This is the page where we tell you to slow down.
Medicaid planning has rules with real teeth, and the wrong sequence can cost a family more than any offer will make up. Get advice first.
Once you have counselThe look back is the part that catches people
Medicaid reviews asset transfers made during a look back period before an application. Gifts or transfers for less than fair market value during that window can trigger a penalty period during which the applicant is ineligible for coverage even though they have no money left.
Families create this accidentally all the time. Deeding the house to a child. Selling to a relative below value. Giving grandchildren money after a sale. All of it can count.
Kentucky estate recovery
Federal law requires states to seek recovery from the estates of certain Medicaid recipients, and Kentucky operates an estate recovery program. Real property is frequently the asset involved.
Whether and how that applies depends on the individual's circumstances, whether a spouse survives, and other exemptions. It is a real consideration in deciding what to do with a home and another reason to get proper advice rather than acting on a general article.
What a cash sale can and cannot solve
A cash sale converts a house into money on a predictable date without repairs or showings. That has genuine value for a family managing a care transition.
What it cannot do is fix a timing or eligibility problem, and it can create one if done in the wrong sequence. We would rather lose the deal than be the reason a family faces a penalty period. Talk to a Kentucky elder law attorney, then call us.
Five questions. That is the whole thing.
We already know your situation from this page. Change it if it does not fit.
Question 1 of 5
What people ask about this
Is the house counted as an asset for Medicaid?
A primary residence is often treated differently from other assets, with conditions and equity limits. Proceeds from selling it are generally treated as countable resources. This is exactly why sequence matters.
Can we sell at a discount to a family member?
That is a below value transfer and can trigger a penalty. Do not do it without legal advice.
Should we just wait?
Possibly. Waiting is sometimes the right answer and sometimes not. An elder law attorney can tell you which, and we cannot.
Often it is more than one thing at once
Once you have counsel.
No cost, no obligation, and nobody shows up at your door unless you ask them to.