Originally Posted by Janet
Ladies, a friend and I were talking the other day. She is younger than I am and already worried about old age and nursing homes. Well, her worries got me to thinking too so I thought maybe you all can help ease our worries.
I'm not even sure how to start, it's much easier talking about it. For instance, Rick and I are married (duh...lol) It's in the future and Rick or I have to go to a nursing home while the other one doesn't. She said that the one NOT in the nursing home would lose most everything because it would be needed to take care of the one in the nursing home. The spouse not in the NH gets to keep the house, and a car - but I do know it cannot be a new car, there is a cap on how much the car can be worth. Also, the spouse gets to keep their own social security and pension, but the SS and pension of the person in the NH is used for NH care Is that true??? Is it a good thing that I have Mom's home just in my name or will it make a difference since we are married? She has me scared to death. Yes, having your mom's house in your name alone will protect it - at least is does in Texas, that might be a question for an Indiana attorney to be sure of the IN laws
Since we don't have the best marriage, I don't want to lose everything we've worked for. My gosh, I would resent him even more than I do now. So tell me...is this a possibility? no, unless the laws are different in IN and I don't think so, because this is a federal law, protecting the spouse, I think. Again, i'd check with an IN attorney to be sure.
She said if they were still alive and doing well at 60, they were planning on divorcing so there hopefully would be enough time between the divorce and needing a nursing home so the nursing home couldn't come back on them. She said they were going to put their house in one of their names, but didn't know which one yet. You might end up putting the house in the name of the one that ends up in the NH though, how could you know which one was likely to NOT go into the NH?
I told her if she puts it in his name, what happens if she should go into a nursing home first and visa versa. She didn't know of course. exactly!
I tell you, this has really got me to thinking now. I don't want to lose everything and be put in an old folks home instead of a nice nursing home. Hopefully both of us will die of a heart attack or something and not need a nursing home, but this really has me worried.
Any thoughts? (I realize we all probably won't be here, but ya never know).
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