Memory care wants a guarantor. Any insight?

Yes, exactly as you said SHE is the guarantor and if she is unable to sign you sign for her as her POA. If you have to prove her ability to pay it’s worth the work!

Hard no… sign refuse

Do NOT sign your name as a guarantor. I had 22 pages of documents to fill out and refused to sign as guarantor. They tried to tell me it was "just a formality" but when I said I wasn't going to sign it they said Mom couldn't move in. Mom has more money than I have and I worked by butt off since 14 buying all things that weren't food or medicine. Plus she is a difficult person. I asked them if she didn't have children but had the amount of money she has, would she be admitted? The director said yes. So why do I have to sign as guarantor? The director said he'd have to call the home office and ask their attorney. The attorney said she could be admitted without a guarantor and just for me to write "refused" in the guarantor signature box. After all the years of bending over backwards to help this critical, mean-spirited, demanding, manipulative woman who never helped her parents there was NO WAY I was ever going to guarantee that I'd pay for her bills.

LostNiece2022: YOU never use your own financials for your aunt. That is her financial responsibility.

Sounds like it works pretty much like an apartment rental: you provide proof of income so they know you can pay. Most ask for first and last month rent (and deposit for damages). They may ask about liquid assets like bank accounts so they have an idea of how long her money will be able to pay the monthly fee. (I would say that's probably there so they have a good idea of when to start the process of applying for a Medicaid bed if she outlives her savings or if the monthly income is less than what they charge for MC)

I would definitely ask an elder attorney before signing the document so there is no chance your signature (even on behalf of her as the POS) indicates you would be liable for any of the monthly cost for her that is left unpaid.

NEVER sign anything that you are uncomfortable with, without advice from a good lawyer

Don’t sign!!! Talk to an elder lawyer about MC using the aunt’s assets and when used up, letting Medicaid take over.

If you're EVER uncomfortable signing anything - particularly legal or financial documents - you should trust that gut instinct and not sign it. Ask for written clarification. Once you sign, you are legally on the hook.

I'm very glad you read the documents before you signed them. So many people don't.

No, your should not guarantee anything. It is up to your Aunt's estate to pay so long as she can. Then she will be on medicaid and likely down to nursing home care. Tell them she can only stay so long as her funds last; she will be moving when they don't. I think it is fine if aunt gives the one month deposit, and that sounds normal, and yes, they often want proof of your assets. I see no reason not to provide that info as you are POA. For my brother I said simply to them "You are looking at about a million on the hoof" and said it right in front of him; we all laughed and of course he was in as they WANTED that million! Memory care is very costly. They have a right to know they are not putting in someone with no assets who will move on to nursing home care in a few months. When you sign ANYTHING for her you sign her name and then the words "by (your name" as POA or as POA in fact. Never sign you name without putting in "as POA".

They need to know how the rent will be paid, so yes, you'll need to show that.

Consider it akin to a credit check when you rent an apartment.