Fraud is a label to run from – not walk from
As an attorney that practices in areas of law that have both local and national scope – reading and reviewing scholarly writings and recent case decisions is critical to staying current. From these readings, we come to learn and respect the work done by other attorneys and how they are best representing their clients and their interest.
One such article came across my desk entitled “Medicaid Planning Technique Didn’t Work Exactly as Intended” a link to the full article can be found HERE.
The article examines what could be best described as a case study of one attorneys recommendations to a client who was retained to assist the family with Medicaid planning and qualification. As the title infers, the plan did not work out as explained and the clients goals and objectives were not carried out with the suggested plan proposed and enacted by the attorney. Fraud ruins any thought of a clever estate plan – and once that genie is let out of the bottle – it is hard to get it back in.
If it seems too good to be true – it probably is
The case is a lesson for both client and attorney. Just because you can do something – does not always mean you should. Deciding on an estate plan with the goal of qualifying for Medicaid benefits is something that must weigh all of the factors and rules. Knowledge of family dynamic, conflicts, tensions, and history are as important as understanding the rules of Medicaid eligibility, assets and income.
Fraud is a badge that does not wash off easily. Having to defend yourself or others from being accused of absconding with the assets of an elderly loved one is not something anyone wants to envision. There are legal consequences – which translate into strained relationships and possibly property and certainly financial penalties with the ultimate loss of liberty.
The author of the article makes the following suggestions when selecting an elder law attorney to work with:
- Be careful about selecting your lawyer. Do you want someone who really knows estate planning and/or Medicaid planning? Check out their reputation, their online information, and recommendations from friends and colleagues. Did you meet the lawyer at a promotional seminar at the public library or a local restaurant? Make sure you’re not being sold something you don’t really want or need.
- Does a particular Medicaid planning technique sound almost too good to be true? Be suspicious and ask for input from others.
- When a lawyer agrees to meet with you and your family member together, that suggests something troublesome. We are supposed to represent just one person, not a whole family. Recognize that your interests and those of your family member might differ, and respect the lawyer’s efforts to maintain that separation.
- Recognize that even though an idea — and particularly a Medicaid planning technique — might work, it might also have unintended secondary effects.
