Aunt on Medicaid for 2 years and nursing home bill was showing a small credit so after paying that one time lower amount now her checking account now shows $2728. I know she can have up to $2000 cash and $1500 for funeral expenses so can I take the $728 and put in separate account for funeral expenses without causing a problem? Or should we just leave it there and they can readjust the amount next year when they have the yearly review?
- find out from the funeral home what the costs are to be. And then if there would be an advantage to doing a pre-need for some or all. There should be about a 15% discount if you do a preneed. Be sure to find out ALL costs as burial site could have its set of costs. Cremation could be under 1k; but full traditional funeral & burial could run 8 - 10k.
- then contact in writing the caseworker for your mom regarding how to best move funds to a preneed. It could be that a local caseworker is assigned to the NH or the zip code; or there is a regional one. The SWcat the NH should be able to get caseworker contact info. Ask how best to deal with this so as not to affect eligibility or reporting on annual renewal form (if your state does this).
You mention your aunt still has a checking account, right? So you / DPOA is writing a check to NH for aunties SOC each month, right? If so, if you haven't please set up a personal needs trust acct at the NH for auntie. It can be used to pay a regularly scheduled beauty shoppe for her or for field trips of this NH does these. I kept about $200 in the one for my mom. NH should send a statement on acct balance very 3 -4 months. Also continuing to have a checking account was great as when my mom died, it then became the estate of account. I was a signature & POD on it from ages before so after she died, it switched to my SS #. Bank officer was the one who suggested this & made paying & tracking for probate pretty seamless.