Medicare Asset Protection Assets

Protect What You Have Built While Planning for the Care You May Need

Long-term care is one of the largest financial risks facing retirees and older adults. The costs of nursing home care, assisted living, and in-home support can add up quickly, and Medicaid eligibility rules require that your assets fall below a certain threshold before benefits kick in.

A Medicaid Asset Protection Trust allows you to transfer assets out of your name and into an irrevocable trust, helping to preserve your wealth while positioning you for Medicaid eligibility if and when you need long-term care.

Robin White helps individuals and families across Tennessee and Mississippi plan ahead with asset protection trusts designed to safeguard their savings, their home, and their legacy.

How a Medicare Asset Protection Trust Works

When you place assets into a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust, those assets are no longer considered yours for Medicaid eligibility purposes, provided the transfer was made outside of the Medicaid look-back period (currently five years in Tennessee and Mississippi).

This means you can:

Protect your home, savings, and other assets from being spent down to qualify for Medicaid
Preserve wealth for your spouse, children, or other beneficiaries
Maintain certain benefits from the trust, such as the right to live in your home
Reduce your countable assets without giving everything away outright

It's important to understand that this type of trust is irrevocable, meaning once assets are transferred in, you generally cannot take them back or change the terms. That's why timing and structure matter, and why working with an experienced attorney is essential.

Why Timing Matters

Medicaid's five-year look-back period means that any assets transferred into a trust within five years of applying for benefits may still be counted against you. The earlier you plan, the more flexibility and protection you have. Waiting until a health crisis occurs often limits your options significantly.

Robin encourages clients to start these conversations early, even if long-term care feels like a distant concern. The best time to plan is before you think you need to plan.

What to Expect When Working with Robin

Robin will walk you through how Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts work, what they can and can't do, and whether one makes sense for your situation. He will explain the look-back rules, the tradeoffs of irrevocability, and how to coordinate this strategy with the rest of your estate plan. Everything is laid out in clear, straightforward terms so you can make an informed decision.

The earlier you plan, the more you can protect. Schedule a consultation with Robin →