Page 29 - Gutterman's Boca Raton

Information Gathering
Upon death, one of the first things to do is to gather as much information as possible. It is important to look for, and gather any Wills, deeds, financial documents, notes and insurance policies, etc., that the deceased may have. As a starting point, the testator should consult the testator’s lawyer as it is generally good practice for original Wills to be kept at the lawyer’s office. Upon death, you may want to ask the lawyer to provide notarized copies of the deceased’s will.
Before estate matters can be pursued (ie. Survivor-ship application transferring a house, or automobile, other legal matters), a copy of the death certificate is also required.
Please speak to the Funeral Home about obtaining certified copies of the death certificate (as some agencies will not accept photocopies).
Government Benefits
The average cost of long-term care can bankrupt seniors. With nursing homes costing upwards of $100,000 a year, assisted living facilities costing more than $48,000 a year and home health aides costing between $18-$21 an hour, it is easy to see how quickly one can go through their hard-earned savings. However, Florida offers two programs to assist with paying for this care, and wartime veterans and surviving spouses can seek help through a little-known program called Aid and Attendance. Most seniors, however, believe that they cannot qualify for these programs, and wait until it is too late to try. This can be a very costly mistake.
What are the programs that are available?
Florida Medicaid offers two programs under Medicaid that assist with paying
for long-term care. The Home and Community Based Waiver Program provides individuals who are 65+ with services in the home or will pay the service portion of an assisted living facility, resulting in hundreds of dollars of savings on a monthly basis. For those who are residing in a skilled nursing facility, the Institutional Care Program provides a benefit that can save the family thousands of dollars monthly. There are financial requirements to qualifying for these benefits, along with lookback periods for gifting and penalty periods. However, there are also a number of government approved planning strategies to protect and keep assets within the family, while still being able to qualify for the programs well within the lookback.
Veterans and surviving spouses of veterans may be entitled to a monthly tax-free pension to assist with paying for long-term care if they also meet the clinical and financial requirements. This program is known as the Veterans Aid and Attendance Benefit.
What are the requirements for these programs?
To qualify for the Florida Long-term Care Programs under Medicaid, you must be 65 or older, be a citizen of the USA, resident of Florida, clinically need the program and meet both the asset and income limits. When determining the amount of assets an individual or married couple has, certain assets are excluded. Specifically, Medicaid does not count the home, a vehicle, irrevocable funeral contracts and income producing property. Additionally, Medicaid considers the gross monthly income of the Medicaid recipient only, not the combined marital couple.
FLORIDA 29 GUTTERMAN’S FUNERAL HOMES, INC.