Page 16 - Senior Times South Central Michigan June 2023 - 30-06

Page 16
Senior Times - June 2023
Ask the
Accepting New Residents - Your New Home Awaits!
Lakeview Assisted Living, a Ganton Senior Community, is committed to providing an atmosphere that gives people the opportunity to thrive. For admission and tour information call (269) 870-5537.
14661 Helmer Road South | Battle Creek, MI 49015 | lakeviewassisted.com
ATTORNEY
Michael Walling, Special to Senior Times
QUESTION: What can we do to plan for long-term care? My husband and I are not old yet, but we will be someday. We don’t want all of our sav- ing going to a nursing home. I don’t know how I would live if the nursing home took my husband’s income.
LONG-TERM CARE
have it if you need it. For instance, if someday your husband needs help bath- ing, or you need help with household chores, etc., then you will have the money to pay for those things. By pay- ing for some of your care needs, it can keep you out of a nursing home.
ANSWER: I am asked this question a lot. First, let me address your concern about losing your husband’s income. If your husband had to go into a nursing home and go on Medicaid, you are allowed to keep a minimum of $2,288 of total income a month in 2023. If
you can show that you need more income, you can get up to a maximum of $3,015. For example: If your income is $1,000 a month and your husband’s income is $2,500 a month. You can keep $1,288 of your husband’s income each month so that your total monthly income is $2,288.
If you look at those beautiful new care facilities they are building, none
of them are nursing homes; they are most likely assisted living facilities or some type of senior care facility. Why? Because no one wants to go into a nurs- ing home. I am not saying anything bad about nursing homes, I am just saying that most people would rather not go
in one if they had a choice. An assisted living facility is basically a very nice, small apartment where you live and they “assist” you with bathing, meals, medications, etc., depending on your care needs. Also, long-term care insur- ance may be an option but you have to see the monthly cost and the benefits.
We can meet your home care needs!
 Aide & Companion Service
 Medication Set-Up Supervision
 Housekeeping
 Transportation
 Nursing Services
 Dementia Capable Trained Staff
 Veterans Choice Program
 All Employees Screened & Bonded
60+ Years of Qualified Experience
Co-Owners:
Thomas J. Unger, ACSW Patricia D. Slayton, RN, MSN
5350 Beckley Rd, Suite D
(Side door of Southern Michigan Bank & Trust)
269-883-6002 www.homecaretransitions.net
As for the second part of your ques- tion, what can you do now to protect your assets? The best thing you can do right now is to create a trust and put your house in your trust. When I say trust, I am just talking about a regular estate planning trust. I am not talking about an irrevocable trust. By putting your house in your trust before you or your husband go into long-term care, it can increase the amount of money (and/ or assets) that you get to keep. That is the single best option that I advise mar- ried couples to do.
I would advise you to see an attor- ney who specializes in asset protection planning for nursing home care. He or she can look at your particular situation regarding your assets and advise you.
If you or your husband do go into long- term care, then contact an attorney for sure as it is not too late to preserve your assets.
Are there other planning options? Yes. But the problem is that you don’t know if you will ever go into a nurs- ing home. You don’t want to tie your money up in irrevocable trusts or gift it to your children, etc., where you lose control of it. Because then you don’t
Michael B. Walling is an elder
law attorney with an advance Master of Laws degree. He manages the
Elder Law Center and the law firm of Michael B. Walling, PLC. Mr. Walling is also a part-time professor at Western Michigan University. Please email any questions you would like addressed to info@wallingplc.com. This column is intended for general information pur- poses only and should not be consid- ered as legal advice to any particular person.
MICHAEL B. WALLING
Elder Law Attorney
Author of "Ask the Attorney"
MICHAEL B. WALLING, PLC
Wills • Trusts • Powers of Attorney
Lady Bird Deeds • Nursing Home Planning
Don't Lose Everything You Have To the Nursing Home
I can help you save up to 100% of your assets.
Michael B. Walling, J.D., LL.M.
Let me help you properly draft and fund a trust before you or your spouse enter a nursing home; it could save you over $50,000!
Legal Advice
for Seniors
By: Anna Moss, Managing Attorney
The Legal Services of South Central Michigan-Battle Creek office will conduct interviews for legal advice and possible representation, without charge, on the fol- lowing dates and times for interested Older Americans.
OVER THE TELEPHONE PLEASE CALL (269) 244-5040 on:
• Wednesday, June 28, 10:30am-12pm for Barry County residents
IN PERSON OUTREACH:
• Tuesday, June 6, 2-4pm, Bedford Manor Senior Center, 100 S. Bedford Road, Battle Creek. Special emphasis on Home Heating Credit.
• Wednesday, June 7, 9-11am, Union City Senior Center, 501 N. Broadway Street, Union City
• Wednesday, June 14, 11am-12pm, Marshall House, 200 East Spruce, Marshall
• Wednesday, June 21, 9am-12:30pm, Burnside Senior Center, 65 Grahl, Coldwater
• Friday, June 23, 9am-12:30pm, 2023, Battle Creek Office
We Provide Top
FOR A VIRTUAL TOUR VIST www.laurelsobedford.com
Call for a free
initial consultation*.
*Except Asset Protection Planning
(269) 968-1101
Offices in Battle Creek & Kalamazoo
www.wallinglawoffice.com
Helping seniors for over two decades.
Quality Nursing
Care & Therapy!
SERVICES WE PROVIDE
• Skilled Nursing Care • Respite Care
• Palliative Care
• Wound Care
• Short-Term Rehab
• Outpatient Rehab
• Stroke Rehab
• Joint Replacement Rehab
(269) 968-2296 • www.laurelsofbedford.com
270 NORTH BEDFORD ROAD • BATTLE CREEK, MI 49037