Episode 20

Host: Jill Mastroianni

What You Need to Know About Medicaid and Protecting Your Mom’s House

Are you worried that the government might “take the house” if your parent ever needs nursing home care? A listener named Eileen is facing this exact question, and her son-in-law thinks a trust is the answer. But is it?

In this episode, Jill unpacks how Medicaid works, what a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust actually does, and why good estate planning starts with the person at the center, not just the property. 

This episode is a must-listen if you’ve ever panicked about Medicaid’s five-year lookback or felt pressure to “act fast” without knowing what you're really signing up for.

Listen to learn:

  • What Medicaid is, and how it differs from Medicare

  • What it actually means for the government to “take the house”

  • What Medicaid Estate Recovery is and how it plays out in real life

  • How a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust works (and when it might backfire)

  • What the five-year lookback is and how the penalty period is calculated

  • Why giving away control could cause more problems than it solves

  • The question every family should ask: Does this plan serve the person at the center of it?

  • What to consider before putting your parent’s house in a trust

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Next

Episode 19: Why You Need (or Don't Need) a Trust