• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
  • Services
    • Asset Protection & Business Planning
    • Elder Law & Medicaid Services
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Estate Planning Services
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Legacy Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Pet Planning
    • SECURE Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration & Probate
  • Elder Law
    • Coping With Alzheimer’s
    • Emergency Medicaid & Nursing Home Planning
    • Guardianship & Conservatorship
    • Hospice Care
    • Medicaid Planning
    • Veterans Benefits
  • Seminars
  • Areas We Serve
    • Ballwin
    • Chesterfield
    • Clayton
    • Creve Couer
    • Des Peres
    • Edwardsville
    • Fenton
    • Glen Carbon
    • Glendale
    • Kirkwood
    • Maryland Heights
    • Oakland
    • Sappington
    • St. Louis
    • Sunset Hills
    • Valley Park
    • Webster Groves
  • Resources
    • Asset Protection Worksheet
    • Elder Law Resources
      • Chesterfield Elder Law
      • Fenton Elder Law
      • Kirkwood Elder Law
      • Sunset Hills Elder Law
      • St. Louis Elder Law
      • St. Peters Elder Law
      • Webster Groves Elder Law
    • FREE Estate Planning Seminars
    • FREE Estate Planning Worksheet
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Estate Planning
      • Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Trust Administration & Probate
    • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
    • Medicaid Resources
    • Multimedia
    • Newsletters
    • Presentations
    • Pre Consultation Form
    • Probate Checklist
    • Probate Resources
    • Retirement Planning Checklist
    • Special Reports
      • Advanced Estate Planning
      • Basic Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning For Niches
      • Trust Administration
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Amen, Gantner & Capriano | Your Estate Matters, L.L.C.

St. Louis Estate Planning & Elder Law Attorneys

Logo
CONNECT WITH US TODAY (314) 966-8077
ATTEND A FREE WEBINAR
Home / Elder Law / What Is the Five Year Look-Back Period for Medicaid in St. Louis?

What Is the Five Year Look-Back Period for Medicaid in St. Louis?

July 29, 2014

Elder Law, Medicaid Planning Tagged With: five year look-back period, Medicaid, medicaid in st. louis

medicaid in st. louisMedicaid can be a blessing to those who have few assets; however, qualifying for long-term care with Medicaid can be difficult. Many states, including Missouri, are trying to increase the amount of money people put toward their own care in order to make Medicaid funds cover a growing elderly population. A long-standing requirement when applying to Medicaid is the five year look-back period which is a period during which any gifts or transfers of assets will be counted against the applicant.

Five Year Look-Back Period for Medicaid in St. Louis

In St. Louis, the five-year look back period is something that each application is subjected to during the application process. Medicaid workers look back through all of your financial records for the five years prior to your application date to find countable assets that you might have sold or given away. These assets could disqualify you from receiving Medicaid funds. Understandably, many people try to transfer or give away assets prior to applying for Medicaid in St. Louis because they want their kids or another loved one to have the assets instead of the state.  Unfortunately, the state is aware of this which is why the look-back period is a requirement.

Certain transfers and gifts are allowable, such as certain transfers to your spouse or a disabled child. But if other transfers or gifts are uncovered, even simple cash gifts to your kids, you could lose eligibility for Medicaid for a certain length of time. The rules governing which transfers are allowed are becoming so tight that it is risky to make any gifts or transfers within five years of applying for Medicaid in St. Louis. If you think you might need to apply for Medicaid at any point within the next few years, consult a with your estate planning attorney before making any asset transfers. Do not give anything to anyone until you clear it with the attorney unless you are willing to risk incurring a penalty.

There’s one more catch regarding the five year look-back: gifts to you. Say, for example, you go into a nursing home and are using your money to pay for care, but things are getting tight. Your kids give you cash to ease the situation, but eventually you decide to apply for Medicaid in St. Louis. That cash given to you by your kids might be counted as part of your own assets even though it was meant strictly for your expenses in the nursing home. For this reason, be sure to talk to your estate planning attorney before you accept any gifts from anyone as well.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Paul Gantner
Paul Gantner
I am an owner of Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, L.L.C. I have been able to bring my business and legal education and experience into a firm that has for many years provided comprehensive estate plans that meet clients’ needs and expectations.My passion has been creating and constantly pushing AGC’s mission of “Helping Families Secure their Legacies by Embracing them into the Law Firm Family through Long-term, Personal Advisory Relationships.”
Paul Gantner
Latest posts by Paul Gantner (see all)
  • Lessons from Patagonia - January 5, 2023
  • Planning for the “Silver Tsunami” - December 29, 2022
  • More than Just Salad Dressing: The Ongoing Saga of Newman’s Own Foundation - December 22, 2022

Filed Under: Elder Law, Medicaid Planning Tagged With: five year look-back period, Medicaid, medicaid in st. louis

Other Articles You May Find Useful

Affton elder law attorneys
What Is a Reverse Mortgage?
Amen, Gantner & Capriano | Your Estate Matters, L.L.C.
Key Social Security Retirement Facts You Should Know
Kirkwood elder law attorneys
What Should I Do after Being Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s?
St. Louis elder law attorneys
St. Louis Elder Law Attorneys — Is It Alzheimer’s or Just the Natural Aging Process?
Creve Couer elder law attorneys
Creve Couer Elder Law Attorneys Answer Top 5 Elder Law Questions
Amen, Gantner & Capriano | Your Estate Matters, L.L.C.
Missouri Medicaid and Medicare – What Is the Difference?

About Paul Gantner

I am an owner of Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, L.L.C. I have been able to bring my business and legal education and experience into a firm that has for many years provided comprehensive estate plans that meet clients’ needs and expectations. My passion has been creating and constantly pushing AGC’s mission of “Helping Families Secure their Legacies by Embracing them into the Law Firm Family through Long-term, Personal Advisory Relationships.”

Primary Sidebar

Download our free Estate Planning Worksheet

There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • youtube

Blog Subscription

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Where We Are

Amen, Gantner & Capriano
10733 Sunset Office Drive, Suite 425
St. Louis, MO 63127

See Larger MapGet directions

Office Hours

Monday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday8:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Map

map for Amen, Gantner & Capriano Your Estate Matters office
  • Advantages of Working With Our Firm
  • About The American Academy
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us

Footer

Connect to us

  • Facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • youtube
footer-logo

© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.

Amen, Gantner & Capriano,
Your Estate Matters, LLC

Attorney Advertisement