Did you know? The government passed a law that you are responsible for all of your parents medical bills.?

I don't know in which state you reside...but in my state of Washington we have laws in place so that what you've described will not take place -- IF you follow certain rules.

1) You cannot liquidate your parent's (or parents') assets to then put them into your name or to divide them among other relatives in order to have the parents viewed as 'without funds' (or without property in any form).

IN WA state, the parent must legally file a "Special Needs Trust" - and then funds from the parent's assets must be spent for the parents care for the next 5 years, with very detailed records being kept. (A special checking account and special money market or savings accounts must be set up for this purpose).

2) At the end of the OFFICIAL 5 year period, the parent (or parents) who are in need of special nursing care, such as in an assisted living facility or a long-term care home for the elderly, can apply to have Medicaid pay for their care for their remaining years. If approved by MEDICAID, then the remainder of their assets, which have not been spent during the 5 year period, will be held in 'trust' until the parent's (parents') death(s)...and then those assets will be viewed as their estate and can be divided between their heirs according to the parent's Will.

IF you improverish your parent(s) by selling their home or other properties or you divide-up their money...with the intention of putting the ailing parent into a care facility and then expect MediCAID to foot the cost...you will soon be faced with having to repay the US Gov't an amount equal to your parent's assets or until the parent's money is depleted. In otherwords, YOU cannot 'skip' the 5 year period where the parent's money/assets are used to pay for their care...after a trust fund is established. This is, I am guessing here, the most likely scenario UNLESS you have proof of every dollar spent for the benefit of your parent or parents before they entered a care facility and used Medicaid to pay for it.. (This is the reason WA state now has the 'Special Needs Trust' in place).

I am not an attorney...but I have taken care of my very aged parent for 9 years now...who has been in my home, where I am the caregiver. So...I have consulted my parent's elder care attorney many times and we do have all documents on file in our state/county...so I am protected and my parent is now able to use Medicaid, should the need arise. The day that my parent has to enter a home paid for by Medicaid, the remainder of my parent's assets/money will then be 'frozen' in the trust fund until death and then all remaining assets become part of the Will.

I hope my ideas help you to find some relief from paying your parent's medical bills. NO ONE explains these things to folks beforehand...and you, I promise, are most surely not alone in your misery. I just wish that doctors, hospitals, attorneys or even our government would make things clear to folks as they grow older. I have been very lucky to have a family doctor who did take time to 'clue me in' on the laws many years ago. He also told me to seek an elder care attorney. That doctor did the right thing for his patient and the patient's future needs.. and I do wish that others would follow his example.

I strongly urge you to consult an "Elder Care" attorney "IF" you haveNOTever signed an agreement to pay or to guarantee your parent's debts in any form -- AND if YOU did not sell any of their property nor did you receive any of their assets to use for yourself or your family. If you can say 'no' to these things, I strongly urge you to check with an "Elder Care Attorney"...not one who just write Wills, etc. but an attorney who knows your state's very specific "elder care laws" backward and forward. You need this sort of specialist attorney in your situation. It will be costly, perhaps up to $500/hr., but if you can stop paying for your parent's debts...it will be worth it. Make good clear notes and go right down the line so that you spend as short an amount of time paying that attorney as you can.

Good luck.

they're all dead.

Other than that, yeah, is entertaining.

So I guess what this is saying is start your own Retirement Plan, got that.

thank you. I owe you big time. now help me invest spinhead692000@yahoo.com where to even start? this is all new buddy.