At Jarvis Law Office, P.C., we help Columbus families protect a parent’s home and savings when a nursing home enters the picture. For more than 20 years, our team has guided Ohio families through Medicaid planning. Even if your mom or dad is already in a nursing home, meaningful action is often still possible.
According to the Ohio Department of Medicaid, Ohio served approximately 3.3 million Medicaid enrollees in state fiscal year 2023. That number reflects how many families depend on this program and how demanding the rules can be.
Ohio uses a five-year look-back, meaning Medicaid reviews financial transfers made in the five years before applying. That rule stops many families from acting at all. Our job is to walk you through it in plain language, handle the paperwork, and take this weight off your shoulders.
What Clients Say About Jarvis Law Office
“He took the time to explain every detail clearly, which made a complicated situation much easier to understand.” – Luke B.
When Ohio Medicaid rules feel overwhelming, clear answers make a real difference.
“She was friendly, professional, and went above and beyond to help me… someone who genuinely cares.” – Nate T.
Families in a hard moment need to feel heard first, and that is what the team delivers.
“He’s had over 20 years experience… makes me feel better about choosing his firm.” – MaryEllen G.
Two decades of Ohio elder law experience means this is not a generalist guessing at the look-back rules.
“My husband and I just got our planning in place and it was a very informative and painless process.” – Courtney P.
Protecting the house and savings does not have to be a stressful ordeal, even under time pressure.
“Everyone in the office is a pleasure to work with, and I never hesitate to call or send an email.” – Laura P.
A 35-plus person team means someone is always available to answer your questions.
How Ohio Medicaid Eligibility Works for Long-Term Care
Ohio Medicaid pays for nursing home care once your parent qualifies. Applications go through your local county office, which for the Columbus area is Franklin County Job and Family Services.
To qualify, your parent must meet strict limits. According to the Ohio Department of Medicaid, a single nursing home applicant must have no more than $2,000 in countable assets.
Not everything counts against that $2,000 limit. These assets are generally exempt:
- The primary home, up to Ohio’s equity limit
- One vehicle
- Personal belongings
- A prepaid funeral
- Spousal assets up to the Community Spouse Resource Allowance
If your parent is married, Ohio’s spousal impoverishment rules protect income and savings for the spouse still at home, through the Community Spouse Resource Allowance and a minimum monthly maintenance needs allowance.
Medicaid reviews five years of financial transfers. Gifts or transfers made in that window can trigger a penalty delay, so how and when you move assets matters.
The goal is not to hide money. Legal tools like irrevocable Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts, Medicaid Compliant Annuities, and the caregiver child exception let Ohio families protect what they have built, the right way.
Our Medicaid Planning Services in Columbus
- Medicaid Planning eligibility analysis and full review of your parent’s savings and property
- Crisis Medicaid planning for families whose parent is already in or entering a nursing home
- Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT) drafting and hands-on funding
- Spend-down strategy design so savings are not simply drained
- Community spouse protection under Ohio’s spousal impoverishment rules
- Five-year look-back compliance review of past gifts and transfers
- Ohio Medicaid application help and coordination with Franklin County JFS
- Asset Protection planning to help protect the family home
- Ohio Memory Care Planning for families facing a dementia diagnosis
- Coordination with your existing financial advisor
- Powers of Attorney, trusts, and wills folded into the broader plan
- Elder Law support for the full range of aging-related legal needs
- Ohio Veterans Benefits help for veterans and their families
WE WILL SPEAK FOR YOUR RIGHTS
Contact us for a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your options. You may find that you are entitled to payment if your claim was denied or underpaid. Let Jarvis Law Office be your advocate
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Why Choose Jarvis Law Office for Medicaid Planning in Columbus
We finish the job, not just the paperwork
Many attorneys hand you documents and leave you to move assets on your own. In Medicaid planning, an unfunded trust protects nothing. Our team actively helps retitle the home and move assets where they belong.
We explain clearly
You will know why your parent’s house is titled a certain way, what the five-year look-back means for past gifts, and exactly what to expect from Franklin County JFS.
One flat fee, no surprises
You pay a single flat fee, not an open-ended hourly meter. When care costs are already hitting the family budget, you deserve to know the price up front.
We work with your existing advisors
We coordinate with your parent’s financial advisor rather than replacing them, which matters when retirement accounts and Medicaid strategy overlap.
20+ years of Ohio elder law behind you
Since 2003, our 35-plus person team, licensed by the Supreme Court of Ohio and active in the Ohio State Bar Association, has guided Columbus-area families through exactly this situation.
What Determines How Much You Can Protect Before Applying for Medicaid
Timing. How far ahead of the care need planning starts changes everything. Crisis planning after a nursing home admission uses different tools than planning done years in advance, but real options still exist even now.
Marital status. If your parent has a spouse, Ohio’s Community Spouse Resource Allowance lets the healthy spouse keep far more than a single person can.
Asset composition. A house, IRA, CD, and brokerage account are all treated differently. Some IRAs are not even counted, which surprises most families.
Gifting history. According to Ohio Revised Code Section 5163.45 and the Ohio Department of Medicaid, Ohio enforces a 60-month look-back period during which asset transfers are reviewed and improper gifts can trigger periods of ineligibility.
Care setting. Home-based PASSPORT waiver care follows different rules than nursing home Medicaid.
Existing plan. A trust, joint ownership, or beneficiary designations already in place changes your starting point.
Reviewing these together is what separates a generic spend-down from a real protection plan.
About Jarvis Law Office, P.C.
Families across Columbus call us at the hardest moment, like when a parent just entered a nursing home, and the savings and the house suddenly feel at risk. We have guided hundreds of Central Ohio families through exactly this, and we know how to help.
Jarvis Law Office opened in May 2003. For more than 20 years, we have focused on Ohio elder law, probate avoidance, and protecting what families have worked a lifetime to build. This is what we do every day.
Our team is more than 35 people, so your calls get answered and your paperwork gets done. You are not waiting on one overloaded attorney. We are licensed by the Supreme Court of Ohio and an active member of the Ohio State Bar Association.
According to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and Ohio Revised Code Section 5162.21, Ohio’s Estate Recovery Program lets the state recover long-term care Medicaid costs from a person’s estate after death. Planning ahead is how families keep the house and savings in the family.
Our Medicaid Planning Process for Columbus Families
1. Free Initial Consultation
We start by listening. We review your parent’s health, savings, home, and any documents you already have, and we tell you plainly whether assets can still be protected. Phone, video, and evening appointments are available.
2. Asset and Eligibility Analysis
We sort what counts against Medicaid and what is exempt, check for any five-year look-back exposure, and, if your parent is married, map out protections for the spouse staying at home.
3. Strategy Design
We recommend specific tools that fit your family and timeline, such as a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust, certain annuities, exempt asset conversions, or caregiver agreements. Everything is explained in plain language.
4. Document Drafting
We prepare the trust, powers of attorney, and supporting paperwork correctly the first time.
5. Asset Funding and Re-Titling
Our team actively moves assets into the trust and re-titles property. We do not hand you a stack of forms and walk away.
6. Medicaid Application Coordination
We help file with Franklin County Job and Family Services and gather the records they require. According to the Ohio Department of Medicaid and federal rules at 42 CFR Section 435.912, long-term care Medicaid applications must be processed within 45 days, or 90 days when a disability determination is involved. Thorough preparation prevents costly delays.
7. Ongoing Support
Care needs change and so do the rules. We stay available to answer questions and update your plan as your family’s situation shifts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Medicaid Planning
Can I still do Medicaid planning if my parent is already in a nursing home?
Yes. Even after your mom or dad is admitted, meaningful steps can still protect a large share of savings and often the family home. This is called crisis planning, and Ohio families do it every day.
How much can a healthy spouse keep when the other spouse applies for Medicaid in Ohio?
Ohio’s spousal impoverishment rules let the spouse still living at home keep a protected share of the couple’s assets, up to a federal limit that adjusts each year. That spouse can also keep the house and a monthly income allowance.
Does Ohio have a Medicaid estate recovery program that can take my parent’s house after they die?
Yes. Ohio law requires the state to try to recover Medicaid costs from a deceased person’s probate estate, and that can include the home.
Can I just give my parent’s assets to the kids to qualify for Medicaid faster?
Be careful. Medicaid reviews five years of financial transfers, and gifts made during that window can trigger a penalty that delays coverage. Giving money to grandchildren, transferring a car title, or moving savings can all count.
Is Medicaid planning legal, or is it a way of cheating the system?
It is completely legal and ethical. Ohio and federal law set the rules for how assets are counted and protected, and using those rules as written is not fraud. Families do this openly every day.
What is a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust and how does it work in Ohio?
A Medicaid Asset Protection Trust holds assets like the home so they no longer count against Medicaid eligibility. Once assets sit in the trust for the full five-year look-back period, they are generally protected from care costs and estate recovery.
How long does the Medicaid application process take in Franklin County?
Applications through Franklin County Job and Family Services often take 45 to 90 days, and sometimes longer if documents are missing. Caseworkers request detailed financial records going back five years, and one gap can stall everything.
What happens to my parent’s IRA or retirement account when applying for Ohio Medicaid?
It depends on how the account is structured and whether it is paying out. In some cases an IRA in payout status is treated as income rather than a countable asset, which changes the strategy entirely.
How is Medicaid planning different from Medicare, and why does it matter for nursing home costs?
Medicare only pays for short-term rehab, usually up to 100 days, and does not cover long-term nursing home stays. Medicaid is the program that covers ongoing nursing home care once the money runs low.
What financial records do I need to gather to get started?
Plan to pull five years of bank statements, deeds, titles, retirement account statements, and any records of gifts or transfers. You do not have to sort it out alone.
Local Resources in Columbus for Medicaid Planning
- Franklin County Probate Court
Handles guardianship, conservatorship, and estate proceedings for county residents. - Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services
Administers public benefits programs including long-term care assistance applications. - Ohio Department of Medicaid
The state agency that oversees eligibility determinations and benefit administration statewide. - Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging
Connects older adults and their families with community-based support and care coordination services. - Franklin County Recorder’s Office
Maintains official real property records, deeds, and title documents for the county. - Ohio State Bar Association, Elder Law Section
A professional section providing resources and referrals related to legal matters affecting older adults. - Mount Carmel Health System Social Services
Hospital-based social workers who assist patients with discharge planning and benefit navigation. - OhioHealth Care Management
A regional health network offering social work and case management support for patients transitioning to long-term care. - Franklin County Auditor’s Office
Assesses property values and maintains ownership records used in asset documentation. - Legal Aid Society of Columbus
Nonprofit providing free civil legal assistance to low-income individuals in the region. - Ohio Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Advocates for residents living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities across the state.
Talk to a Columbus Medicaid Planning Attorney Before a Crisis Forces the Decision
If a parent just received a nursing home placement notice, you are likely worried about a lifetime of savings and the family home being consumed by care costs. This is exactly when most Columbus families call us, and there is still time to protect assets even after a parent is admitted.
At Jarvis Law Office, P.C., you get a flat-fee, no-pressure consultation. We know Franklin County JFS procedures and Ohio’s spousal rules, and we handle the paperwork with you.
With offices in Lancaster, Dublin, and St. Clairsville, we are ready to help. Call us to get started.
