Elder Needs Law launches free Florida Medicaid planning webinar

Elder Needs Law, PLLC has launched a free webinar series led by Florida elder law attorney Jason Neufeld on Medicaid planning, asset protection and avoiding estate recovery. Registrants will get a MERP risk checklist, and the webinar date will be announced after pre-registration.

Why it matters: - Florida families facing nursing home costs often need a faster way to protect a home and other assets before Medicaid rules create a recovery problem. - The webinar is designed to explain how Florida’s Medicaid Estate Recovery Program can affect a family home after death and what planning tools may help reduce that risk.

What happened: - Elder Needs Law, PLLC announced a new free webinar series on Medicaid planning and asset protection. - Florida Bar Board-Certified Elder Law Attorney Jason Neufeld will host the webinar. - The firm said the webinar will focus on Medicaid planning, trusts and avoiding estate recovery. - Pre-registration is available at webinar.elderneedslaw.com. - The exact webinar date will be announced to registered attendees once confirmed.

The details: - The webinar will cover how Florida’s Medicaid Estate Recovery Program works and which assets it can and cannot reach. - Families will get guidance on crisis planning for a nursing home placement that is already underway. - The session will address the Community Spouse Resource Allowance, Medicaid-compliant annuities and permissible spend-down options. - The webinar will explain how Irrevocable Medicaid Trusts, Lady Bird Deeds and enhanced life estate arrangements can remove a home from probate and from MERP reach. - The program will also cover assets held in a properly structured trust, jointly titled assets and assets passing through beneficiary designations. - Jason Neufeld will address the five-year lookback period, including what triggers a penalty and what transfers are safe. - The webinar will explain the Florida Homestead exemption, including what it protects during life and what it does not protect after death. - Registrants will receive a complimentary MERP Risk Assessment Checklist. - The checklist is described as a self-audit for whether a home is exposed to Medicaid estate recovery under Florida law.

Between the lines: - The webinar is aimed at families who are already dealing with long-term care costs, not just people planning years ahead. - The focus on estate recovery signals that homeowners may need to think beyond Medicaid eligibility and consider what happens to assets after death. - The free checklist appears designed to turn a legal issue into a quick screening tool for homeowners and caregivers.

What's next: - Elder Needs Law will confirm the webinar date after registration. - Registered attendees will receive the date notice and the risk assessment checklist. - The firm is positioning the webinar as part of an ongoing educational series on Medicaid and asset protection planning.

The bottom line: - For Florida seniors and their families, the webinar is a no-cost starting point for understanding how to pay for long-term care without putting a home at unnecessary risk.