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NotALS!

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I've been told I have ALS slow progression. I have been pursuing Lyme treatment for the past few years but am definately getting weaker overall.

Should I have my house put in just my husband's name? We have a teenage son who wants to be a doctor and we are lower middleclass. I don't want my family to lose our house and savings if I need nursing home care.
 
You should consult with an elder law attorney. They are the best way to find out if you need to make financial adjustments. Do it soon though because the government will go back 5 years to determine your financial status.
 
I agree with KrisS. We recently finalized our wills, living wills and power of attorney and we did them through our attorney. Your attorney will explaine everything to you and answer any of your questions.
 
You also don't want to have any savings, cd's or any other item of value in your name. I was told not to have more than 2 thousand dollars in the bank, otherwise it can be taken for nursing home care payment. Fat chance I would ever have that much in the bank ever!
 
It's an absolute disgrace that in the midst of all you are going through, you have to also think about safeguarding your money from the government. My husband's dad put his house into trust for his two sons. As long as you can stay out of a care home for seven years the government can't touch a thing. The elderly have worked all their lives, paid tax and national insurance, brought up their families without government help and fought for their country. Yet as soon as they need help the government are ready to pounce and take their savings and houses. People don't exactly plan on getting ill either. Thankfully we have the National Health Service here which covers everything no matter how much money you have and I think this should extend to care homes. Obviously if you don't have any money or property everything is free. Seems the less you have, the more you get. Sorry - went off on a wee rant there. I hope you get everything sorted out ok, good luck, and good luck to your son, best wishes.
 
As the others said you should consult a lawyer who specializes in these issues. rules may vary slightly state to state.
However I do not think there is any reason to transfer house title if your husband intends to remain in the home. if the surviving spouse is living in the home medicaid will not require him to sell to repay your costs paid by medicaid. it is more of an issue if you wanted it to go to adult children. even then if the child is living in the house as primary residence AND they have documentation that they lived with the patient for at least 2 years and that fact kept the patient out of a nursing home they can inherit.
Medicaid also will allow your spouse to keep some other assets (the 2000 dollar apllies to unmarried people) I think the amount the spouse can keep is in the neighborhood of a 100,000.
And those who say there is a 5 year look back are quite correct. also if you see medicaid in your future keep lots of records!
I am not a lwyer but have learned this through a combo of personal experience and friend's experiences
Best of luck!
 
When I was in a nursing home, I got to keep only $40 per month of my SSDI. Not sure if it was Medicaid or the home that got the rest.

My poor mother had to get divorced when she needed nursing care because of her husbands military income. It's just not right.
 
The hursing home I talk too told me that they would not take our home as long as my husband was alive but when he died they could take it not that they would but could
 
Please consult with an Estate Attorney. Make sure that is ALL they specialize in. They will be able to guide you. Don't go to a "general" attorney, as they may not know all the ins and outs of specific law. They will know how to set up a trust, etc...
 
Totally agree... consult with good estate attorney. He/she can also help with power of attorney, health care directives, setting up a trust if that's the best thing for you. Ours was truly my guardian angel.
 
Be very careful about your Power of Attorney there is one just for Medical then the other one is were they can do anything with your home or money that you can do so always make sure it's what you want.
 
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