Don't Let a Nursing Home
Take Everything
You Saved.
Florida nursing home care costs over $10,000 per month. Without proper Medicaid planning, your savings pay first — every single dollar. The Siegel Law Group has helped thousands of South Florida families protect what they spent a lifetime building.
Start Your Free Assessment
Enter your details to begin. Your personalized Medicaid readiness report will be sent immediately after.
🔒 Confidential · No obligation · Attorney-reviewed results
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails, phone calls, and text messages from The Siegel Law Group, P.A. regarding estate planning services and upcoming events. Message and data rates may apply. You may opt out at any time by replying STOP or contacting us directly. We do not sell your personal information. Submission of this form does not create an attorney-client relationship or constitute legal advice.
4 Things Most Families Believe That Are Simply Not True
These four misconceptions are responsible for most of the Medicaid planning mistakes we see — and the financial losses that follow. Understanding the truth is the first step to protecting what you have built.
"Medicare will cover my nursing home costs."
Medicare covers skilled nursing rehabilitation for up to 100 days — under strict conditions — and only after a qualifying hospital stay. Medicare does not pay for long-term custodial care. The moment rehabilitation ends, you pay privately. At $10,000+ per month, a family's savings can vanish in months.
The Truth: You need Medicaid — not Medicare"It's too late — they're already in a nursing home."
This is the myth that costs families the most. Crisis Medicaid planning can often still protect significant assets even after a loved one enters a nursing facility. Spousal transfers, Miller Trusts, spend-down strategies, and other legal tools remain available. Every day of delay is a day of unnecessary spend-down, but it is almost never truly too late to act.
The Truth: Call an attorney before spending down more"We have too much money to qualify for Medicaid."
Medicaid planning is not about being poor — it is about legally restructuring assets so they are either excluded from Medicaid's limits or protected through properly structured trusts. Families with significant savings are often the best candidates for planning, because there is more to protect and more legal tools available.
The Truth: Planning protects the most for those with the most"We already gave the house to the kids — we're protected."
Unguided asset transfers made within 60 months of a Medicaid application are reviewed and can trigger a penalty period — during which Medicaid will not pay for care even if the person is otherwise eligible. Well-intentioned gifts often create the very problem families were trying to avoid. Only transfers made with proper legal guidance and documented correctly provide real protection.
The Truth: Unguided transfers can backfire badlyThe 5-Year Clock Is Already Running. Here Is What That Means.
Florida Medicaid uses a 60-month look-back period on all asset transfers. This is not a penalty — it is a review window. But it means that planning done today protects assets that planning done in three years cannot. Every month of delay is a month that narrows your options.
The Look-Back Window Runs Backward
Medicaid looks back 60 months from your application date. Any transfer made without proper legal structure inside that window is subject to review — and can create a penalty period that delays Medicaid eligibility even after you qualify.
Spend-Down Is Not a Strategy — It Is a Last Resort
Many families are told to simply "spend down" to Medicaid limits. But spending down on excluded assets, prepaying expenses, and making strategic purchases can preserve meaningful value without triggering look-back penalties.
Your Florida Home Has Special Protections
Florida's homestead law provides significant Medicaid protection for your primary residence — but only if properly titled and not at risk from estate recovery. A Lady Bird deed can ensure the home passes directly to heirs without Medicaid clawback after death.
Spouses Have Rights — But Only If You Use Them
The community spouse (the one not entering the nursing home) has legal rights to retain significant assets and income under Florida law. But those rights must be asserted through proper legal channels. Many community spouses accept far less than the law entitles them to.
The Attorney Who Wrote the Book on Protecting South Florida Families
Watch Barry Siegel Explain How Medicaid Planning Actually Works
Most families have the same questions. Barry answers them here — plainly, honestly, without legal jargon.
Hear What Happened After John Called Barry Siegel
Over a thousand South Florida families have trusted The Siegel Law Group with their most important financial decisions. Here is one of them, in their own words.
"Barry and his team gave us peace of mind we did not even know we were missing. Every question was answered, every document explained. We finally have a plan that actually protects our family."
Not Everyone Needs the Same Solution. Here Is What Is Available.
The right combination of tools depends entirely on your situation — your assets, your care status, your family structure, and how much time you have. This is why Medicaid planning requires a licensed attorney, not a checklist.
A Simple Process. A Clear Plan. No Surprises.
Trusted by South Florida Families When It Matters Most
"When my mother entered a nursing home, we panicked. We thought everything was gone. Barry's team told us there were still options. We protected her home and a significant portion of her savings. I cannot overstate how much this meant to our family."
"We transferred assets to our children years ago thinking we were being smart. We had no idea about the look-back period. Barry caught it, restructured our plan, and protected us from what could have been a very costly mistake. He is the only attorney I will ever refer for this."
"My husband was already in memory care when I called. I was told by someone else that it was too late to plan. Barry's team told me it was not. We saved the house and protected most of what we had. Call them before you assume it is too late."
2021 and 2022
Accredited Business
Client Choice Award
South Florida Elder Law
What South Florida Families Ask About Medicaid Planning
Straight answers to the questions we hear most. If yours is not here, call us directly and we will answer it — no obligation, no charge for the conversation.
Every Month Without a Plan
Costs Real Money.
A free consultation with a licensed elder law attorney takes 30 minutes. It could protect the savings you spent 40 years building. Barry Siegel's team answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Or call us directly: (561) 559-6232 · Phones answered 24/7