For many older adults, the top priority is simple: staying at home for as long as possible. Home is where routines feel familiar and independence remains intact. At Kirshblum Taber PC, a Nassau County–based elder-law firm serving Long Island and the five boroughs of New York City, we regularly meet with families who want to understand how to make aging at home both practical and affordable. One of the most effective tools for this goal is a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT), which can help preserve the home and support access to Medicaid’s home-based care programs.
As care needs change, families often wonder whether remaining at home is realistic—and whether Medicaid can help. Medicaid does offer programs that support home-based care, and with the right planning, a Medicaid Trust can preserve options and provide clarity for the future.
Aging at Home With Support From Medicaid
Many people prefer to age at home—also called aging in place. Medicaid’s home- and community-based services can include:
- Personal care attendants
- Assistance with daily activities
- Home health aides
- Certain therapies and in-home supports
Eligibility depends on medical and financial criteria, which makes advance planning valuable.
How a Medicaid Trust Helps You Stay at Home
A Medicaid Trust is a well-established planning tool in New York for protecting certain assets while preparing for future Medicaid eligibility. Here’s how it supports aging at home:
1. You Can Continue Living in Your Home
When a home is placed in a properly drafted Medicaid Trust, the person who created the trust can continue living there as usual. After the applicable Medicaid rules are met, the home in the trust is generally no longer treated as a countable resource for eligibility purposes.
2. It Helps Preserve Eligibility for Home-Based Care
New York’s Community Medicaid program—which covers care at home—does not currently have a lookback period. Planning with a Medicaid Trust helps protect assets now while creating a clearer path to qualifying for Medicaid’s home- and community-based services when they are needed.
How a Medicaid Trust Gives Older Adults More Control
A Medicaid Trust often increases control rather than reducing it. Here’s how:
- You choose the trustee, who must follow the rules you establish.
- You decide how the home is handled during your lifetime, including continuing to live there.
- You establish a clear plan, reducing confusion or disputes later.
- You avoid rushed decisions during a health decline, because the structure is already in place.
A Medicaid Trust organizes the legal and financial aspects of planning so you can focus on living life on your terms.
Why Timing Matters: Understanding the Lookback Rules
New York applies a five-year lookback period to Nursing Home Medicaid only. This review includes transfers into a Medicaid Trust. Creating the trust early helps ensure the lookback period is satisfied if nursing home care becomes necessary in the future.
Community Medicaid, the program that supports care at home, does not currently have a lookback period, making early planning especially beneficial for those wishing to age at home.
Across Nassau County, Suffolk County, and the five boroughs, these rules operate the same.
Serving Nassau County, Long Island, and the Five Boroughs
Kirshblum Taber PC proudly assists residents of:
- Nassau County
- Suffolk County
- Queens
- Brooklyn
- Manhattan
- The Bronx
- Staten Island
We help families create clear, effective plans for aging at home while protecting what matters most.
Considering a Medicaid Trust? We’re Here to Help.
A Medicaid Trust is ultimately about choice—preserving the home, supporting access to home-based Medicaid programs, and providing peace of mind.
Learn more at www.ktlawgroup.com or contact us to schedule a consultation.