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Crain & Wooley Invites You to Come Learn About Wills and Living Trusts

Dallas-Fort Worth Adult Medicaid Attorneys

Life Can Be Full of Surprises — Your Nursing Home Costs Don’t Have to Be One of Them

Whether you’re looking ahead a few years, planning for something long down the road, or preparing for an upcoming transition, now is the time to consider nursing home costs and Medicaid assistance may play into your future. Did you know that the typical American lives to be 79 years old? Unfortunately, poor planning leaves many people lacking the financial resources to fund nursing home care from the date of admission until they pass away.

What’s the Difference Between Medicaid & Medicare?

People commonly misunderstand the major differences between Medicaid and Medicare, two government-supported healthcare programs. While both are federally funded, Medicaid is state-administered and varies from state to state. Another major difference is that Medicaid is for individuals of limited means, while Medicare is for people who are 65 years old and older or those who are severely disabled, regardless of their income.

What Are Some Common Conditions That May Need Medicaid Assistance?

  • Parkinson’s disease
  • MS / Multiple Sclerosis
  • Alzheimer’s and early-onset Alzheimer’s
  • Dementia and early-onset dementia
  • ALS / Lou Gehrig’s Disease
  • Long-term rehabilitation

Can I Afford Nursing Home (Long-Term) Care? Will it Bankrupt Me?

You may have heard of “nursing home poverty”— without proper planning, this is a reality for far too many people. The average cost of a nursing home stay in Texas is $6,000/month. While this amount may seem daunting, we offer our clients assistance in applying for Medicaid, which can cover these costs.

Do I Qualify for Medicaid?

To qualify for Medicaid, you need to pass an income test and an asset test. This is where things can get complicated. The qualifications change based on criteria like marital status, the medical needs of each person in the couple, the type of assets, the state in which the assets are located, and so on. Because it can be so involved, we encourage clients to work with us to create a clear and proactive plan to protect as many assets as possible and still qualify for the assistance they require.

Can Medicaid Take My House After I Die?

Thanks to MERP (Medicaid Estate Recovery Program), the home of a deceased person who received financial aid for a nursing home stay could be recovered by the state to “payback” the program. But, by working with an estate planning attorney who understands the Medicaid system, there are options available that will prevent the government from being allowed to claim the home.

How Soon Should I Plan for A Nursing Home Stay?

Time is of the essence when facing a long-term care decision. There are particular timelines you must follow if you hope to protect all of your assets. You’ll need to have a plan in motion five years before you apply for adult Medicaid if you want to protect 100% of your assets.

If you are looking at a transition sooner than five years, Crain & Wooley can also help you create an emergency nursing home plan. An emergency plan cannot protect all assets, but we can protect a significant portion.

Why Do I Need a Lawyer to Help Me Qualify for Adult Medicaid?

People are often baffled by the complex world of Medicaid applications when faced with a medical emergency that requires nursing home care or in-patient treatment. An attorney who is familiar with Medicaid eligibility is a great source of assistance to decipher such complexities, including how to proceed in cases of unanticipated nursing home care.

An experienced Medicaid lawyer can help ensure the following issues are properly handled:

  • Crafting your monthly income to fit below the $2,250 income cap
  • Structuring a plan to keep your total available resources below the $2,000 limit
  • Addressing real estate to avoid Medicaid recovery claims after you pass away

Call our Texas law firm at (972) 945-1610 for help in Plano or Mansfield.


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Let Our Adult Medicaid Team Secure Peace of Mind for You & Your Loved Ones

While each of these worries is valid, they don’t have to be your burden to bear. At Crain & Wooley, we make sure we’re the most knowledgeable estate planning law firm in the area so we can offer you peace of mind and protection in each phase of life.

Every few years, the Medicaid eligibility rules change, making it hard for individuals and families to protect their assets and qualify for Adult Medicaid. Thankfully, there is a way to avoid losing your hard-earned assets, should you need long-term care.


If you have more questions for our lawyers about nursing home planning or adult Medicaid, then please fill out our online scheduler or give us a call at (972) 945-1610 to request a free consultation.


Satisfied Clients Tell Their Stories

  • "Thank you and God Bless you"

    Thank you for being my Living Trust and other Estate documents attorney. Due to our move and storage of business and personal documents, we had trouble locating & we took a lot longer to respond to your drafts, etc. You were very patient with me and my needing lots of explaining of legal terms and meanings. At my age, I was concerned about getting things done but wanting it all done right. You were very prompt in responding to my questions and I think by time of signing I felt confident we had things just the way we wanted to protect my heirs. Thank you and God Bless you.

    - Donna V.
  • "Very much appreciated"
    I am very much appreciated your service If anyone like me needed your service I will introduce about you. Everything you did with in a week. Very much satisfied all your service.
    - Sarah P.
  • "Smooth and easy"
    Learning about trusts at the meal was easy and educational. The set down at the office was where the finer points of trusts was explained. That is where and when we decided to make it safe and easy for our heirs. Our final meeting where we signed everything and an explanation of each item was given went smooth and easy. All in all I would say the investment in the trust was worth it.
    Thank you to Crain & Wooley office and staff
    - Anonymous
  • "Professional and knowledgeable"

    My husband and I recently had our living trust completed through the help of Crain and Wooley. Justin and his staffs are professional and knowledgeable. A special thanks to client education specialist Stephen. He is such a nice gentleman and always answers our questions clearly and right to the point, and always ready to help by answering your concerns promptly. We will certainly refer the law firm to our families and friends!

    - Susan X.
  • "Excellent, Highly recommend"

    We went to seminar to just find out what we needed to do for a will, They gave us all the info we needed right then there. Offered a really good price if we signed up to get one that day. A few weeks later after our appointment we have a Living trust. They were helpful with all our questions and were very thorough with these explaining the whole process. They stuck with the price that we paid + let us call anytime if we had any questions. Excellent, Highly recommend this company.

    - Linda B.
  • "So good to finally have a plan"

    After worrying about our lack of estate planning for years, it feels so good to finally have a plan in place. Thank you for making the process relativity painless and offering the educational support we needed.

    - Leslie W.
  • "5 Stars"
    Me and my appreciate Mr. Crosby we think that he was very professional in doing his job and we give him 5 stars when it come to him doing his Job.
    - James A.
  • "Overall experience was seamless"

    We recently had the opportunity to attend a workshop hosted by Crain & Wooley regarding wills and estate planning. Based on the information provided we decided to proceed with our estate planning with Justin and his team.  The overall experience was seamless and the process was clearly communicated. We had our homework and once that was completed, several iterations later we had our final walk-through and signed estate plan. We would recommend Justin to our family and friends.

    - Earl B.

Designed for Your Comfort & Convenience

Estate Planning With Us Means:
  • Flat-Rate Pricing*

    Finally, you won’t need a lawyer to understand your legal fees. We clearly communicate our pricing structure upfront, so you can feel comfortable with our service from start to finish. No surprises, no hidden fees. *Our flat rate fees apply only to proactive planning services.

  • Optional Lifetime Guarantee
    With our optional lifetime guarantee, your will and trust will be automatically updated over the years to ensure it stays current with best practices, reflects your current wishes and minimizes future confusion for your family.
  • Knowledgeable Service
    Laws change all the time. We stay up to date with all the latest information so that you’re covered. No one else in the region is as dedicated or educated in this area of law. We’re the experts so you don’t have to be.