Long-Term Care Planning

Spokane Long-Term Care Planning Attorneys

Long-term care planning is an important part of estate planning, focusing primarily on the needs of families & individuals as their health becomes more problematic. Issues with aging include finding senior housing and home care, long-term (or nursing home) care, guardianships and health care documents, & Medicare and Medicaid.

The Long Term Care Dilemma

As our population ages, more and more of us confront elder law-related issues, whether for ourselves or our parents. One of the most pressing issues is long-term nursing home care, which usually is not covered by traditional health insurance. Depending on where you live and the level of care needed, nursing home care can cost from $35,000 to $150,000 a year. The average stay is slightly more than three years. Most people end up paying for nursing home care until their personal (or family) assets are depleted, then they may qualify for Medicaid to pick up the cost.

Careful long-term care planning, however, can help protect your assets, whether for your spouse or for your children. The belt-and-suspenders approach is to purchase long-term care insurance while you are healthy enough to qualify, and to make sure you receive the benefits to which you are entitled under Medicare and Medicaid.

long term care planning

Medicare

Clients are frequently confused over the differences between Medicare and Medicaid. Though their names are very similar, the programs are quite different. Medicare is an entitlement program, a federal health insurance program in which most people enroll when they turn 65 years old. There are no financial qualification rules. Medicare has two primary parts: Part A and Part B.

Medicare Part A covers in-hospital care, extended care after a hospital stay, some home health care services, and hospice services. The rules for nursing home coverage are very strict and, in fact, Medicare pays for less than 9 percent of nursing home care in this country.

Medicare Resources

Washington Medicaid

Medicaid, is a joint federal-state program, subject to certain federal requirements, each state implements its own regulations on how the program is managed. Medicaid is not an entitlement program like Medicare, but rather a form of welfare. Medicaid eligibility is determined after the proper application is submitted to the commonwealth. There are many Medicaid insurance programs available in Washington, from basic medical coverage to nursing home programs. These programs bridge the gap until you find a long-term care planning solution. Information about Medicaid for long-term care in a nursing home or community setting can be found on the Washington Department of Social & Health Services website.

The Aging & Disability Services Administration provides a wealth of information for seniors and care givers.

We assist seniors and their families in making the tough decisions regarding long-term care planning, including whether Medicaid eligibility may be an option.

Senior Housing Options

Helping a parent move to senior housing can seem more intimidating than orchestrating a rocket launch. The death of a spouse, declining health or safety concerns can trigger the need to move. The first phase comes with the realization that what has been home is no longer suitable. Emotional ties to a place are hard to overcome. Finding a new home that is appealing and appropriate is no easy task, and neither is culling through a lifetime’s accumulation of “stuff.”

Here are some tips to help make the transition easier:

  • Plan ahead. Don’t wait for a health crisis to start the process. The smoothest transitions occur when the person moving is in the driver’s seat.
  • Get a full assessment of the current situation. Physical care needs and financial resources are where to start. Consider the costs of staying in place, including renovation and ongoing maintenance. Add the cost of rising utility bills and taxes, and don’t forget transportation and food. Make a list and decide whether it’s cheaper to stay or move to a community designed for seniors.
  • Take a multi-phase approach. Seniors often take longer than a year to actually make the move.
  • Fully explore new housing options. Senior living offers a broader range of options than ever before.

Incapacity Planning

Incapacity planning is a broad area of law that covers how you are cared for if you become physically or mentally unable to care for yourself. The type of care could range from simple tasks like buying groceries, paying bills, and handling financial matters to more important decisions such as selling real estate, gifting assets to your children, or making critical medical decisions. Depending on the needs of the individual or family, incapacity planning could include a number of planning techniques such as Property Powers of Attorney, Health Care Powers of Attorney, Living Wills or Advance Health Care Directives or Guardianship/Conservator-ships.

What is a Guardianship or Conservator-ship?

Guardianship, also known as Conservator-ship, is a court-supervised proceeding which names an individual or entity to manage the affairs of an incapacitated person. A Guardianship may also include the duty to care for the incapacitated person.

Our law firm helps clients create a plan to handle their affairs in the event they become disabled, thereby avoiding the necessity of a public Guardianship proceeding.

How can we help?

Our firm is dedicated to providing you with quality estate planning resources, so you can become familiar with all of the existing options.

Jeff Hughes
Jeff Hughes
13:58 10 Feb 23
My wife and I met with Matt Luedke of Moulton Law yesterday for a full hour. Introductory call but I had prepared them that I had many specific legal topics to cover and that it was OK to charge me for the time. Matt was very professional and knowledgeable and he freely shared his advice regarding the legal issues we are struggling with. We are looking at very specific legal structures for our businesses and it turns out this is not an area where Moulton Law operates. Despite this, I felt the guidance Matt offered was outstanding and I got a lot of value out of our discussion. He did not charge us for his time. I have nothing but great things to say about Matt and I am very likely to work with Moulton Law in the future when we update estate plans.
Henry C. Stevens
Henry C. Stevens
19:17 20 Jan 23
This firm truly cares about their clients and it shows in the quality of their work. They were very thorough and made sure that my trust was tailored to my specific needs (I have special needs children). I would highly recommend them .
Angelina Patrícia
Angelina Patrícia
00:39 05 Jan 23
Matt went above and beyond to ensure that my parents' estate was properly taken care of. He took the time to explain everything in detail and made sure that all of our questions were answered. I highly recommend Moulton for anyone in need charged with administering an estate.
Diane Cook
Diane Cook
17:18 18 Nov 22
On a recent visit to Moulton Law Offices,Matt. Luedke answered questions, with clarity and satisfaction, that my son and I had asked. I always take away ,from meetings with Matt, a feeling of satisfaction and that he is doing his best for me.
Mark Ballard
Mark Ballard
17:05 10 Nov 22
Matthew was a great help getting a Medicaid application processed for my wife. Very professional, not sure if I could have done it without him and his team. I have and will recommend him to anyone in similar circumstances to mine. Thanks for all your help.
Deb powell
Deb powell
22:27 21 Sep 22
Diana was so professional and personable. She had everything in order and spent time explaining and answering any questions we had. She made both of us feel like a friend helping a friend. If we have any questions we will definitely contact her.
Cherry Wiest
Cherry Wiest
21:01 16 Aug 22
Moulton Law office has helped us with legal matters for many years. We’ve let things slide and have come back to the same helpful, knowledgeable and pleasant people who know their job and do it well. A cutting edge firm in my opinion!
Pam Black
Pam Black
00:20 06 Aug 22
Working with Jenny Hubbard at the Kennewick office of Moulton Law Offices was perfect for what I needed help with. She explained all the questions I had about writing a trust that would make my wishes easy to understand for my sons when the time comes. They also felt comfortable asking her questions. I especially like that the office is in Kennewick so I don’t have to travel far when I have questions. Jenny and her lawyer are here to help you with your questions.
Stephen A
Stephen A
22:30 19 Jul 22
My family has worked with Mr. Gunning at Moulton Law for over 10 years. I am retired and have worked with many attorneys in my business career. Mr. Gunning is by far, the best attorney I have ever been associated with:1. He clearly explains complex legal issues2. He is an excellent listener and offers focused solutions3. He has always treated my 97 year old Mother with kindness and respect.4. The resulting Trusts/Wills have been very detailed and comprehensive.In my opinion, you will be very satisfied working with Mr. GunningAlso the support team is great to work with. Very Upbeat. Our favorite is Holly who has been there for a long time. She is very sharp, confidential, and quick to get to the bottom line in getting things done. Moulton Law is fortunate to have Holly on the Team!
Deb Wilcox
Deb Wilcox
16:35 03 Jul 22
My husband and I met with Diana Davis, a Paralegal from Moulton Law Offices. She has been there for awhile and we have met with her before. She is very professional but personable and totally knows the details that she is there to explain to us. Our Estate Plan needed updates, and Moulton Law Offices efficiently and thoroughly advised us of this, undertook the appropriate revisions, contacted us to discuss and schedule a followup meeting, and then Diana came with all the updates. She went through all the relevant changes and sections, replaced all the previous ones in our copy, obtained our signatures where needed, and all the while answered any questions we had. It was a very pleasant exchange and only took us about 1/2-hour. We are very glad we made the decision 8 years ago to contact Moulton Law Offices to help us prepare an appropriate (to our circumstances) Estate Plan. Diana is a real asset and someone good to know when we don’t need to speak directly with the lawyers (all of whom we also like and appreciate. Highly recommend them all.
Susan Paysse
Susan Paysse
01:00 26 May 22
We had a very good experience working with Moulton Law for our Trust. It's complicated work, and it was great to have a local office to visit for our appointments. Jenny went over all of the documents thoroughly and efficiently. She answered our questions, made changes as needed, and made sure we understood and were comfortable with the documents we were signing. She is a great resource!
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Kimm Minkler
Kimm Minkler
04:57 19 Jan 23
My husband and I attended a Moulton Law Office presentation about Trusts and Wills. We chose to have Moulton prepare our Trust. At the signing, we received a very large package of documents, including medical directives, and a Trust/Will that will serve our children well upon our demise. Jenny was outstanding and very knowledgeable.
Alison Sizemore
Alison Sizemore
02:55 17 Jan 23
Mike Gunning was professional, kind and very knowledgeable. On top of that, our signing experience with Jenny at the Kennewick office was first class! Moulton Law was able to get all of our needs completed in a very timely manner, and on budget.Thank you so much for helping our family!
Brian Harding
Brian Harding
23:59 14 Dec 22
We have been working with Moulton Law Offices in the effort of updating an existing family trust. We have been extremely satisfied at the timely responses and the caring manner of Moulton Law Offices in guiding us through the process. We are extremely grateful to the Kennewick office and especially to Jenny Hubbard. Jenny has been so kind and caring throughout the process and has constantly encouraged us to contact her if we have any questions. On behalf of the family, thank you.
marlo scott
marlo scott
23:48 22 Sep 22
Jenny was great! The entire Moulton law team have been very efficient and we had no surprise on the final price or finished product. Attorney Mike Gunning did an outstanding job of explaining the entire process, advantages and issues if you choose not to get a living trust. To us it was no question that it was the right thing! The local Kennewick office was perfect for us, because I don’t think we would have made it to Spokane and we need a local contact.
amie & brad green
amie & brad green
03:39 17 Sep 22
Jenny Hubbard was very helpful in setting up our Trust, and she answered all questions. She is an expert in inheritance issues.Our session was a lot more than just signing papers. We really got good help.
Jenine Moore
Jenine Moore
21:20 12 Aug 22
Jenny, thank you for all you time, patience and understanding during our visit with you today. It was a bit overwhelming going over all our Final Wishes, etc. But you kindness and concern were very evident. I especially appreciate all you patience and understanding with my husband as well.I would recommend Moulton Law Offices, Kennewick Branch, to anyone looking for Family Estate Planning.SincerelyJenine
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