how mch does it cost to habe a lawyer take care of medicaid

by Leland Johnston 9 min read

How much does it cost to hire a Medicaid lawyer?

Jun 24, 2019 · If the work is much more complicated it may cost twice that. We’ve heard reports of some attorneys charging $25,000 and more. If you get a fee quote that is very high, inquire of the work that the attorney must do to get the application through. And, get a second opinion.

Do I need a lawyer to get Medicaid?

Apr 01, 2013 · More details to this question: I am told by a prospective lawyer her flat fee is between $3500 and $5800 to process and handle medicaid application. To hire her she has now asked for a check for $5800, the maximum flat fee.

What does a Medicaid attorney do for seniors?

Most lawyers charge a flat fee. After all, how could you pay the lawyer’s bill after he got you Medicaid? Your money, except $2,000, is all gone! Paying a lawyer to help you with the application is legitimate “spend down.” With a flat fee you have a fixed cost. You know what your attorney fees will be at the start.

How much does it cost to work with a Medicaid planner?

Mar 22, 2022 · There isn’t a clear-cut answer as to the cost of hiring an elder care attorney for Medicaid planning purposes. Some Medicaid lawyers offer free consultations, while others charge an initial consultation fee or offer Medicaid planning conferences that range in cost from approximately $175 – $500.

What is the role of a Medicaid attorney?

On the other hand, Medicaid attorneys often focus more on the legal aspects of Medicaid planning, such as creating Medicaid asset protection trusts or Qualified income trusts, which makes them the better option for this type of assistance.

What is a medicaid planner?

For persons who have Medicaid cases that are fairly simple and straightforward, a Medicaid planner, also called a Medicaid specialist or a Medicaid Advisor, might be a good option. Working with a professional Medicaid planner can be a lot more cost efficient than working with a Medicaid attorney.

What do elder law attorneys do?

What Elder Law Attorneys Do? Elder law attorneys, also called elder care attorneys, estate and trust attorneys, or Medicaid lawyers, assist persons in preparing for long-term care and death. They assist seniors in a large and diverse array of legal tasks, which encompasses retirement planning, estate planning, creating wills and durable power ...

Can you gift assets to Medicaid?

This is because Medicaid has a look back period. During this period, an applicant cannot gift assets or sell assets for less than market value in an attempt to meet Medicaid’s asset limit.

How long does Medicaid look back?

The look back period is 5 years in all states except California (Medi-Cal has a 2.5 year look back).

What is Medicaid asset protection trust?

One such strategy that elder law attorneys can implement is a Medicaid asset protection trust (MAPT). This type of trust not only prevents one from becoming ineligible for Medicaid due to gifting assets ...

What is a Miller Trust?

An option to meet the income limit in this case is a Miller Trust, often referred to as a Qualified Income Trust (QIT). In oversimplified language, income that is over Medicaid’s income limit is put into an irrevocable (meaning it cannot be changed or cancelled) trust to be used for very specific purposes.

What does a disability lawyer do?

A disability lawyer generally gets a quarter of your Social Security back payments, if you win. Social Security attorneys work "on contingency," which means that they collect a fee only if they win your disability claim. Whether you are applying for SSDI (Social Security disability) or SSI (Supplemental Security Income), ...

How much does it cost to copy a medical record?

Usually, copying and mailing costs in a case are not more than $100 - $200.

Do you have to pay upfront for a disability case?

While lawyers in Social Security disability cases cannot charge upfront fees for their time, they are allowed to charge a reasonable upfront fee to cover expected expenses in a case. So some attorneys will ask you to pay a small amount in advance to cover the costs associated with your case.

What happens if you are denied medicaid?

The consequences of being denied by Medicaid are severe and can negatively impact the comfort, happiness, and even the health of the individual applying and their entire family.

What is Medicaid planner?

Medicaid Planners help clients structure their financial resources and prepare documentation to ensure the best possibility of being accepted into the Medicaid program. They create trusts, manage asset transfers, and convert countable assets into exempt assets to ensure eligibility and preserve a family’s resources.

What is an irrevocable trust?

There is a simple option called an irrevocable funeral trust. This is essentially prepaying a funeral and all the associated expenses. The family simply allocates the amount of money by which they are over the Medicaid limit to the irrevocable funeral trust.

What is a life resource planner?

A category of professionals called Life Resource Planners, or sometimes Eldercare Resource Planners, offer an alternative to traditional Medicaid planning. These advisors take a larger, holistic view of how to help families plan for paying for aging care. While Medicaid Planners are very focused on the task of helping families qualify for Medicaid, Life Resource Planners also look to see what other options exist and are available. As with Medicaid Planning professionals, their fees must be paid for out-of-pocket. However, those fees are substantially lower. Eldercare Resource Planners typically charge 50% – 75% less than Medicaid Planners. Learn more.