asked before? Not a first posting. I think we may have failed to give this OP and answer. I surely can't think of one NOW, either.
You need to find an elder law attorney who can help you with the medicaid process. It is my understanding that if you were her caregiver (to the extent that she was kept out of long term care for a certain number of years) the home may be exempt from medicaid recovery. Nonetheless you still will need some kind of income to pay your bills, either from employment, a pension or your own savings.
You probably cannot. It would take an Elder Law attorney in your area to answer this for certain. Your Mom, if your state is like mine, has a right to keep her home and one car and still qualify for help from medicaid. But when your mother is gone, after she dies medicaid will do a clawback. Whether or not they force sale on the home is a question only a qualified attorney can answer for you. Are you disabled? We have apparently a massive upsurge in available jobs in our country and many are crying out for help, willing to train new employees and etc. I think you may be down to now job hunting, and then saving hard as you can for the time you can no longer stay in Mom's home. Meanwhile it is important that all taxes on this home are paid and that it is kept up in good condition. Wishing you luck, but we are down, I am afraid to "Get a job". Again, good luck.
Get a job. How is mom's nursing home bill being paid?
Mom's assets must be used for her care. Sell her home as is and move on. If you cared for mom in her home for more than two years the state may allow you to remain in the home. But, mom's assets cannot be used to pay bills. You have to do that. See an elder law attorney to learn your state's laws.
If not, I don't see how you can.
I guess the simple answer is to get a job with 1,000s of jobs out there begging for help, but I cannot know what your own circumstances are.
Are there reasons/things that preclude your getting a job. You Mom's income will now be going to pay for her nursing home. If she is on medicaid there will be clawback on her home when it becomes a part of her estate upon death. Meanwhile it is crucial that all taxes and fees and upkeep keep going.
If you have lived in the home long enough, or if the home is in a trust, you can continue to live there. However, the answer to the question of how you maintain the home is that you need to have your own income. Just like anyone else needs their own income to support themselves. If you do not have sufficient income to afford living there, you will need to either find a job (or a better job) or move somewhere else that you can afford on your own.
If on Medicaid Moms house is exempt for now. If you can prove you lived with her 2 years and cared for her, Medicaid may allow you to stay in the house. Also, a disabled child can live there, But in both instances, you need to be able to keep the house up. That means utilities, taxes and upkeep. If you can't do this, then the house needs to be sold at Market Value. Once sold, Medicaid stops and the proceeds from the sale gets spent down and then Medicaid applied for again. If you sell, I would say you can live there till the sale.
I so hope you are not helping to pay for her care out of your pocket. If she doesn't have the money then Medicaid can be applied for. If she can pay privately, Mass will not ask for her SS and pension. While my Mom was in an AL, her SS was used to maintain her house. Not until she was on Medicaid did I need to give it to her NH. I stopped paying taxes and my nephew who lived there paid the utilities.
About Me:
I live in the house that i grew up in, and my mother is now in long term nursing care. I don't have the extra financial
needs after mass health takes her whole income to pay for her nursing home care. I will most likely have to sell her home. I need time to do that. How can I stay in the home and pay for the nursing home at the same time with no extra money ? Will the nursing home allow me to do that before they get paid ?
Your Mom, if your state is like mine, has a right to keep her home and one car and still qualify for help from medicaid. But when your mother is gone, after she dies medicaid will do a clawback. Whether or not they force sale on the home is a question only a qualified attorney can answer for you.
Are you disabled? We have apparently a massive upsurge in available jobs in our country and many are crying out for help, willing to train new employees and etc. I think you may be down to now job hunting, and then saving hard as you can for the time you can no longer stay in Mom's home. Meanwhile it is important that all taxes on this home are paid and that it is kept up in good condition.
Wishing you luck, but we are down, I am afraid to "Get a job". Again, good luck.
Mom's assets must be used for her care. Sell her home as is and move on. If you cared for mom in her home for more than two years the state may allow you to remain in the home. But, mom's assets cannot be used to pay bills. You have to do that. See an elder law attorney to learn your state's laws.