Tag Archive for: nursing home poverty

Avoid Probate – Save Taxes – Help The Kids

Traditional Estate Planning Means Nursing Home Poverty

Ever been on an airplane? You remember. Aluminum thing with wings. Like a city bus, but less comfortable. Sure, it was a long time ago. Before COVID. Distant memory. Return with us now to the thrilling days of yesteryear…

Who could forget the flight attendant safety talk? Cabin dark and filled with smoke? Simply follow the blinking lights as you crawl on the floor! Water landing? Your seat cushion is a “floatation device.” “Sudden loss of cabin pressure”? Oxygen masks pop out from the ceiling. Good times.

We all remember what the flight attendant (do not call her a stewardess!) told us to do with those masks, right? You put your own mask on first. Not grandma’s. Not the kids’. You first! Gee, that sounds rather selfish. Lookin’ out for ole Number One, eh? So self-centered!

Why take care of you first? Pretty obvious, isn’t it?

If you are unconscious and turning blue, you are not much good to anyone. You are a problem. Not a solution. You must take care of yourself before you can care for others. Including those you love. Neglect yourself and you become a burden. A nuisance. Or worse.

Big Problem Is Not When You Are Dead

Traditional estate planning is all about what happens after you die. Focused on the kids or beneficiaries. Who gets your leftover stuff? Who pays the bills? Can we stay out of probate court? Please. How do we clean up the mess now that you have crossed over the Great Divide?

You are smart to think about these things. An inheritance can be a blessing. Thanks, Mom & Dad! Good, solid death planning makes sense. Sadly. All too often. An inheritance is a curse.

Why let the kids or beneficiaries wonder about what you wanted?

Failing to plan is planning to fail. Confusion, uncertainty, conflict. Families fight and fall apart. Certainty, clarity, confidence. Families bond closer than ever. As Matthew wrote (5:37): “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” Good estate planning advice!

You should plan for your death. Nobody wants to, naturally But death planning is a good and generous thing… a considerate gift to the next generation. On the other hand, what if you neglect your death plan? What is the worst that can happen?

Well. One way or another, your survivors will figure out what to do with your earthly remains. Cremation or Casket? In a Mausoleum or on the Mantel? Bagpipers or the Chippendale Dancers? Fancy Funeral Lunch or McDonald’s Gift Cards? Big Production or No Publicity?

Your leftover stuff… someone will get it. Maybe take years. Bitter battles. Maybe go quickly. Everybody happy. Who knows?

Aretha Franklin had about 80 million dollars when she died recently. And a woefully inadequate estate plan. Her sons are still squabbling. But you know, she is safely in the ground. Taxes, government, lawyers… all got more than their fair share. But her sons did get millions.

Your kids will figure out what to do with your Precious Moments, Hummels, and workshop tools. Takes longer. More expensive. Family feud. But sooner or later those loose ends will get wrapped up and life will go on… And you won’t be there to see it. Thank goodness.

Trouble Comes When You Are Still Alive

LifePlanning™ is all about you. Now. While you are still among the living. How could your continued life be a problem? You are the one who fixes things. Does the hard stuff. Big Trouble?

Right now, you are caring for yourself. Maybe caring for your spouse, too. Or another family member. You worked. You saved. You planned for your retirement. You did all the good things and you have not been disappointed. Until…

Federal government says that if you are 65 years old, you have a 70% chance of needing skilled long-term care services. As you get older, the chance of needing services goes up. Anybody surprised? They say you will need those services for about 3 years, on average. But a big chunk of us will need services for more than 5 years. See for yourself: www.longtermcare.gov.

By the way, this is why most folks die broke. Why don’t most families have to worry about inheritances? Nursing Home Poverty, that’s why. Most families are simply swamped by long-term care costs. Sell the cottage. Liquidate the savings. Cash in the CDs, mutual funds, IRAs, annuities. Quick, quick, quick. And it does not have to be that way.

America pays for long-term care through the Medicaid program. Simple as that. You have not saved enough to pay $30/hour for at-home care. How long can you pay $12,000/month for institutional skilled care? Or $10,000/month. Or $7500/month for assisted living memory care?

Sure, you can do it for a while. And then the savings are exhausted. So is your family. And then you get the “government solution:” Medicaid.

What if you plan ahead so that you get some payback on the tax dollars you have paid in? With every paycheck, every tax withholding, you have been paying in. And yet. If you were frugal, if you saved, if you paid your bills, if you honored your debts… you get nothing until you are flat, busted, broke.

What if you lived in debt? Always refinancing the house. Pulling every nickel of equity out to spend on whatever struck your fancy? You get credit card advertisements all the time. What if you took those cards and ran ‘em up? With no intention of ever paying? Do you know anyone doing such things? Of course you do. We all do. Maybe even in your own family.

The person who spends and spends and spends… without saving. Borrows and borrows and borrows… then defaults. Lives the high life. Always the new car or truck. Always on the razor’s edge. Well, our system rewards people like that. Long-term care for those folks is free. Right now. No problem. Right this way, your table’s waiting! But not for you…

For you… different story! You were foolish. Unwise. You worked and saved. You planned ahead. You said NO! to dependence. And when you or your loved one needs long-term care, now your security is sacrificed. You weren’t saving for your golden years, grandchildren’s tuition, that once-in-a-lifetime trip or cruise. Oh no. You were saving for long-term care. So that you could get the lowest level of care, go broke, and then get the government solution, Medicaid.

LifePlanning™ is not about getting any special deals. You will not game the system. You will not take unfair advantage. Let the grifters grift. That is not you.

LifePlanning™ is all about fundamental fairness. You don’t want a special deal, all you want is the same deal that guy is getting. Why does the system penalize people like you? Most folks just want a fair shake. But people like you get played for chumps. Sure you paid in. Just keep on paying. You thought maybe “they” were looking out for you? Nope. Look around. Smell the coffee.

What Can You Do?

LifePlanning™ keeps the American Dream alive. LifePlanning™ rejects Nursing Home Poverty. LifePlanning™ preserves your hard- earned dollars to serve your spouse, you, and the next generations. You earned it. You paid in. You did the right things.

And now they want you broke. Dispirited. Discredited. Dependent. Why do they want you a beggar? Because beggars are easier to please.

Must you go broke? Can you preserve what you have earned, protect what you value? Yes, you can. LifePlanning™ preserves your savings. LifePlanning™ does not create wealth, you did that. I know it wasn’t easy. LifePlanning™ makes the rules work for people who play by the rules. That is you.

Maybe thousands of LifePlanning™ Michigan families are wrong. Perhaps the thousands who have received long-term care benefits while preserving their life’s work are mistaken. It is possible that you just want to surrender. Give up. Wave the white flag. That is OK. Personal Choice.

Or maybe the hundreds of millions in homes, farms, and other assets protected by LifePlanning™ Michigan families will preserve and strengthen our middle-class values. For you. For the next generation.

Think about it? Not enough. Those who wish to tear down America are acting. So should you. Find out how. Ask questions. Get answers. LifePlanning™ Workshops are available on-line and in person. Don’t look back with regret. Face the future with hope and confidence.

Here’s how you start:

1. Call 1-800-317-2812.
2. Get the next LifePlanning™ Workshop.

Easy. See you there!

(Note: Not Legal Advice!)

“What can I do to protect a property transferred via quit claim deed 2 years prior to entering assisted living from Medicaid?”

Two years ago, my father transferred a family property… to me via quitclaim deed. Currently no one resides there. He may be entering assisted living and it’s my understanding Medicaid can seize property within five years of transfer for estate recovery… Are there any steps that I can take prior to him entering assisted living to protect the house? He does currently own a… primary residence.

The Answer Is: It is complicated, but there are things you can do.

Divestment Definition & Dilemma

Dad deeding the “family property” to you was “divestment.” Divestment is the “transfer of a resource for less than fair market value.” Dad must report all divestments that were made within 60 months (that’s 5 years) before applying for Medicaid. If Dad gave stuff away in the 60 months before applying for Medicaid, Medicaid will impose a Penalty Period.

Penalty Period Pain

Here is how the Penalty Period works. Medicaid says that for every $9000 Dad gave away, Medicaid imposes a one-month penalty. In other words, Medicaid will not pay for Dad’s long-term care for a month for each $9000 Dad gave away. The Penalty Period, however, does not begin until Dad is broke and in long-term care.

What It All Means

If the “family property” that Dad gave you is worth $90,000, the Penalty Period will be 10 months long. The 10 months begins when Dad has no more money ($2000) AND Dad is in long-term care. Medicaid will not pay Dad’s bill. Dad has the Homestead, but no money. The bill does not get paid.

Nursing Homes do not like to not getting paid. Nursing Homes sue people who do not pay them. Nursing Home sues Dad. Dad sells Homestead. Now Dad has cash to pay the nursing home bill.

Dad spends all his cash. Now Dad has no money. But Dad still has a PENALTY PERIOD! Medicaid still will not pay. Nursing Home still does not like to not get paid. Nursing Home sues Dad again. Now Dad has nothing.

Nursing Home sues you. If Dad had not given the “family property” to you, Dad could have sold it to pay his bill. Giving the property to you is called a “fraudulent transfer.” Ugly name, ugly result. You sell the property and turn the cash over to the nursing home.

When this cash runs out… Dad still has a Penalty Period! But too bad, so sad for the nursing home now, because Dad has been drained dry.

Let’s rewind the clock…

Solution #1: PACE TO THE RESCUE

Dad is still at home. Situation is not yet desperate. Is it possible for Dad to remain at home, if he received a certain amount of care?

Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (“PACE”) might be the solution. PACE is Medicaid. PACE is administered by private organizations that manage the government/Medicaid dollars to keep your loved one at home. PACE does not provide 24/7/365 round-the-clock nursing care. But PACE enables thousands of folks to stay at home. Folks who would otherwise be in skilled nursing or assisted living.

REALLY GOOD NEWS ABOUT PACE: Right now, until further notice, PACE does not care about divestments. There is no Penalty Period. Dad keeps the Homestead. You keep the “family property.” Nursing Home gets paid by Medicaid. We all join hands… “I’d like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony…”

Solution #2: PAY THROUGH THE PENALTY PERIOD

This gets a bit complicated. Medicaid pays when Dad has no money. Medicaid says that income is not money. Medicaid says that certain payments received from certain annuities is income.

Dad still has a 10-month Penalty Period. But what if Dad has some cash? Like $90,000 of cash? Now he can pay for 10 months. But if he has cash, then he is not broke. If he is not broke, the Penalty Period does not begin.

We put the cash into the certain kind of annuity. That pays a certain amount in a certain way. When we do this, Dad is broke. Dad has no money. But Dad does have enough INCOME to pay the Nursing Home through the Penalty Period. At the end of the 10- month Penalty Period, the annuity is empty. And there is no more Penalty Period.
You keep the “family property”. Dad keeps his Homestead. Nursing Home gets paid. We all join hands… “I’d like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony…”

SOLUTION #3: LIST THE FAMILY PROPERTY FOR SALE
I just spent an hour and a half trying to write up this strategy in a way that does not lead to total confusion. I cannot do it. Suffice to say that there is a third strategy. The third way does work. I am happy to explain it in person. But I cannot make it fit on this page.

Call me! I will explain it. We all join hands… “I’d like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony…”

Simple Solutions To Complex Conundrums

Everybody wants a simple solution. So, do I. But that’s not always possible. The bad news is that we cannot make this stuff easy. The good news is that we can make it easy for you.

You Choose!

Applying for benefits does not mean Nursing Home Poverty or silly Spend Down. Learn how to preserve your loved one’s lifesavings, business, cottage, life insurance. Thousands of middle-class families have learned and use these techniques. Why not yours?

Got Questions? Get Answers!

GET ANSWERS NOW… THE CALL THAT CHANGES YOUR LIFE…
COME TO A WORKSHOP OR ATTEND A LIVE WEBINAR FROM HOME…
(800) 317-2812

You are tired. Caring for a loved one with dementia is no joke. You are worried. Where is the money going to come from? Lifesavings almost exhausted. Maybe a home equity line of credit… maybe credit cards… how long can I keep putting one foot in front of the other? What to do? So many people saying so many different things… Take a break with the newspaper… Boring… What does any of this have to do with me? Nothing but bad news anyway… Maybe that lawyer guy always yapping about nursing homes and such has something to say…

Emergency Rules Effective “Until Further Notice”

April 1st Cut-Off Rescinded! Free At-Home Care For Middle Class Taxpayers

Nobody Wants To Be Institutionalized:

Basic Facts
Thirty-nine years as an attorney. Thirty-one years focused on estate planning and elder law. Helping thousands of families deal with Alzheimer’s, Lewy Body, Parkinson’s, ALS… Watching Dad cope with Mom’s vascular dementia and death. One year of pandemic lockdown. One year of unnecessary death. By “Executive Order.” Here is what I see:

Great! 40 years of ignoring regular folks…
Big shot lawyer-guy… What do they know?
What does he care?

Fact #1: Your husband, wife, mom, or dad does not want institutional care. Neither do you. You want to stay home. So do they.
Fact #2: Institutional Care is COVID-19 deadly. How deadly? Very. At least 70 times greater. But cooked books in New York means we do not know just how deadly.
Fact #3 Institutional Care is Expensive. Assisted Living is $4000-$6000 per month. Nursing Home is $10,0000-$15,000 per month.
Fact #4: Your family is going broke. Nursing Home Poverty.
Fact #5: Medicaid pays when you are broke. Busted. Played out. Sell the cottage. Cash in the CDs. Spend the savings. When your lifesavings are gone, you can share a room. Get a shower a week (whether you need it or not). Experience the adventure of group laundry. Listen to your roommate practice his Tiny Tim impression, Tiptoeing Through the Tulips. At Two in the morning.
Fact #6: You want to care for your loved one. “Richer or Poorer, Sickness or Health, Good times and Bad” “Honor your Father and Mother.” You take this family responsibility stuff seriously.
Fact #7: Caring for you will kill your spouse. Break up your kid’s marriage. Caring for your spouse will kill you. Caregivers die first 40-50% of the time.
Fact #8: You can fix all of this. It will not cost you your lifesavings. Or your home. Or the cottage. Or your business.
Fact #9: Most folks would rather suffer the consequences than call 800-317-2812. Or take any other positive action.
Fact #10: Refusing the help you have paid for with your taxes. That is the tragedy.

Sounds wonderful! Sure. What does that guy know about tragedy? That stuff never works anyway. Not for us. We just pay and pay.
Promises, Promises, I’m all through with promises, promises now… One foot in front of the other… It is getting worse…
Doesn’t recognize the kids anymore… Hardly knows who I am… But I can do this! It’ll be OK… Somehow.

You Need Help. But. The Care Is Too Damn Expensive!

Yes. Yes, it is. Care is expensive. Caregivers are difficult to find. The work is hard. The hours are long.
Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) is the answer.

You or your loved one is safe at home, with family support. But you need care. Maybe not a lot, but more than a little. Just enough to keep you at home. That is where PACE comes in.

Compared to traditional, institutional care, PACE is a bargain. Much less expense. Meeting the need. Not so expensive. For the government. PACE is free to you.

Now: Expanded Eligibility

PACE is a privately run program. Paid for with your tax dollars. The tax dollars you contributed while working. The tax dollars that come out of every Social Security and pension check and IRA/401(k) distribution you receive. You have earned PACE.

But you must qualify. Maybe you have been told to sell the cottage. Or the farm. Or the hunting property. Maybe you have been told to “spend down.” No more CDs for you! Cash in those stocks and bonds. No security. Not for you. Not for your spouse. Not for your family. But…

Last year we reported good news about PACE. Emergency Rules. Eligibility expanded for thousands more families. Keep your life savings, cottage, farm, rental properties, business. Poverty is no longer required… provided you follow the complex rules. Care services are free. Keep your income. No co-pay. No doughnut hole. No other contribution.

Last year the State of Michigan said the special rules would expire in June. Then the State of Michigan said the COVID rules would expire in November. Then the State of Michigan said the emergency rules would expire in April. Getting dizzy yet?

Last week, the State of Michigan changed its mind again. Remember, these expanded rules have saved thousands of middle-class families like yours from nursing home poverty. Well, the State of Michigan said that these very beneficial rules would remain in effect, “UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE”!

Many Michigan families have already acted on this information. They are securing at-home care for their loved ones. PACE keeps them safe from the deadly COVID-19 virus stalking long-term care facilities.

Just like the government… keep changing things.
Do it this way, do it that way… Masks are awful… Masks are great… Six feet distance… Three feet distance…
Even if I try to go for that PACE thing, they’ll just change the rules again and we’ll be really be up a creek…
Still, might be nice to get some help… Wakes me up at all hours… Just wandering through the house…
How much more can I take? One foot in front of the other… So lonely…

Healthy Skepticism Or Deadly Doubt?

Many more families could benefit. But tragically, they cannot believe it is possible. Healthy skepticism hardens into stubborn rejection. Everyone suffers. Clinging to the idea that it is “too good to be true” or “fake news”? Pitiful. I’ve spoken to some folks who were uncertain and suspicious. Accurate information and proof beat unfounded fears every day. Fact: You do not have to accept nursing home poverty for yourself or your loved one.

Exactly… just a come-on. Fake news. Never works for real people. Can’t fool me with that too good to be true crap. What does a lawyer know about long-term care anyway? Shysters! What do they care? We won’t get fooled again…

Do You Or Your Loved One Qualify?

Answer Yes To 3 Questions:
1. Need help with activities of daily life? Memory problems? Oxygen therapy? Blindness? Dialysis? These are just a few of the many ways to qualify.
2. Are you safe at home?
3. Gross social security less than $2382? (Special rules for pension income.)

Let’s do the homework together. Most folks get large benefits. It costs nothing to find out.

Get Answers Now: 800-317-2812

Yeah, yeah… it’s dementia… Of course, we need help with daily routine… Of course, there are memory problems… not thinking straight… Still safe at home, as long as I’m around… I wish we
got that much social security! What’s a pension? “Large benefits” huh… I’m so sure… “Costs nothing” who believes that? It would be nice, though… Bah… nonsense!

Covid-19 Rule Changes Will Not Last

COVID-19 emergency rules are temporary. The benefits are permanent. When the emergency is over, these favorable rules will be gone. Of course, this may not be for you. Why not find out? Is it so bad to get back a little from the tax dollars you have paid? Call our Discovery Paralegal at 800-317-2812. Why not find out now?

Sure, it might be nice to get something back from taxes, but that is not how it works… $1400… whoop-de-do… We need real help, not window-dressing…

What Benefits Does Pace Provide?

Folks always want to know: What can PACE do for me? You have a team on your side. Your PACE team is doctors, therapists, dieticians, nurses, physician assistants, administrators. All work together to provide the best solution. Want more detail? You can receive:

ADULT DAY HEALTH CENTER
• On-Site Physician/Medical Supervision
• Nursing Care
• Physical Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Recreational Therapy
• Activities and Exercise
• Breakfast, Lunch, Snack
• Nutritional Counseling
• Social Services
• Dental Care
• Audiology
• Optometry
• Podiatry

I bet it’s a dump, full of crazy people…

Medical Specialists
• Women’s Services
• Dentistry and Dentures
• Optometry and Eyeglasses
• Audiology and Hearing Aids
• Podiatry, Diabetic Shoes and Orthotics
• Cardiology
• Rheumatology

“Medical specialists!”
I bet there a bunch of hacks and quacks…

Outpatient Services
• Lab Tests
• Radiology
• X-Rays
• Outpatient Surgery

Sure, x-ray machine from when LBJ was president…
Surgery with rusty knives, I bet ya…

Primary Care Physician
• On call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Huh, 24/7… probably just an answering service…
I bet they “get back” to you next week, next month…

Home Health And Home Care Services
• Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living
• Physical and Occupational Therapy
• Personal Care
• Chore Services
• Meal Preparation

I bet they don’t really do all that stuff…

Inpatient Services
• Emergency Room Visits
• Hospitalizations
• Inpatient Specialist
• Skilled Inpatient Rehabilitation

I know they use the local hospital so that’s OK,
but I bet only the old, run-down parts of it…

Transportation Services

I bet they give you a used bicycle… Good Luck!

Prescriptions And Over-The-Counter Medications

I heard they have their own pharmacy… No co-pays. No record-keeping. No neighbor kids stealing our drugs off the front porch. Huh. Well, I bet there’s something wrong with it!

Family/Caregiver Support Services
• Respite Care and Caregiver Education

Rehab And Durable Medical Equipment
• Wheelchairs
• Walkers
• Oxygen
• Hospital Beds
• Diabetic Testing Supplies
• Adult Day Care

The Smiths used PACE…
they got brand-new equipment. Top notch stuff.
I bet that would not work for us…

What You Need To Do Now… While There Is Still Time Under The Covid Rules

Get the straight story. You do not need to prepare for the call. Call as you are. Very basic questions… you already know the answers… Your loved one is counting on you. Don’t let them down. It’s simple and free. Call 800-317-2812. Your Discovery meeting and Analysis meeting are waiting for you. Get it done.

What’s that they say in the casino and lottery commercials? “If YOU have a gambling problem, call the hotline etc, etc… Maybe I’m betting too much… Maybe I’m gambling with my loved one’s health and well-being… Maybe I’m gambling with my own health and well-being… Maybe I have a “gambling” problem… What was that number again?… 800-317-2812…
Hey! Old-fashioned toll-free…

Long-term care breaks the Michigan Middle-class. Destroys your peace of mind. Throws all your best-laid plans into confusion. Intimate, family relationships are strained, sometimes to the breaking point. Couples of 50,60,70 years separated as never before. LifePlanning™ preserves your lifesavings and protects what you deeply value. Security for you and your loved ones. That is what this is all about. And I explain how in our Workshops and Webinars. Recently, however, an older gentleman challenged me. “How do I know you deliver the security you talk about? What’s your guarantee? You lawyers don’t guarantee a darn thing. Humph!” I like a challenge. And that comment got me to thinking… Why not a Guarantee? We say we deliver security, peace of mind, a solid foundation for the future. That’s what thousands of clients over the last 31 years have said, too. But why not a GUARANTEE? So here is our totally scientific, iron-clad, super-duper paratrooper, no bones about it, tell us what you really think, Guarantee.

Peace Of Mind Is Our Stock In Trade

Sleep Like A Baby…
Walking On Sunshine
GUARANTEE
You Be The Judge!

Here’s How It Works
1. Come to a Workshop or Webinar.
2. Meet in person at one of our convenient offices or by ZOOM.
3. Working together, we devise a comprehensive LifePlanTM that meets your unique needs.
4. You retain us to implement your LifePlanTM.
5. When you take that first step on the LifePlanTM journey, each adult will receive:
a. A brand-new, FedEx-fresh from the factory, queen-size MyPillow®. Medium Firm. (Yes, these are the genuine article; the real McCoy! Accept No Substitutes!)
b. Deluxe Pillowcase(s) (Also new (what did you think?)).
6. Sleep on your new MyPillow while we draft and you review your LifePlanTM. Take careful note of the deeper, more restful and refreshing sleep you enjoy. (Is it the MyPillow or your progress to LifePlanTM security?
7. At one of our comfortable, homelike offices, your home, hospital, long-term care facility or such other place as may be convenient, create your LifePlanTM by signing a truly impressive array of documents.
8. Feel the calming waves of relief and security wash over you and your family.
9. Evaluate your sleep.
10. I GUARANTEE
a. You will enjoy peaceful sleep unlike any other ever before!
b. Your LifePlanTM Peace of Mind will beat the MyPillow, hands down!
c. The calm invigoration of your LifePlanTM will make you feel like a new person!
d. As the lines of worry and anxiety fade from your face, your family and friends will accuse you of having had plastic surgery! Wow!
11. If your LifePlanTM does not “knit up the ravelled sleeve of care” (as Shakespeare said), simply let us know. You may have your choice of:
a. An electronic metronome; or
b. A white noise machine; or
c. A box of chamomile tea bags.

Now That’s A Guarantee!

But You Can Save the Universe!

What if Estate Planning were like Star Wars? Who is the bad guy? Who is the hero? How do you win? No technicalities. All the realities. For purposes of this parody (must call it a parody for copyright purposes), we assume you are familiar with Star Wars (only the first one).

You Are Luke Skywalker

Regular folks. Working hard on the farm. Faithful to your family. Life is boring, but you have ambitions. Wanting to make things better. For yourself right now. Then for the next generation. But the evil Empire is in your way. How can you win?

Nursing Home Poverty Is The Evil Empire

You face the future. Aging and disability are out there. Real. No kidding. Bad news. Darth Vader level bad news. Most families die broke. Most folks wind up in long-term care. You do not have to worry about probate because you spent everything on at-home care, assisted living or skilled nursing. But you are not cowardly. No running away. Heroic. You are not going broke! But what to do? How to beat the bad guys?

We Are Obi-Wan Kenobi

Obi-Wan has been down this path before. Offering insight. Delivering your light saber. You have to save the day, but you are not alone. We can help, but that is all. Remember, you are the hero!

The Hero Needs A Plan… Here It Is!

Is it hard to beat the Evil Empire? To secure your lifesavings and protect your family? For a hero like you, it is super easy! Barely an inconvenience…

Every week Obi-Wan Kenobi will personally guide you along the path to victory. Sign up today for a Workshop or Webinar. Some are listed on this page. Call the Rebel Alliance directly at 800-317-2812.

Slack Off And Watch Darth Vader Take Over Your Universe

Can you afford to have the Death Star blasting laser beams at your planet? Can you afford $10,000 to $15,000 per month for skilled care? (Aren’t those the same question?)

If Darth Vader takes over, your choices are gone. No freedom for you! If your lifesavings are gone, what choices do you have? How have you provided for those you love?

With the Evil Empire in the saddle, life for future generations is bleak. If you allow Nursing Home Poverty to strike your family, who is going to help with your grandkids’ tuition? Bleak.

LifePlanning™ Is The Light Saber of Righteousness!

Luke Skywalker does not leave home without it. His light saber. LifePlanning™ is your light saber. LifePlanning™ is your arsenal to defeat Nursing Home Poverty. To preserve lifesavings. To stand up for Truth, Justice and the American Way! (That’s another hero…)

Still, you are not sure exactly what to do. As I see it, you have three options:

First Option: Same Old, Same Old

Look for an estate planning attorney. They still have Yellow Pages, don’t they? Research online. Ask your friends. Look at billboards on the highway. Call several and set up appointments. Go through the interviews. Ask questions, get fuzzy answers and pages of legal jargon. Work through that entire process to perhaps find yet another lawyer offering something similar to what you already have. Or maybe 4,5,6 lawyers offering the same old thing. Check out a few online internet services too! Sounds so easy… Then wind up back on square one. Still no peace of mind. No comprehensive plan. No security.

Second Option: Do Absolutely Nothing

Why does anyone plan their estate? Why bother spending all that time and money for a will or trust? Most people plan for peace of mind. Maybe you do not need that security. Stay exactly where you are. Getting exactly what you have always gotten. Acid indigestion. Insomnia. Migraines. Accept that what you have is as good as it gets. Suck it up, buttercup!

Third Option: Explore LifePlanning™

Give it a try. No need to give up your current plan. Just come to a LifePlanTM webinar or workshop. See what it is all about. What could you accomplish? Is it better than what you have now? Easy? Sixty minutes. At home. At one of our four locations. At your convenience. At your service!

Sure, the future is uncertain, but you are not helpless. LifePlanningTM means that your life’s work serves you. And your families or loved ones. LifePlanningTM never becomes obsolete.

Be The Hero, Save Your Universe
Get It Done In Twenty-One!

Luke was hibernating or something in 2020. A whole year of wasted opportunity. Darth Vader running rampant! Wake up… Take a stand. Be the hero! Use the Force…
Sixty minutes to personal control. Because you earned it. Avoid Nursing Home Poverty. Thousands of middle-class families have learned and use these techniques. Why not yours?

Got Questions? Get Answers!

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Is a “Pinto” Plan “Good Enough” for Your Spouse and Family? For You?

Why Don’t You Deserve “Cadillac” Planning? Is the “Cadillac” Plan Too Good for Your Spouse? Your Family? Why?

Thousands of middle-class families have used LifePlanning™ to get the peace of mind that comes from loading your family into the safest, most comfortable vehicle possible. Without thorough planning you will spend yourself into Nursing Home Poverty. You get what they feel like giving. Not what you have earned. Not what you want. Not what you deserve. With a whimper, not a bang. Quieter than a flaming fireball of dramatic death, but just as devastating. To you. To your family.

Without LifePlanning™ , you are driving a Pinto.do not have good answers to the questions. No one has your back. Maybe things will work out. Maybe you will get home today. Maybe. Why not be sure?

LifePlanning™ preserves your lifesavings. You never go broke. Your earnings serve you throughout your lifetime. And that means…

You stay home. Longer. You get the help you need, that your spouse needs. Clear-eyed. Relevant. Participating in your own care.

Long-term care is the care you need if you can’t perform daily activities on your own for an extended period of time. There are a number of different ways that long-term care can be provided. 

Most long-term care involves assisting with basic personal needs rather than providing medical care. You are usually determined to need long-term care if you need help with two or more “activities of daily living” (such as bathing, dressing, eating, and going to the bathroom). Family members usually provide long-term care to start, but as an illness escalates paid care may become necessary. 

The following are the types of long-term care:

  • Home care from family member. The most basic form of long-term care is when a family member becomes the caregiver. It can involve simple tasks like buying groceries or more complicated ones like bathing and dressing. Sometimes family members can be paid for their work.
  • Home care aide. Home care aides provide companionship and socialization and assist with meal preparation, housecleaning, laundry, shopping, and errands. They are also called homemaker or chore aides.
  • Home health care aide. Health care aides provide personal care (bathing, grooming, etc.), assist with range-of-motion exercises, provide some medically-related care (empty colostomy bags, dress dry wounds, check blood pressure, etc.), and provide assistance with housekeeping and errands. They are often referred to as personal care assistants.
  • Adult day care. Adult day care allows family members to get a respite from caregiving. In general, there are three types of centers: those that focus on social interaction, those that focus on health care, and special Alzheimer’s care centers.  
  • Assisted living facility. Assisted living facilities are a housing option for people who can still live independently but who need some assistance. Depending on the facility, that assistance may include help with meal preparation, housekeeping, medication management, bathing, dressing, transportation and some nursing care. Residents usually live on their own, in small apartments. Despite the emphasis on independence, supportive services are available 24 hours a day in order to provide different levels of help with activities of daily living. The level of medical supervision depends on the facility.
  • Nursing home. Nursing homes are the highest level of long-term care. They provide 24-hour care to residents. Staff provide help with daily activities such as feeding, dressing, and bathing along with medical care and physical, occupational, and speech therapy.

Costs for care can vary widely, from a few hundred dollars a week to pay for coverage when family members are at work to $300,000 or more a year for around-the-clock home care or care in the most expensive nursing homes, perhaps with private aides hired on the side.

Long-term care costs, whether at home, in assisted living or in a nursing home, are paid primarily from three sources: out-of-pocket, Medicaid, and long-term care insurance. Medicare, the health insurance for people over age 65, only pays for up to 100 days of skilled nursing facility care following a hospitalization, and only for so long as the patient is deemed to need skilled care. Medicaid also has options for long term care at home – the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and MI Choice Waiver.

Need help navigating this maze? The team at Carrier Law are happy to guide you!

What Comes Next Is Frequently Worse

Death Comes For Us All

Our time on this planet is limited. We do our best while we are here. To be a good spouse. A loving parent. A loyal sibling. A true American. To be able to look back on a life well-lived. You have worked hard. You played by the rules. You planned. And when you pass, there will be leftovers.

Maybe it is a loved one who has died. After the grief comes the realization that you have a big job to do. You are responsible to take care of what has been left behind.

Now what? What comes next? You have heard the stories of family strife. You “know” that this will take at least a year, probably two. You keep hearing that probate or trust administration costs will swallow up 4-10% of the leftovers. Pretty discouraging.

It does not have to be that way. Let us show you.

Will vs Trust

Wills only work in probate. A will is simply instructions to the Probate Court and the Personal Representative (Executor). Wills do not avoid probate. Did I mention that the will only works in Probate Court?

Millions of families have believed that revocable living trusts would avoid probate for them. Millions of families have been disappointed. Trusts only work on assets that have been retitled into the trust.

Attorneys, bankers, accountants, insurance agents, annuity salespersons, financial advisors, and the guy who mops the floor at the bank all know something that you do not. Everybody else knows that trusts do not work in the real world. That fact has nothing to do with the trust itself.

Trusts only work on stuff in the trust. And your stuff is not in your trust. Inconceivable!

Remember all those papers in that trust binder? All those papers you did not read? All those papers your loved one did not read either? Well, there was a memo about putting assets into the trust. Whoopsie. Say hello to probate! This is not a mistake. New estate planning lawyers are taught not to worry about funding, in reliance on probate. I wonder if the probate attorney fees have anything to do with it… Inconceivable!

Everybody knows you will not put your stuff into the trust. That is why you get a Funding Coach at the Law Offices of David L. Carrier. Someone to help you, nag you, enable you. To truly avoid probate. And nursing home poverty.

Simple will or the typical trust? Does not matter. Say hello to probate.

Delay Destroys De Family

Probate or trust administration drags on. Month after month. Family members wonder what is going on. One year. Two years. And on. Family fights fester. First, grief at mom’s death. Then, impatience. Soon, annoyance. Next, suspicion. Finally, anger.

“But our kids get along so well!” Check back 12-24 months after your death. No final resolution. No visible signs of progress. Tough? You bet. Inevitable? No way!

Git ‘Er Done! Six Months Or Less!

Preserve your family. Preserve your sanity. You do the grieving. We do the paperwork. Six months after you say “Go!”, we say “All done!” And four months of that time was required by the newspaper Notice to Unknown Creditors. Consistent communication calms kids.

Your Probate And Trust Administration Team

Attorney Terri Macklin and Senior Paralegal Lea Dillard head up your Team. Our staff accountants, paralegals, and client service agents back them all the way. Attorney Claire Clary rounds out the Team. As former executive director of Widowed Persons Services, Claire adds years of insights from helping hundreds of newly widowed persons.

Six Months! Really?

Not every time. But it is always our goal. We work hard to beat your expectations. Hundreds of times, hundreds of families, every year.

Unexpected Covid-19 Deaths Are Rising

You did not expect your loved one to pass so soon. You thought you had time. They did too. Things will get worse before they get better. Get help now.

What Now?

Preserve your family. Preserve your sanity. Call the Probate and Trust Administration Team now. It costs nothing. It could save your family. Make the rules work for the folks who play by the rules.

GET ANSWERS NOW…
CALL THE LIFEPLAN™ HOTLINE (800) 317-2812

Send Email: TMacklin@davidcarrierlaw.com

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