Topics
Topics Carl is often asked about
The situations Florida families bring Carl Zacharia most often, grouped so you can find what is closest to yours. Each page explains the general rules and how Carl thinks about them. None of them is an answer for your family: the facts Carl hasn’t seen usually decide the outcome. If your situation isn’t here, or you want to know what applies to you, tell Carl what’s happening.
Carl is writing these pages one at a time, and each one is reviewed before it appears. Topics you can click have been written. The rest are on his list — you don’t have to wait for one to be finished to ask Carl about it.
Florida Medicaid & Long-Term Care
Paying for care, qualifying for help, and the decisions families face when someone can no longer manage alone.
Medicaid Eligibility
- Who qualifies for Florida long-term-care Medicaid?
- How much money can you have and still get Medicaid in Florida?
- Can my spouse qualify for Medicaid if we have large retirement accounts?
- Does owning a home stop you from qualifying for Medicaid?
- What happens to my income if I go on Medicaid in Florida?
- Is there an income limit, and what if we are over it?
- Does Medicaid count both spouses’ money?
- Do we have to spend everything before Medicaid helps?
The Five-Year Lookback & Gifts
- What is the five-year lookback?
- Will helping my children with money keep me off Medicaid?
- What counts as a gift for Medicaid purposes?
- What is a penalty period, and how long does it last?
- I already gave money away. Is it too late to fix?
- Does paying a family member to help count as a gift?
Medicaid Planning & Protecting Assets
- Is it too late to plan if a parent is already in a nursing home?
- Can Medicaid take my house?
- What can the spouse who stays at home keep?
- What is a qualified income trust, and who needs one?
- Can I be paid for taking care of my parent?
- What is a caregiver agreement, and when does it help?
- Does a revocable living trust protect assets from Medicaid?
- Is Medicaid planning the same as hiding money?
Applying for Florida Medicaid
- How do you apply for long-term-care Medicaid in Florida?
- What documents does Florida ask for?
- How long does a Florida Medicaid decision take?
- My application was denied. What now?
- Can we appeal a Medicaid denial in Florida?
- Who can apply on behalf of someone who cannot?
- What does “Medicaid pending” mean?
Florida Long-Term-Care Benefit Programs
- What long-term-care programs does Florida Medicaid offer?
- What is the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care program?
- Does Florida Medicaid pay for assisted living?
- Does Medicaid pay for caregivers at home?
- What is the difference between Medicare and Medicaid for long-term care?
- Does Medicare pay for a nursing home?
- Are there VA benefits that help with long-term care?
Home, Assisted Living, Memory Care or Nursing Home?
- What is the difference between assisted living, memory care and a nursing home?
- How do we know when living at home is no longer safe?
- Which kind of care does Medicaid actually pay for?
- How do families pay for care while they wait for Medicaid?
- What should we ask when we tour a facility?
- Can someone move from assisted living to a nursing home later?
Dementia, Incapacity & Family Caregiving
- Can someone with dementia stay at home?
- What should we do first after a dementia diagnosis?
- My parent refuses help. What can we do?
- Can a person with dementia still sign legal documents?
- How do families share the caregiving without falling apart?
- What help exists for a spouse caring for a partner with dementia?
Nursing Homes, Assisted Living & Resident Problems
- The facility says my parent has to leave. Can they do that?
- What rights does a Florida nursing-home resident have?
- What can we do about poor care or neglect?
- Who do we complain to about a facility in Florida?
- Can a facility make a family member personally responsible for the bill?
- What is the long-term care ombudsman, and how do we reach them?
- What are we agreeing to in an admission agreement?
Taxes & Long-Term Care
- Are long-term-care costs tax deductible?
- What are the tax consequences of cashing in an IRA to pay for care?
- Does selling the house to pay for care create a tax bill?
- Is a paid family caregiver an employee for tax purposes?
- Are long-term-care insurance benefits taxable?
Florida Estate Planning, Probate & Trusts
Getting affairs in order, what happens afterwards, and the problems families run into along the way.
Estate Planning Basics
- What documents does a Florida family actually need?
- What happens if you die without a will in Florida?
- What is the difference between a will and a trust?
Avoiding Probate
- What is probate, and why do people want to avoid it?
- Does a living trust avoid probate in Florida?
- Do beneficiary designations override a will?
Florida Homestead
- What does Florida homestead protection actually do?
- Can I leave my Florida home to whomever I want?
- What happens to the homestead when a spouse dies?
Second Marriages & Blended Families
- How do we protect children from a first marriage?
- What rights does a surviving spouse have in Florida?
- What is the elective share, and can it be waived?
Common Estate-Planning Mistakes
- Is adding a child to the deed or bank account a good idea?
- What goes wrong when beneficiary forms are out of date?
- What happens if a trust is never funded?
Probate & Estate Administration
- What does a personal representative have to do?
- How long does Florida probate take, and what does it cost?
- What is summary administration?
Trust Administration
- What does a trustee have to do after someone dies?
- What do beneficiaries have a right to see?
- Can a trustee be removed?
Estate & Inheritance Tax Issues
- Does Florida have an estate or inheritance tax?
- Will my family owe federal estate tax?
- What is a step-up in basis, and why does it matter?
Incapacity, Powers of Attorney & Guardianship
- What does a Florida durable power of attorney do?
- Do I need guardianship for my mother?
- What happens if someone becomes incapacitated with no documents in place?
Special Needs & Vulnerable Beneficiaries
- How do we leave money to a child with disabilities without costing them benefits?
- What is a special needs trust?
- What if an heir has creditor, addiction or money problems?
Don’t see your situation here?
Ask Carl about it. Most people don’t know what to ask, and no topic page can tell you what applies to your family. Just tell Carl what’s happening.
Ask Carl Your Question