Divestment is when you or your spouse give away assets belonging to either or both of you and sell assets for less than fair market value. Avoiding or refusing to accept income or assets you are entitled to, such as a pension income or an inheritance would also be divestment.
While individuals and couples often want to get rid of assets so that they can qualify for Medicaid in the event they need long term care, divestment actually results in ineligibility if done within five years of applying for Medicaid. This is referred to as the five-year look-back rule.
If you have divested assets within five years of applying for Medicaid, you will be subject to a divestment penalty period. The penalty period is the amount of time that Medicaid will not cover your long-term care costs in an assisted living facility or nursing home. The length of the penalty period is determined by dividing the value of the assets divested by the average nursing home rate ($287.29 per day as of the writing of this article). The nursing home rate is updated annually. The divestment penalty period begins when you are first eligible to receive Medicaid benefits.
It is important not to confuse the annual tax-free gift exclusion with an exempt transaction for Medicaid purposes. The current annual gift tax exemption is $15,000, meaning an individual may make gifts in the amount of $15,000 to different individuals without having to file a federal gift tax return. Any annual exclusion gifts, however, would still be divestments for Medicaid purposes, and subject to the five-year look back.
Another common misconception regarding divestment is that there is some type of “claw-back” mechanism whereby the individuals who received the divested assets are made to give them back or turn them over to the nursing home. This is simply a myth. Divestment results in ineligibility for Medicaid if done within five years of applying, but no one is forced to give assets back. Ineligibility can have catastrophic results because without having the assets that have been divested, you or your spouse may have no way to pay for care during the penalty period. Proper planning is very important. The rules regarding divestment are complex and you should consult with an attorney familiar with the rules regarding Medicaid and divestment before any disqualifying divestments are made.