Our clients are concerned about how they will private pay for their long term care. Most long term care takes place first in our homes and then in assisted living facilities. We have Medi-Cal in California, but it only pays for a stay in a skilled nursing facility, if we qualify. As a result, our clients are always asking, “How can we private pay for our long term are if we do not go into a nursing home?”
This strategy may be appropriate for individuals who do not want to pay premiums to purchase long term care insurance policies. People have become reluctant to purchase long term care insurance because of the cost, and because of the fact that if you do not use it, your investment by way of premiums paid is lost. In addition, long term care insurance companies have been known to raise the premiums of its insureds over time.
Many of our clients take the position that they will “self-insure”, using their savings for their care. For these individuals, one effective planning approach may be to leverage some of their savings that they would use for their care in the future to provide a larger pool of money. This money can be utilized to pay for care in the home, assisted living facility or nursing home. If the money is not needed, it would then pass to their children or heirs.
To employ this strategy, money is transferred from its current location (bank account, older fixed annuity past the penalty period, etc.) into a specially designed life insurance policy with riders that allow accelerated payment of a large portion of the death benefit to the policy owner upon a qualified health event, to help pay for the costs of long term care.
Depending on the age and health status, the lump sum premium paid into this type of life insurance policy may provide a death benefit of double or more that amount. However, if the insured qualifies to begin using the long term care benefits, the insured may receive as much as five times the amount of the original premium. Any monies not used for convalescent care would still pass to the heirs upon the death of the insured.
When your elder law attorney prepares your long term care estate plan, ask him to explore this possibility with you.
For additional information, you can contact your elder law attorney Michael J. Young. This information is not to be taken as legal advice, and you are encouraged to see your elder law attorney. At the law offices of Michael J. Young, 1931 San Miguel Dr., Ste. 220, Walnut Creek, CA http://www.WalnutCreekElderLaw.com, 925-256-0298, lawyoung1@gmail.com, we practice elder law and we help Baby Boomers, Seniors and families through their Elder Care Journey. We help families with long term care planning, asset protection plans, special needs trusts, comprehensive estate planning, wills, trusts and powers of attorney. We also help Baby Boomers and families get their “Ducks in a Row” in order to help them qualify for Medi-Cal and the VA Aid & Attendance Improved Pension Benefit.