What legal and financial steps should I take after a dementia diagnosis?
A dementia diagnosis brings urgent legal and financial questions. Getting the right documents in place early and understanding care costs can protect your loved one's wishes and assets. Our specialized AI guides can help with both aspects of planning.
📝 Get the legal documents you need before capacity declines further
Essential Legal Documents & Planning
Power of Attorney for Finances
Get legal authority to manage accounts, pay bills, and handle financial decisions. Learn Michigan requirements and what to do if capacity is already declining.
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Ensure someone can make medical decisions when your loved one can't. Navigate HIPAA, hospital decisions, and treatment preferences.
Living Will & Advanced Directives
Document end-of-life preferences before dementia progresses. Address feeding tubes, life support, and quality of life decisions.
Will & Estate Planning Updates
Update wills, beneficiaries, and estate plans for dementia-related changes. Protect assets and ensure proper inheritance distribution.
Guardianship When POA Isn't Enough
When your loved one can't sign documents or POA is challenged. Michigan guardianship process, costs, and alternatives.
Determining Legal Capacity
When can your loved one still sign legal documents? Medical evaluations, attorney assessments, and capacity requirements.
🏛️ Navigate Medicare, Medicaid, VA benefits and state assistance programs
Government Benefits & Assistance Programs
Medicaid Qualification Strategy
Navigate Michigan Medicaid's asset and income limits to qualify for long-term care coverage while protecting family resources.
Veterans Benefits for Dementia Care
Aid & Attendance benefits can provide up to $2,700/month for dementia care. Learn eligibility and application process.
Social Security Disability Benefits
Early-onset dementia may qualify for disability benefits. Understand the application process and medical requirements.
Medicare & Dementia Care Coverage
What Medicare covers (and doesn't cover) for dementia care. Supplements, Part D, and navigating coverage gaps.
State of Michigan Assistance Programs
Michigan-specific programs for dementia families including respite grants, support services, and specialized waiver programs.
Benefits Application Support
Getting help with complex benefit applications, appeals processes, and navigating bureaucracy while managing dementia care.
🛡️ Protect savings and assets while qualifying for benefits
Asset Protection & Financial Strategies
Medicaid Asset Protection Planning
Legal strategies to protect savings and home while still qualifying for Medicaid. Five-year lookback rules and allowed transfers.
Irrevocable Trusts for Dementia Planning
Using trusts to protect assets from nursing home costs while maintaining Medicaid eligibility. Requirements and risks.
Home Protection Strategies
Protect the family home from Medicaid recovery and nursing home costs. Homestead exemptions and ownership strategies.
Spend-Down Strategies
Legal ways to reduce countable assets to qualify for Medicaid while improving quality of life and care.
Gifting and Transfer Rules
What transfers are allowed without Medicaid penalties. Annual exclusions, caregiver exemptions, and safe harbor rules.
Financial Advisor Selection
Finding financial advisors experienced with dementia planning, elder law, and Medicaid qualification strategies.
🏦 Take control of finances and prevent exploitation
Financial Management & Protection
Taking Over Financial Management
Step-by-step process for assuming financial responsibility. Bank authorizations, credit monitoring, and bill management.
Preventing Financial Exploitation
Protect against scams, identity theft, and financial abuse. Warning signs, protective measures, and reporting procedures.
Bank Account Restructuring
Setting up accounts for easier management, automatic bill pay, and protection from unauthorized access or confusion.
Credit and Debt Management
Managing existing debt, credit cards, and preventing new debt when cognitive ability is declining.
Insurance Portfolio Review
Life, disability, and property insurance adjustments for dementia. Beneficiary updates and coverage optimization.
Tax Planning for Dementia Care
Medical deductions, caregiver tax credits, and tax implications of care funding strategies and asset transfers.
⚖️ Resolve family conflicts and protect legal rights
Legal Disputes & Family Conflicts
Family Disputes Over Care Decisions
When family members disagree about care, living situations, or financial decisions. Mediation and legal resolution options.
Power of Attorney Challenges
When family members question POA authority or decisions. Legal protections and dispute resolution for POA holders.
Elder Abuse Allegations
Protecting yourself and your loved one from false accusations while ensuring actual abuse is reported and prevented.
Capacity Challenges & Assessments
When family members dispute your loved one's capacity to make decisions. Medical evaluations and legal standards.
Estate Planning Disputes
Preventing and resolving conflicts over inheritance, estate planning changes, and asset distribution during dementia.
Legal Representation Selection
Finding elder law attorneys experienced with dementia cases, family conflicts, and Michigan-specific regulations.
Legal & Financial FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Taking Over Financial Management
When dementia affects financial judgment, stepping in requires the right legal authority. Learn how to protect accounts, handle bill payments, and manage assets while respecting dignity and autonomy.
Understanding Guardianship
When a loved one can no longer make safe decisions, guardianship provides legal authority to protect them. Understand Michigan's process, costs, and alternatives before proceeding.
Determining Legal Capacity
Early dementia doesn't automatically remove someone's legal capacity to sign documents. Learn how capacity is determined, what documents may still be possible, and how to handle this sensitive situation.
Greater Lansing Resources
The Greater Lansing area offers specialized resources for families facing dementia, including financial advisors with dementia expertise, benefits counselors, and nonprofit support programs for managing care costs.
Is it too late to get power of attorney?
When cognitive decline makes POA impossible and alternatives
How do I pay for care when savings run out?
Transition from private pay to Medicaid
Will the state take our house?
Medicaid estate recovery and home protection
Can we give money to children without penalties?
Transfer rules and lookback periods
Siblings won't help pay for care
Getting family financial contributions
Family accusing me of financial abuse
Protection from false accusations