Last week, this column analyzed a strategy to maximize the funds which can be set aside under current law, when one spouse may need Medicaid in the future. A reader with initials T.R. stated that his wife’s worsening dementia caused her to need nursing home care. I suggested that he be in contact with Medicaid immediately, so that he could maximize the spousal protected resource allowance granted by law. That strategy would legally allow him to keep more money for his own sec

Dear Mr. Premack: My wife has been gradually getting worse dementia, and I’ve finally had to place her into a nursing home. Her care costs over $5000 each month, and while we are not entirely without resources, this is far beyond what we can afford. We have about $200 thousand in savings, our home is paid off, and between us we have about $2800 each month income. She named me as agent in a durable power of attorney last year, and we each have Wills leaving everything to each

Dear Mr. Premack: My parents were always married to each other (no divorces) and had five daughters. Both parents are now deceased. Both died without wills. After father died, mother deeded the house we grew up in to my third sister. I feel the house should be divided between the five of us. I don’t think that if something happened to my sister the house should go to her husband. Second, my fourth sister gave my parents a house and now she wants it back. My parents paid all t