I received an inheritance check from the selling of my mother's condo. I'm on medicaid i turn 65 in march the girl at ss said I'm deemed meaning medicaid will pay for my medicare but she said i still have to pick out a prescription plan D, she said to call the number on the back of the medicare card, the only income we have is my ss and my husbands ss disability and he has an early pension of $600.00 a month, She said because of our income we are eligible! My question is since then I received an inheritance check from the selling of my mother's condo, split 3 ways, I want to save that money and put it in a cashiers check and not touch it i want it for burial and funeral expenses for the two of us! If I do not tell them about this check is that considered wrong even if I'm not going to use it?
The reasoning is that I and everybody else that pays taxes pay for your medical care, I do not care to decrease your assets so you can pay your daughters credit card off reducing the amount you have available for your medical expenses. Your money is for your care.
Sunshine, call your husband's caseworker and give him all of the information you've explained here. He will then be able to explain to you what you should do and what will happen, and you can rely on his advice. I hope the inheritance check arrived after you last spoke to him?
For future reference, lying on official forms - whether by making a false statement or by omitting inconvenient details - is always wrong and almost always leads to trouble. At best it will make you anxious, and invalidate your claim. At worst it could land you in jail. It isn't worth it. Don't do it.
Depending on how large a sum the check was for, it may not even change anything - but you'll be much better off finding out than worrying about how to get round it or, conversely, needlessly giving up on financial support that you are entitled to.
The short answer is: Yes, you have to declare the inheritance. If you don't, the review agents at DHHS or Medicare will likely see it on your SSI income report for the next year (because inheritances are taxed and traced by SSN number) and then you'll owe back, in cash, the benefits they granted to you.
However, at least in NE, there is legitimate ways to 'get around' that rule for people in your situation: Establish an "irrevocable burial trust" with a specific funeral home that can only be used for end of life expenses. It is like life insurance, but it can't be 'cashed in', so it doesn't count as an "asset". There may be a limit to what amount is "allowable".
Your inheritance is reported to the government, Medicaid will find out about it so do not try to hide it and DO NOT gift any of it to anyone!
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