The aging U.S. population means that more people will likely need nursing home care in the coming decades. Meanwhile, the cost of nursing home care is increasing — and expected to keep increasing.

With the exorbitant cost of nursing home care, many families worry about depleting their loved ones’ life savings to pay for the care they need. Private health insurance does not cover nursing home care, and while long-term care insurance is available to cover nursing home costs, these plans are also expensive and may come up short for long-term stays. 

This leaves millions of Americans reliant on Medicaid to pay for nursing home care — a far from perfect solution that usually involves spending down assets to qualify. With proactive Medicaid planning, though, it is possible for someone to qualify for Medicaid and still retain some of their assets. The sooner you start planning, the more options you’ll have for protecting your parents’ assets from nursing home costs.

Your most valuable property may be your home, which is true for many people. You likely want your children to inherit that value when you pass away.

However, you may also have concerns about planning for the future, especially if your health declines and you need expensive long-term care. You may be aware that Medicaid can pay for these services. However, Medicaid rules say you can own no more than around $2,000 in assets to be eligible – now what?

About 45 percent of adults say they plan to travel for the holidays, per The Vacationer.

With multiple generations getting together for holiday meals, gift exchanges and quality time, these annual gatherings present an opportunity to broach sensitive but important topics with your aging loved ones. By communicating with them and knowing their wishes, you can help them plan for their future.

Anyone experiencing the struggle of simultaneously caring for children and aging parents is part of the sandwich generation. Although “generation” is part of the phrase, it doesn’t refer to people born at a specific time. Typically, these family caregivers will be in the 30- to 40-year-old age range, providing for their families and balancing care duties between the needs of children and parents.

Independent living communities are for healthy, active older adults. Assisted living facilities suit those who need help with activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, preparing meals, and medication management. Skilled nursing facilities provide care to individuals with significant medical conditions.

Yet, as people age, the type and level of care they need often change. Older adults who start in one kind of community often must move to another facility that can support their evolving needs. Relocating can be stressful, as individuals leave their friends to start over in an unfamiliar environment, often while their autonomy and access to recreation diminishes.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the 2023 federal guidelines for how much money the spouses of institutionalized Medicaid recipients may keep, as well as related Medicaid figures.

Many senior citizens may need the services of a nursing home or at-home care at some point in their life. You might assume that government assistance or health insurance will step in and cover the cost if you cannot afford these services. Unfortunately, neither health insurance nor Medicare covers long-term care. Because obtaining long-term care insurance can be very expensive, Medicaid could become your only option.

When a married couple applies for Medicaid, the Medicaid agency must analyze the couple’s income and assets as of a particular date to determine eligibility. The date that the agency chooses for this analysis is called the “snapshot” date and it can have a major impact on a couple’s financial future.