Most families come to us with a complicated situation and a simple question: what can we do? This page answers that — not in theory, but in practice. Here is exactly how we work through a Medi-Cal planning engagement from the first conversation to the final plan.
Every Medi-Cal planning engagement begins the same way: we build a comprehensive asset protection plan specific to your family’s situation. This is not a form letter or a checklist. It is a detailed document that captures everything relevant to your case — the elder’s assets and income, any prior transfers, outstanding debts, family circumstances, and the specific goals the family wants to achieve.
From that foundation, we identify every planning strategy available given your specific situation and timeline. Some families have years before nursing home care becomes a reality. Others are calling from a hospital waiting room. The strategies available are different in each case — and the plan reflects that honestly.
This document becomes the case roadmap. When you leave our office, you know exactly how your case is going to proceed, what steps are being taken, in what order, and why. There are no surprises. There are no vague assurances. There is a plan — in writing, in plain language — that tells you precisely how your goals are going to be met.
Richard has spent more than 35 years helping West Valley families navigate the most financially consequential decisions of their lives. The comprehensive asset protection plan is the tool that makes his expertise tangible — and gives clients the clarity and confidence to move forward.
Experience helping West Valley families
Plain-language asset protection roadmap
Plan matched to assets, timeline, and goals
01
We review the elder’s complete financial picture — assets, income, debts, and any prior transfers — and assess what Medi-Cal would count, what is exempt, and what options are available. We also talk through the family’s goals: what do they most want to protect, and what is the realistic timeline before nursing home care is needed? This conversation sets the foundation for everything that follows.
02
We prepare the comprehensive written plan that documents the elder’s full financial situation and outlines the recommended planning strategies for their specific case. This is the case roadmap — a clear, written record of what we are doing, why we are doing it, and what outcome it is designed to achieve.
03
Depending on the situation, this may involve a structured gifting plan, the establishment of a Medi-Cal Asset Protection Trust, spend-down strategies, spousal protection planning, or some combination of these. The right approach depends entirely on how much time is available, how assets are currently structured, and what the family needs to protect most.
04
The details of implementation matter enormously in Medi-Cal planning. How transfers are structured, how documents are drafted, and how accounts and property are titled can be the difference between a plan that works and one that creates unintended consequences. We handle every aspect of implementation with the precision this work requires.
05
When the time comes to file, we guide the family through the Medi-Cal application process — preparing the documentation, coordinating with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services, and ensuring the application is submitted in a way that reflects the planning that has been done. Upon receipt of a completed application and all supporting documents, Medi-Cal generally renders a decision within one to two months.
06
Medi-Cal rules change. Family circumstances change. An elder’s condition evolves. We remain available to our clients as their situation develops — reviewing the plan as needed, addressing new questions, and making adjustments when circumstances require it. The relationship doesn’t end when the documents are signed.
Medi-Cal planning is not one-size-fits-all. The strategies we use depend on the family’s specific situation, timeline, and goals. Here is an overview of the primary tools available:
An irrevocable trust that removes assets from Medi-Cal’s countable asset calculation while maintaining some family control. Assets held in a properly funded MAPT bypass probate and are protected from Medi-Cal’s estate recovery program. The MAPT is used in both proactive and crisis planning situations.
A precisely sequenced transfer plan designed to minimize or eliminate the Medi-Cal penalty period that results from unplanned gifting. The structure of transfers matters as much as the amount.
Converting countable assets into exempt ones through legitimate means: paying off debt, making home improvements, purchasing an automobile, or pre-paying funeral and burial arrangements.
When one spouse enters a nursing home, California law provides specific protections for the community spouse’s income and assets. Ensuring those protections are fully utilized is a critical component of every married couple’s Medi-Cal plan.
Existing trusts are reviewed to ensure they align with current Medi-Cal rules. A trust that was properly structured before California’s rules changed may no longer provide the protection the family assumes it does.
The tools available — and the outcomes achievable — are significantly different depending on how much time exists before nursing home care is needed. Families who engage us before a crisis have access to the full range of strategies and can almost always protect their assets comprehensively. Families who call during a crisis have a narrower window — but experienced crisis planning can still make a profound difference.
More time means more options, including comprehensive asset protection and careful sequencing before care is needed.
A narrower window, but experienced planning can still protect meaningful assets and guide the application process.
Whether you are planning ahead or responding to a situation that has already arrived, the most important first step is understanding where you stand. That is what the first conversation is for — and it costs nothing.
A first conversation is straightforward and unhurried. We review the elder’s situation, identify what is protected and what is at risk, and outline what the planning process would look like for your specific case. No obligation. Just clarity — and a clear path forward.
