Husband on community Medicaid. He is now at a point for nursing home placement. Will Medicaid leave me enough to survive in the community. I understand that they take all his SS and pension, leaving me with a very small SS and pension of my own. The only assets we have is a senior co-op which we own free and clear. I have no problem signing it over to them for recovery after we both pass away. I cannot live anywhere cheaper than I do right here. No support from family, I'm left to navigate this alone.
Most of the time you will get to keep half of the assets up to the limit set by the state. Some of your assets won't be counted. A house. A car. A prepaid burial plot, things like that. As far as your income, they calculate how much you need to live. If you have exceptionally high rent or medical bills-or living expenses in general, you can petition to get more than the recommended amount. They will let you keep your own income and then as much of your spouse's income that you will need to live. The rest will go to the Nursing Home.
It would be a good idea for you to ask the Office on Aging for some information about how things work in your state. You may have to petition to keep some of his income. If you do that, don't cut yourself short. You don't get any prizes for budgeting too little for your own housing, food, clothes and medical care.
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