Can mom sell her house and use equity to buy a new home in a different state?

She can buy a home for herself. She cannot buy a home for anyone else. Nor is a good idea to have someone else's name on the house with her. She cannot gift anyone assets or cash if she wants to maintain Medicaid eligibility.

Hi Lisa! OK to sell. However if you apply for medicaid they could deny you because of the recent sale during a 3 to 5 year window. You will have to show them financial statements to prove you have no assets. If do, they will make you do a "spend down" until you reach the minimum qualifying requirements for medicaid. You will be using any monies you have for in home care or facility care until you medicaid requirements. You have to think this thru. They could put a lien on the house to prevent any sale so you could qualify.

When your mom moves to a new state it would be an excellent idea to have all her legal paperwork reviewed by an estate planning lawyer to make sure it is organized in the best way given the state's laws.

When she does this, she can ask how best to title her new property in Oregon and the relative advantages and disadvantages to possibly having you as a co owner.

If your name is on the house with mom and she or you need Medicaid in nursing home, could either of you be able to buy the other out?

Bad idea.

Thanks for the responses. I'm clearly in over my head and just grasping for straws at this point. I've posted a more general post about my moms situation which is getting worse by the day. I will keep reading and learning here and hope to be of support to others as well. Wishing peaceful days ahead for all.

lisajean, you said your Mom is getting “worse by the day”. She may have something physically wrong...has she been checked for a UTI by her doctor? How does she get to her appointments? Does one of your siblings take her? If so I would enlist their help to get her to the doctor or urgent care. The symptoms of UTI in the elderly are much different than in younger people...more confusion, possible hallucinations or delirium, general weakness.

Since you’re unable to see her right now, do any of your siblings live close to her or see her on a regular basis? Does she have a friend that could check in on her and report back to you? It’s hard to give more advice without knowing the family situation and if a move to OR would be the best solution for her/you.