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New York Long-Term Care Planning Lawyer
You've worked hard to give your family financial stability, and you want your savings to bring you all a better life. Perhaps you plan to pay for a grandchild's educational costs or travel the world with your spouse. Don't let the looming costs of possible long-term care get in the way.
Schedule An Appointment with a Long-Term Care Planning Attorney
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As you plan your estate, the potential need for long-term care is one of the most challenging variables.
If your health declines, you may require the care provided in a skilled nursing facility or by a dedicated medical professional in your home. It is hard to predict whether or not you will ever need such care, but if you do need it, the cost can be enormous.
Long-term care costs are skyrocketing; a single year in a New York nursing home can cost as much as $200,000. Medical advances have improved life expectancy, but they've also increased the average chance that people will require long-term care in their lifetimes.
Fortunately, with the help of one of our long term care planning lawyers, there are ways to plan for the potential need while still protecting your family's assets.
Regardless of your current state of health, you cannot safely ignore long-term care considerations when you make legal and financial plans to enjoy your retirement and leave a legacy to your heirs.
Many families rely on Medicaid for long-term care, as it is the only publicly funded option available. However, there are strict income and asset limits for Medicaid eligibility.
In 2019, only individuals with less than $15,450 in countable assets qualify. As a result, it is often necessary for families to spend down a certain amount of their resources on qualifying medical expenses in order to reach the Medicaid eligibility limits.
People interpret this requirement to mean that they must pay for all their care themselves or spend all of their savings down to the poverty line before they can qualify.
That is simply not true. You should never pay for healthcare that could be covered under Medicaid. Certain assets are exempt from the limits, and other assets can be protected through the use of trusts. Spousal refusal, trusts, gifting programs and other choices can help.
However, protecting your family's wealth is not simply a matter of transferring assets to another family member. Medicaid has a "look-back" period prior to the application, where certain transfers of assets will be subject to a penalty. An expert long term care planning attorney can help you protect what you've earned for your family while navigating the twisting paths of options.
There are a number of strategies you can use to take the best advantage of your right to public benefits while protecting your family's wealth.
- Approximately 1 in 3 people turning 65 will need care at a skilled nursing facility at some point in their lives.
- Six in 10 nursing home residents are covered by Medicaid.
- It is important to plan ahead and transfer needed assets early to avoid the five year "look-back" period.
- The key factors are to prepare well ahead of time, and to take advantage of the assistance of an experienced elder law attorney.
- Approximately 1 in 3 people turning 65 will need care at a skilled nursing facility at some point in their lives.
- Six in 10 nursing home residents are covered by Medicaid.
- It is important to plan ahead and transfer needed assets early to avoid the five year "look-back" period.
- The key factors are to prepare well ahead of time, and to take advantage of the assistance of an experienced elder law attorney.
Some families pay for costs their plan could cover, overpaying by thousands in just a few years. Others buy more coverage than is sensible for their situations, losing more than they gain in the process.
Sometimes, the cost of certain coverage can be prohibitively high or does not promise enough care to justify the expense at all. We can offer a steady, helping hand and an expert perspective to protect your health and your assets at the same time.
At Littman Krooks, our long-term care lawyers understand that every family has different needs, and we stand ready to help you accomplish your family's unique long-term care planning goals.
We also take our services beyond insurance policies. By bringing all elements of your planning together, we can protect your family from gaps, changes and overlaps in individual parts.
- Littman Krooks works with financial planning partners who can help you assess your investment needs.
- All of our services are provided in the context of what you have expressed as your overall goals for you and your family.
- Littman Krooks works with financial planning partners who can help you assess your investment needs.
- All of our services are provided in the context of what you have expressed as your overall goals for you and your family.
Call A Long-Term Care Planning Attorney Today:
(914) 684-2100
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Littman Krooks LLP combines extensive legal knowledge and expertise with individual attention to your needs. For over 25 years, we have brought astute, honest counsel and strong, thorough representation to every one of our clients.
What Our Clients Say About Us
Bernie Krooks is among the leading Elder Law Attorneys in the country and I have seen how he serves his clients with professionalism, unsurpassed knowledge and true empathy. As an attorney, I have worked with Bernie on a number of cases. I have seen first hand how he exceeds client expectations. Very impressive.
- S.M. March 4, 2017
I highly recommend Litman Krooks for special education needs and advocacy. Marion Walsh and Sandi Rosenbaum were able to help us secure the educational services that our child needed, and they did it with extremely little time to prepare. We were very impressed with their responsiveness and willingness to take our case with just a few days notice.
- S.M-C. February 21, 2018
Amy O'Hara, Esq, and her support team were first rate in addressing our estate planning needs. They are experts in the field, skilled and quite professional. They were very helpful to us.
- T.B. January 8, 2018
The professionals at Littman Krooks are top notch, smart, attentive, and effective. Our case against the school district for our daughter was resolved in a positive outcome within weeks. I would highly recommend Marion Walsh for all of your most complicated situations. She has great experience and knows the law!!!!
- T.N. March 2, 2018
Our family relied on the calm caring expertise of the Littman Krooks staff and attorneys to guide us through a difficult time. I have recommend the firm wholeheartedly to other families and will definitely use them again should the need arise.
- P.F. February 4, 2019
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This article does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon. If you need legal advice concerning this or any other topic please contact our offices to schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys at 914-684-2100 or 212-490-2020.
