Personal Care Contract Lawyer in Massachusetts
At some point in their lives, many older adults will need help with tasks such as bathing, dressing, and doing chores around the home. If you provide care for your loved one at home, a personal care contract offers several advantages.
Your personal care contract lawyer from Casey Lundregan Burns, P.C., can help you draw up a contract that suits your needs and gives you peace of mind.
What Is a Personal Care Contract?
Personal care contracts, also called elder care contracts, are legal documents that outline an agreement between a caregiver and a care recipient.
The contract specifies the type of care you provide. For example, you might agree to help your family member shop for groceries, cook meals, and tidy their home.
In the contract, you’ll also specify the duration of care. You might agree to help for a few months or until the senior needs advanced care services that you can’t provide.
The contract specifies how much the senior will pay you for care. According to Massachusetts law, they must pay you a fair amount for your services.
It can be complicated to figure out the value of care on your own. A geriatric care manager can examine the older adult and tell you how much your care is worth.
It’s important to create this agreement with the guidance of an elder law attorney or a personal care contract lawyer. Otherwise, your agreement might not be valid under Massachusetts law, which affects Medicaid eligibility.
Why Do You Need a Personal Care Contract?
Drawing up a contract between family members may seem a bit too formal, but it has benefits for both you and your loved one.
It’s possible that your senior relative will need nursing home care when you can no longer take care of them yourself. Nursing home care costs thousands of dollars per month, and paying for care out of pocket can quickly drain the assets your family member worked so hard for.
Medicaid will pay for nursing homes, but only after the senior spends down all but $2,000 of their assets. Seniors can use a personal care contract as part of an asset protection strategy that shields their money from care facilities.
Through the contract, the senior reduces their assets by paying a family caregiver for their services. The state considers this money income, not a gift, so it’s not subject to any penalty period.
In short, personal care agreements give seniors and their caregivers peace of mind because they know Medicaid will cover nursing home care when they need it.
Protect Your Loved One’s Assets with Help from a Personal Care Contract Lawyer in Massachusetts
Even if you’re providing care for your loved one now, it’s possible they’ll need a nursing home in the future. Drafting a personal care contract is a smart way to protect their assets when it’s time to apply for long-term care Medicaid.
For over 90 years, Casey Lundregan Burns, P.C. has helped Salem seniors and their families plan for the future. Call us at (978) 878-3519 for help with personal care agreements and all other estate planning needs.