Your question is important, and requires that you review the list of government agencies and other third parties that your mother may have to deal with now and in the future.
If your mother needs Medicaid to pay for home care, or care in a facility, the Medicaid agency in your state will ask whether your mother intends to stay in your state. Talk with an elder law attorney now, so you understand the regulations.
Since your mother owns property in another state, you need to know how the property owner's residency affects taxation of property and assets that may end up in her estate. Again, talking with an elder law attorney who understands multi-state income and estate taxation, will help you make good decisions.
If you need authority to manage affairs during your Mother's lifetime or after death, time lines of residency (length of time in months or years) apply to determine which state laws and courts can designate you as the person with authority to manage and make decisions, if there is disagreement with your sister.
Other factors may apply to your mother's care and circumstances. Talking to an elder law attorney in your state can bring those to light.
It seems like she is a resident of your state, if she is living there. Does she own a house in another state? I would say that if she intends to vote she should register now. Has she officially changed her address? If she has a driver's license or an identification card? If she is going to permanently reside with you, she'll that in your state. To use benefits that your state may offer I imagine she must be a resident.
Can you explain a little more what you mean and why you are asking this?
It is important due to health insurance requirements. You can get an I.D. at the D M V with the corrected address. Discount or free to seniors. Social Security address must also be changed per their requirements. An official legal address is needed to open a bank account locally-I believe.
zdbrad, I am curious why your Mom is hanging onto her home? Does someone live there? Or is it vacant?
If the house is vacant, then there is the cost of utilities, property taxes, outside maintenance, inside maintenance such as the toilets and sinks need to be run once a week unless the plumbing has been winterized. And hopefully Mom is paying for this, not your sister.
And the biggy if the house is vacant, I hope Mom had called her homeowner's carrier to tell them the house is vacant. That will result in much higher homeowner premium costs and maybe a search for a new insurance carrier. If something happens to the house and the carrier didn't know it was vacant, the carrier could refuse to pay for repairs.
ZDbrad - the house is going to be a millstone, unless there is something about it to warrant mom keeping it and her/you paying all costs. KY to CA that's quite a drive.
To me, you need to have mom make a firm decision on the house and find out just what is going on with the house with upkeep.
Freqflyer is spot on regarding the insurance. My mom continued to own her home till she died in a NH. Homeowners policy will be void and property will need a vacant dwelling policy. WHich is basically just a fire policy, no contents and done by independent insurance agent. Triple old policy. If property looks vacant and not maintained, the underwriter will decline to insure. If Sissy is living there, it would need a rental property policy and those too are speciality underwriting.
Sendhelp is spot on about "a foray to Zillow"; add Trulia & Redfin too. You can "travel" the street too and some will have the date of recording.
If you do not have a current tax assessor bill for the property, you should get one. This is somewhat sticky in that you kinda don't want assessor to know she has moved as it goes off homestead exemption. It will come up eventually but you want to put it off. Taxes likely will skyrocket. I'd suggest you call assessors office and say your mom's dpoa, don't mention she's in CA and you want a copy of the last tax bill sent or emailed to you so you can better plan her finances. Be nice, sound overwhelmed and I'd bet they email it. If its delinquent for property taxes, they will tell you. Then from that you go on-line to property records using the parcel # or PPIN to locate and pay for downloads on all the recordings on the property. Most county courthouses do this all on line for a nominal fee (like $ 8.00 for a warranty deed). You will need the paper trail if mom should sell the property or need to apply for CA Medicaid later on (the value of the property would be a figure in her spend-down). I'd be concerned that either Sissy has recorded herself into ownership & if so, it will be there OR it has gone to property tax sale for the past year (payable but with hefty fines).
If mom is living in CA, then you can get a new DPOA, MPOA done naming you. Be sure to get her bank account with her as the owner but you as a signature and then all accounts to be POD (pay on death) to you as well. Whatever you do…. do not commingle any of her funds and yours.
Also regarding utilities, my suggestion is to try to get the bills done on-line. You help mom to register for access, leave it going where it is and then look to see payment history. My experience in dealing with my mom's house is that utility companies are either super helpful or act like its the Treaty of Versailles to do anything and won't recognize a DPOA that's out of state.
if you need boots on ground, try to reconnect with someone from your high school class. There's gonna be someone who could run by and take photos and email to you. Good luck and let us know what happens with Sissy.
Thank you both very much. My mother came for a two week visit almost a year ago and while she was here, my sister (who lives close to her in KY and has been her support, then caretaker) told me she had decided my mother would stay with me for 6 months. It meant alot of scrambling for me to figure out how to get her meds, get a doctor, what things I needed to follow up with for her care, but i have been able to figure things out. Now, my mom has decided to stay out here in CA (she's from KY) with me and I'm just not sure what things we need to do. Her Social Security has been changed to come out here to her new bank account. We recently ordered a copy of her birth cert because I was told our DMV required that for a CA ID card. She does own a house in Ky. Her mail currently goes to my sister and i have not changed her addr with the USPS... my sister still has control of her finances (except for the social security check) and i'm guessing (hoping) is taking care of her taxes and bills for the house my mom owns but hasn't lived in for a couple of years. Unfortunately it's not an easy situation because there is not good communication with my sister.
Ideally, these things are done in cooperation and in communication with your mother and sister, who is her acting POA. Of course, I am proud of you for taking care of things for your Mom, taking care of business. Does sister know Mom's check will be going to your address? Does sister know she is staying with you? Do you know if sister can manage Mom's house financially without her SS check? What is the other source of funds, will you be taking over that too? Is Mom competent enough to give you P.O.A., and medical P.O.A.? Is Mom's house for sale? Change her address in the absence of good information/good communication.
You did well so far....Remember, all SS check must go for Mom's needs, don't mix your funds with hers.
Now, take a little foray online zillow, and see if Mom's house is for sale. Did sister even explain why Mom came to you?
Keeping tabs on Mom's money after ONE YEAR!, can you retrieve Mom's SS funds from Sister in KY, retroactively for that year, for when Mom was with you, at least.
Sarcasm here: I just love how families get away with financial fraud by not giving the facts to the new caregiver(s). It's "I dunno", or no communication. Have you been scammed by sis?
If your mother needs Medicaid to pay for home care, or care in a facility, the Medicaid agency in your state will ask whether your mother intends to stay in your state. Talk with an elder law attorney now, so you understand the regulations.
Since your mother owns property in another state, you need to know how the property owner's residency affects taxation of property and assets that may end up in her estate. Again, talking with an elder law attorney who understands multi-state income and estate taxation, will help you make good decisions.
If you need authority to manage affairs during your Mother's lifetime or after death, time lines of residency (length of time in months or years) apply to determine which state laws and courts can designate you as the person with authority to manage and make decisions, if there is disagreement with your sister.
Other factors may apply to your mother's care and circumstances. Talking to an elder law attorney in your state can bring those to light.
Can you explain a little more what you mean and why you are asking this?
D M V with the corrected address. Discount or free to seniors.
Social Security address must also be changed per their requirements.
An official legal address is needed to open a bank account locally-I believe.
If the house is vacant, then there is the cost of utilities, property taxes, outside maintenance, inside maintenance such as the toilets and sinks need to be run once a week unless the plumbing has been winterized. And hopefully Mom is paying for this, not your sister.
And the biggy if the house is vacant, I hope Mom had called her homeowner's carrier to tell them the house is vacant. That will result in much higher homeowner premium costs and maybe a search for a new insurance carrier. If something happens to the house and the carrier didn't know it was vacant, the carrier could refuse to pay for repairs.
To me, you need to have mom make a firm decision on the house and find out just what is going on with the house with upkeep.
Freqflyer is spot on regarding the insurance. My mom continued to own her home till she died in a NH. Homeowners policy will be void and property will need a vacant dwelling policy. WHich is basically just a fire policy, no contents and done by independent insurance agent. Triple old policy. If property looks vacant and not maintained, the underwriter will decline to insure. If Sissy is living there, it would need a rental property policy and those too are speciality underwriting.
Sendhelp is spot on about "a foray to Zillow"; add Trulia & Redfin too. You can "travel" the street too and some will have the date of recording.
If you do not have a current tax assessor bill for the property, you should get one. This is somewhat sticky in that you kinda don't want assessor to know she has moved as it goes off homestead exemption. It will come up eventually but you want to put it off. Taxes likely will skyrocket. I'd suggest you call assessors office and say your mom's dpoa, don't mention she's in CA and you want a copy of the last tax bill sent or emailed to you so you can better plan her finances. Be nice, sound overwhelmed and I'd bet they email it. If its delinquent for property taxes, they will tell you. Then from that you go on-line to property records using the parcel # or PPIN to locate and pay for downloads on all the recordings on the property. Most county courthouses do this all on line for a nominal fee (like $ 8.00 for a warranty deed). You will need the paper trail if mom should sell the property or need to apply for CA Medicaid later on (the value of the property would be a figure in her spend-down). I'd be concerned that either Sissy has recorded herself into ownership & if so, it will be there OR it has gone to property tax sale for the past year (payable but with hefty fines).
If mom is living in CA, then you can get a new DPOA, MPOA done naming you. Be sure to get her bank account with her as the owner but you as a signature and then all accounts to be POD (pay on death) to you as well.
Whatever you do…. do not commingle any of her funds and yours.
Also regarding utilities, my suggestion is to try to get the bills done on-line. You help mom to register for access, leave it going where it is and then look to see payment history. My experience in dealing with my mom's house is that utility companies are either super helpful or act like its the Treaty of Versailles to do anything and won't recognize a DPOA that's out of state.
if you need boots on ground, try to reconnect with someone from your high school class. There's gonna be someone who could run by and take photos and email to you. Good luck and let us know what happens with Sissy.
She does own a house in Ky. Her mail currently goes to my sister and i have not changed her addr with the USPS... my sister still has control of her finances (except for the social security check) and i'm guessing (hoping) is taking care of her taxes and bills for the house my mom owns but hasn't lived in for a couple of years.
Unfortunately it's not an easy situation because there is not good communication with my sister.
Of course, I am proud of you for taking care of things for your Mom, taking care of business. Does sister know Mom's check will be going to your address? Does sister know she is staying with you?
Do you know if sister can manage Mom's house financially without her SS check? What is the other source of funds, will you be taking over that too?
Is Mom competent enough to give you P.O.A., and medical P.O.A.?
Is Mom's house for sale?
Change her address in the absence of good information/good communication.
You did well so far....Remember, all SS check must go for Mom's needs, don't mix your funds with hers.
Now, take a little foray online zillow, and see if Mom's house is for sale.
Did sister even explain why Mom came to you?
Keeping tabs on Mom's money after ONE YEAR!, can you retrieve Mom's SS funds from Sister in KY, retroactively for that year, for when Mom was with you, at least.
Sarcasm here: I just love how families get away with financial fraud by not giving the facts to the new caregiver(s). It's "I dunno", or no communication.
Have you been scammed by sis?